[PDX] Game meats

[ExtraMSG]

Anyone know a place to purchase game meats in Portland?

[Jim Dixon]

Nicky USA, a wholesale distributor, will sell anyone game if they buy at least $100 worth, or at least they used to...I haven't bought anything for a year or so. They're in SE near Sheridan Market. You can download a pdf catalog from their website.

Jim

[ExtraMSG]

I'd need a bigger freezer, or someone to split an order with....But it's a start.

[mklynch]

You can special order all sorts of game from Viande in City Market. They can usually get it in a day or two.

[duckduck]

I ordered a venison tenderloin for Christmas from New Seasons. They special order a lot of things and will search for you. Cool meat buyer. You pay a pretty penny for what you order though. It was a wonderful piece of meat. Great dinner.

[ExtraMSG]

I keep telling a friend of mine that hunts for deer and elk to bag me a young one and I'll take all the parts he doesn't want. I guess I'll just have to bite the bullet and special order some expensive stuff from one of these places.

[psychobombshell]

Did you try Gratner's on Killingsworth?

[ExtraMSG]

I don't think Gartner's carries game meats. They do butcher game meats for people, but they aren't allowed to resell those. I know they sometimes have specialty meats in the freezer, such as rack of lamb, but I think it's a crap shoot. I love Gartner's, but it doesn't have an upscale clientelle. It's people looking to bbq and grill and older people from the neighborhoods mostly.

[psychobombshell]

I don't think Gartner's carries game meats. They do butcher game meats for people, but they aren't allowed to resell those. I know they sometimes have specialty meats in the freezer, such as rack of lamb, but I think it's a crap shoot. I love Gartner's, but it doesn't have an upscale clientelle. It's people looking to bbq and grill and older people from the neighborhoods mostly.

You callin me trash there MSG? why I outta go get the 12 gauge outta my 4x4 and teach you a lesson!

(In case you didnt know, I was attempting to be funny...but its 7 am and I ahvent been to bed yet, so it probably sucked as a joke... I apologise profusely to your sense of humour...)

[Tremors]

Nick,

I have a lot of elk passed on to me by a friend and I would gladly swap you for a recipe or a good Mexican way to prepare it.

I suppose this exchange belongs off line but let me know. It wouldn't be a lot - maybe two or three 1.5 lb. pieces.

Tremors

[ExtraMSG]

I like sweet things with elk, so I would suggest the machamanteles, a pineapple and plantain mole. Here's a relatively easy recipe (believe me, if you saw some of the recipes in my books...):

http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/recipes/puebla/kgmancha.html

What cuts of the elk is it?

[Tremors]

It is round steak.

I'm not a big sweet with meat fan but if you say this works for elk - I'll give it a try.

Thanks and let me know if you'd like some.

[ExtraMSG]

It is round steak.

I'm not a big sweet with meat fan but if you say this works for elk - I'll give it a try.

Thanks and let me know if you'd like some.

Well, you have the advantage that it's Mexican, so it's not as sweet as a lot of game meat sauces, like port reductions and berry sauces. But it's more sweet than most moles. It's a nice complex sauce.

My second choice would maybe be a nut and chile based sauce, maybe using pepitas. I'm not at home. I'd have to check my books for a good one. Mole poblano might work. But I think even though it's one of the more famous moles it is also one of the least accessible (both in taste and recipe complexity). Of course, it has the advantage that you can get a jar of the paste from any Mexican grocer. But I don't touch that stuff.