'Tis Hunting Time—A smallish blog

[Anna N]

Thanks again. I’d like to say I can’t wait for November but I can. Winters are long enough here without wishing for them to arrive sooner. But a blog from you could make it less painful.

[Shelby]

6 hours ago, suzilightning said:

 

Make with Spanish Rice-a-Roni?  Need some more supplies?   😁

That Spanish Rice-a-roni was really good  

[Thanks for the Crepes]

Thanks for sharing, @Shelby. I really enjoyed it and look forward to your next installment. And Chum rocks!

[Shelby]

Happy Deer Season Eve!

 

Our hunter arrives tomorrow morning.  The weather is supposed to be markedly colder this week than in the last few years--which is an excellent thing.  AND possibly more snow this weekend.  You know that makes me happy  .

 

Duck and goose season  this year has been phenomenal.  We have eaten a LOT of duck.  And I suspect we'll be eating more this week lol (but I don't want to jinx them).  Ronnie has been hunting at least 5 days a week, if not more.  We got up at 4:15 this morning and he's just left for another round.

 

I thought I'd show you guys one of the places that we own and hunt on.  A few weeks ago Ronnie needed me to help him get a water pump going in order to fill a low spot in the pasture up for ducks and geese.  We've had a ton of rain, but this spot needed a little help filling up.  Once you get it filled, it stays all season with very little evaporation.  Anyway, I went out several times and took some pictures.

 

One of the things I love about this property is that we own a working windmill.  Maybe not exciting to some of you, but I could sit and watch it for hours.  

 

 

As the wind blows it pumps water into the tub.  We have someone who rents this pasture and keeps his cattle on it over the spring, summer and fall and this gives them nice, fresh, cold water.

 

So, what we did to fill up our spot is run a pump from this water --connected by plastic hose-- to a well and  pump that sits near the tree on the left of the picture.  That was in order to get the second pump primed.  Once that was primed we ran about a million feet of plastic hose out into the middle of the low spot and let 'er run.  This pump puts out about 360 gallons of water per minute and it took about 6 hours to fill the spot up enough for hunting.

 

 

On this same property,  a little ways away is the shooting house that you've seen the inside of.  I took some pictures of the outside this time:

 

 

Those steps were built specifically for Chum--it used to be just a rickety old ladder that was scary as heck to climb up.

 

This is the door--notice the custom handle🙄😁.

 

Anyway, that gives you a little peek into where some of the venison, duck and goose comes from.

 

On the food front, I've done a few things ahead.  Eggrolls are always a big hit and they freeze so well.  When I make them, I make a ton.   These are pork and shiitake mushroom.  I save time by using bagged coleslaw mix. We'll eat these some time over the coming week.

 

 

And, I made a huge pot of venison chili yesterday --I used up a few half bags of Rancho Gordo beans so there is quite a variety of beans in there lol.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And, in the continuing quest to empty the freezer so we can fill it up again lol, I threw a venison roast in the SV yesterday.  I did 130F for about 6 hours.

 

Before the bath --seasoned with salt and pepper

 

Bagged up with a bit of onion and smashed garlic

 

 

Finished 

 

 

Was very tender and perfect for french dip sandwiches

 

 

And, now, it's 5:25 a.m.  Debating on whether to ingest coffee and get busy or.....go back to bed for a bit????  Nah, I'd be smart to get busy .... 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 27, 2018 by Shelby (log)

[Anna N]

 Oh Shelby, I’m so happy!  and how fascinating to own a windmill. And not a blue one collecting dust on a shelf somewhere.

Edited November 27, 2018 by Anna N (log)

[catdaddy]

Yea, hunting season!

[Shelby]

When one gets up at 4:15 in the morning, one finds herself starving at 8.  I really wanted @Anna N's onigirazu, but I was too hungry and lazy to make rice.  So, I went to an old stand-by:

 

Scrambled egg sandwich with homemade mayo and mustard.  

 

 

It doesn't look pretty, but it hit the spot.

[curls]

Yippee, more posts to the hunting blog!  🙂

 

I really need to follow your lead and make my own egg rolls. Haven't had a really good one from a restaurant in decades -- they may fry them well but they don't fill them with much more than cabbage. The ones I remember enjoying were filled with a nice mix of veggies, shrimp, and meat (probably pork). The coleslaw mix idea sounds like a great shortcut. @Shelby what kind of dipping sauce do you like for your egg rolls? Have a recipe?

[Shelby]

2 minutes ago, curls said:

Yippee, more posts to the hunting blog!  🙂

 

I really need to follow your lead and make my own egg rolls. Haven't had a really good one from a restaurant in decades -- they may fry them well but they don't fill them with much more than cabbage. The ones I remember enjoying were filled with a nice mix of veggies, shrimp, and meat (probably pork). The coleslaw mix idea sounds like a great shortcut. @Shelby what kind of dipping sauce do you like for your egg rolls? Have a recipe?

They take a little bit of time to make, but once you do, they freeze so well (I put them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment and freeze overnight and then transfer to ziplocks) and are so handy to have.

 

I use this recipe from Steamy Kitchen and I use those same spring roll wrappers that she does.  I've used both brands and both are good.  IMO the TJY brand seems to be a bit "stretchier" and more forgiving and less easy to tear than the wui-chuan.

 

I'm a straight soy sauce kind of girl for dipping.  I'd love to hear what others use.  

[kayb]

Glad we're hunting and blogging again! I can sit here on the couch, in the warm, and enjoy it! Give Chum a big hug from me.

[Smithy]

Thanks so much for the link to the spring roll recipe. You saved yourself many requests (or one, supported by many "likes" ) by doing so. Right now I'm on another kick altogether, but now you have me inspired to try spring rolls - maybe when I'm in a position for a group cooking project!

 

Like the others, I'm delighted to see this blog opening again. It's always interesting, and I love to see what you do with the game. It's wonderful to see a working windmill be put to its intended use. We pass so many during our drives that are missing blades or are otherwise clearly remains of an older time. They seem to me to be elegant and useful, and I hate to see them die of neglect.

 

That venison roast and the chili look delicious! Thanks for including information about time and temperature on the sous vide. I have read that it isn't wise to put salt on meat before the sous vide cook, because it gives the meat a "cured" taste. Is that only for longer cooks, or does that not match your experience?

[Shelby]

8 minutes ago, Smithy said:

have read that it isn't wise to put salt on meat before the sous vide cook, because it gives the meat a "cured" taste.

Hmmmm....maybe that's for longer cooks?  To be fair, we like salt, but I don't think it tasted cured at all.  

 

I'm still very much experimenting with sous vide venison--I've had some major fails lol.  This one was good for sandwiches but still not exactly what I was looking for.  I'm not sure what I'm looking for.....more of a "roast" texture/flavor only still tender.  Maybe the slow cooker or long braise in the oven is better for venison roasts in the long run..........

[KennethT]

43 minutes ago, Shelby said:

I'm a straight soy sauce kind of girl for dipping.  I'd love to hear what others use.  

Here in NYC, the birthplace of the egg roll, the classic is "duck sauce"...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duck_sauce

 

In Hong Kong, soy sauce was served with spring rolls - although some places seemed to add some stuff to it - maybe a dash of black vinegar or some sugar or both.

[rotuts]

 

Im not sure what you mean by " roast " flavor , but I can guess :  I nice aromatic crusty exterior , and a tender , possible rare interior 

 

with some chew . not a tough chew , but some chew none the less.  

 

if the meat was too tender , you kept it in the bath too long.

 

the only way your are going to get that " Roast " taste w SV is to dry the meat and do a very quick sear.

 

if your take too long to sear , you get medium + meat.

 

Id concentrate on a Sv that gives you as rare a piece of meat as possible.  make sure you pasteurize those Ticks.  

 

the possibly a chill and a quick sear to keep the meat rare.

 

maybe you can buy some aerosolized " Roast Beef " aromas , which might help  

 

maybe a Roast Beef candle  

 

now there  is a Kick-Starter project !

 

please include Roast Turkey , maybe  BBQ Chickedn  etc  flavors.

[IowaDee]

And Bacon, gotta have a bacon scented candle too.

[Shelby]

5 minutes ago, rotuts said:

but I can guess :  I nice aromatic crusty exterior , and a tender , possible rare interior 

 

with some chew . not a tough chew , but some chew none the less.  

Exactly.

 

Thank you  

 

ps--no ticks on my deer  

[heidih]

Oh! I had been concerned the blizzard you mentioned would keep your hunter away!!!  Beautiful property. Cool appropriate door handle, and of course a hard working dog like Chum deserved those steps.

 

I tend to favor hot mustard with some added vinegar fo the American-Chinese egg rolls. I have a take-out place that maks them with cabbage, leek, and minced pork.  When I make my own I lean to the Vietnamese style of fried spring roll (Cha Gio). I use the dried rice papers wetted and filling includes mung bean noodles, ground pork, shrimp, and  tree ear mushroom. I could drink the dipping sauce nuoc mam cham (fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, garlic, hot chile). 

[rotuts]

and

 

just for the Swells :

 

Roasting Rack of Lamb !

[Okanagancook]

Thanks for an interesting visit into your life at hunting time!  Chum needs some good belly rubs!  Looking forward to more.

I have ingredients out for spring rolls!  I am almost out of my freezer stash.

I forgot to document my spring rolls in the air fryer topic.  Throw them in the air fryer after spraying with PAM at 400 for about 8 to 10 minutes.  That makes them really easy.

[Shelby]

2 hours ago, Smithy said:

It's wonderful to see a working windmill be put to its intended use. We pass so many during our drives that are missing blades or are otherwise clearly remains of an older time. They seem to me to be elegant and useful, and I hate to see them die of neglect.

Me too!  There are many around here that aren't used any more, either.  Watching it spin and the water pumping out is quite mesmerizing.

 

1 hour ago, heidih said:

I use the dried rice papers

I have some of these somewhere.  I never knew there was a fried version!  I've only had the softened ones stuffed with rice noodles, shrimp etc.

 

8 minutes ago, Okanagancook said:

Throw them in the air fryer after spraying with PAM at 400 for about 8 to 10 minutes.  That makes them really easy.

I really need to get my air fryer back out.  I got frustrated with it and put it in the dungeon (basement).

[FauxPas]

4 hours ago, Shelby said:

I'm a straight soy sauce kind of girl for dipping.  I'd love to hear what others use.  

 

Plum sauce! 

 

https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/07/chinese-plum-sauce-recipe.html

 

 

[suzilightning]

I am SOOOOO happy hunting season is back.  I also grew up hunting duck, goose and venison.  (you have never lived until you come home and found your uncle had pegged his ducks to the outside clothes line).  Great that it is cold enough to field dress the deer.   Lots of belly rubs to Chum from NJ!!

First bear season ended here and now it is bow season for deer.  

Edited November 27, 2018 by suzilightning (log)

[heidih]

Yes I lerned the Viet fried rolls with the dried rice papers. Requires a swift deft hand and the roll needs to be tighter than your egg rolls to avoid greasiness. Rasamalaysia does a decent description in this link (annoying ad heavy format but she knows what she is doing)  https://rasamalaysia.com/vietnamese-spring-rolls-cha-gio-recipe/

[MelissaH]

2 hours ago, Shelby said:

Me too!  There are many around here that aren't used any more, either.  Watching it spin and the water pumping out is quite mesmerizing.

@Shelby, do you know the book Out of the Dust? It's nominally a kids' book, set in the Dust Bowl, but a windmill plays a prominent role.

[Shelby]

5 minutes ago, MelissaH said:

@Shelby, do you know the book Out of the Dust? It's nominally a kids' book, set in the Dust Bowl, but a windmill plays a prominent role.

No!  But I will download it to my kindle asap.  Sounds like a book I would like--even if it's a kids book.