Wild Game Recipes Wild game is a traditional staple of New England cuisine and is firmly planted in our history. It offers to some a new and unique culinary experiences and connects us to the traditions of our past. Do you have a favorite game recipe? We want to know. Send us your favorite recipe and have it featured in a future DFW publication and our website! Email us at DEM.DFW@dem.ri.gov. Creamy Wild Turkey with Sweet Peppers over Bucatini. Recipe/Photo: K. Ragosta Wild Turkey Sliders with Pickles and Special Sauce. Recipe/Photo: K. Ragosta Wild Turkey Parmesan. Recipe/Photo: K. Ragosta Prev Next Slide 1 Slide 2 Slide 3 White-Tailed Deer Pot Roasted Venison in Red Wine 3-4 pounds venison, choice roas ½ cup butter 1 (14.5 ounce) can beef broth 2 cups dry red wine 3 cloves garlic, chopped 2 medium onions, sliced ½ teaspoon parsley 2 bay leaves ½ teaspoon oregano 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning ½ teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon celery salt Mix all ingredients together, except venison. Pour marinade over meat in a Dutch oven and let stand 1-2 days in the refrigerator. Turn venison 2 times a day. Take meat out of marinade, drain well. Sear in hot butter until brown on all sides. Put in a slow cooker, pour marinade over venison. Simmer on low in a slow cooker for 8-10 hours. For gravy, mix 3 tablespoons of crock pot liquid with 3 tablespoons of flour; add to hot liquid and cook for 30 minutes. Add salt to taste. Oven Barbecued Venison 2 ½ - 3 lbs venison steak (½ inch thick) 1 teaspoon beef bouillon Meat tenderizer (for tougher cuts) ¼ teaspoon black pepper 3 tablespoons margarine 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1 cup ketchup 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 cup water 2 tablespoons onion, minced 2 teaspoons dry mustard ½ cup red wine (or vermouth) Trim fat from meat. Cut steaks into serving portions and sprinkle both sides with tenderizer if meat is a tough cut or from an older animal. In a skillet, heat margarine and cook steaks in hot margarine until browned on both sides. Place meat in a single layer in a baking pan. Using the same skillet the meat was fried in, combine remaining ingredients (except wine) and stir until well heated. Pour over meat; cover with foil and bake in a 325° oven for about 1 ½ hours or until tender. Baste occasionally. Remove foil; turn meat; add wine and bake for 10 more minutes. Serves 4-6. Venison Round Steak with Onion Gravy 2 lbs. venison round steak (1/2 inch thick) 2 ¼ cups water (reserve ¼ cup) Seasoned meat tenderizer 2 ½ teaspoons beef bouillon ¼ to ½ cup flour 3 tablespoons ketchup 3-4 tablespoons margarine ½ teaspoon black pepper 1 medium onion, sliced 4 tablespoons flour Remove all fat from steak. Sprinkle both sides of meat with the tenderizer. Pound flour into meat on both sides with a meat mallet. Use a little bit of flour at a time. In a covered skillet, melt the margarine and brown meat. Push meat to one side and brown the onion rings. Add margarine if needed. Combine 2 cups of water with the bouillon, ketchup and pepper and stir. Pour over meat. Turn heat to low and simmer, covered for 45 minutes or until tender. Stir occasionally and do not let simmer dry. Add water to keep liquid level at 2 cups. Mix ¼ cup of cold water with the 4 tablespoons of flour. Stir until smooth and slowly add to pan to make gravy. Meat may be removed to a hot plate while making the gravy, but make sure to keep it warm. Stir constantly as gravy thickens. Serves 4-5. Garlic Steaks 1 ½ - 2 lbs. venison tenderloin steak (½ inch) ¼ teaspoon seasoned salt 3 tablespoons margarine ¼ teaspoon black pepper ½ - 1 teaspoon garlic powder ½ cup vermouth (optional) Remove any fat from steaks. In a skillet, heat margarine and stir in garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix well into margarine. Fry steaks in margarine until cooked to preference. Venison tenderloin cooks fast, about 3-6 minutes on each side for medium rare. Remove steaks to hot plate and keep warm. Add vermouth to drippings, stir about one minute and spoon over steaks and serve. Serves 4-6. Teriyaki Steak Sandwiches 2-3 lbs. venison steaks 2 tablespoons chopped onion ½ cup soy sauce 1 clove garlic, diced ½ cup olive oil 2 tablespoons brown sugar In a large flat baking dish or plastic container, combine soy sauce, olive oil, onion, garlic and brown sugar. Stir to dissolve sugar. Add steaks to marinade; turn to coat well. Refrigerate at least 3 hours. Drain marinade from steaks; reserve marinade. Grill steaks over hot coals 4-6 minutes each side. Venison is the best served medium rare, pink in the middle. Cut into pieces and serve on sliced hard rolls. Add your favorite potato salad and enjoy. Crock Pot Barbecue 3 lbs. boneless venison chunks ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce 1 large onion, chopped 1 teaspoon garlic powder ½ cup green pepper, chopped 1 teaspoon dry mustard water 1 teaspoon thyme 2 teaspoons beef bouillon 1 tablespoon paprika 1 can (10-11 ounce) tomato soup 2 tablespoons brown sugar buns Remove fat from meat chunks and place in a crock-pot or slow cooker. Add onion, green pepper and water to cover. Add bouillon. Slow cook until meat is well done and shreds easily with a fork. Let water cook down to about ½ cup liquid. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to mix. Simmer for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Meat should be pretty well shredded by the end of the cooking time. Spoon over toasted bun halves to serve. Serves 6-8. Slow Cooker Venison Pasta Sauce 1 ½ lbs. venison steak, cubed 3 bay leaves 1 ½ lbs ground venison or sausage 4 garlic cloves, diced 3 tablespoons olive oil 3 stalks celery, chopped 2 tablespoons chili powder 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning 3 medium onions, sliced thin 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 teaspoon black pepper 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste 2 teaspoons salt 4 ounces fresh mushrooms 2 teaspoons spicy brown mustard 1 green pepper, chopped 1 jar (28-32 ounce) pasta sauce 2 ½ cups water Brown cubed steak and ground meat in olive oil in a Dutch oven for 20-25 minutes. Add venison and the remainder of the ingredients to a slow cooker. Cover cooker and cook on high for 4-6 hours, adding more water if desired. Serve over favorite pasta and freeze extra sauce. Venison Chili 1 lb. ground beef 1 lb. ground venison 1 large green pepper (cut in strips) 2 cloves garlic 1 (16 ounce) can stewed tomatoes 1cup onions, chopped 1 pkg. chili mix 3 tablespoons chili powder 2 cans kidney beans 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper water Brown meat. Drain fat. Add remaining ingredients except the kidney beans. Cover and simmer for 1 hour on low heat. Add water for desired consistency. Add the kidney beans and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve with rice or bread. Swedish Venison Meatballs with Sour Cream Dill Gravy 3 slices soft bread ¼ cup water 1 ½ lbs. ground venison 2 teaspoons salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper 2/3 cup onion, finely chopped ¼ cup butter 1 tablespoon flour ¾ - 1 cup milk salt & black pepper (for gravy) Soak bread in water for 5 minutes. Break into small pieces, pressing out as much water as possible. Combine bread, ground venison, salt, pepper and chopped onion. Blend lightly but thoroughly. Shape into small balls about 1 inch in diameter. Chill for 15-20 minutes. Brown on all sides in butter, churning frequently. Cover pan. Turn heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. Remove balls to separate pan and keep hot. Add flour, salt and pepper to drippings, stir well. Add milk, stirring constantly and simmer for another 3-4 minutes. Serve hot. For variety, meat balls may be served with barbecue sauce or sour cream dill gravy. Sour Cream Dill Gravy 1 tablespoon flour 1 cup sour cream 1 ½ cup water ½ teaspoon sugar ¼ teaspoon garlic powder 2 teaspoons dried dill seed ½ teaspoon salt paprika (optional) parsley (optional) To drippings in skillet add the flour and brown slowly, blending well. Add the water and simmer on low for 3-4 minutes. Add sour cream and seasonings. Heat stirring constantly until it just starts to bubble. Serve meatballs topped with sour cream gravy garnished with paprika and parsley. Serves 4. Paprika Schnitzel 2 lbs. venison top round (¼ inch cubes) 1 cup water or beef broth 8 slices bacon (small pieces) 2 teaspoons salt ¾ cup onion, chopped 1 cup tomato sauce 2 cloves garlic, minced ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped 2 cups sour cream 2 ½ teaspoons paprika Place meat and water or broth in a Dutch oven or heavy skillet. Cover tightly and cook for about 1 hour. Uncover, add fried bacon, onion and garlic, simmer until brown. Add salt, paprika, sour cream and tomato sauce. Simmer until thick. Serve with chopped parsley. Venison Stew 3 lbs. venison 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 can (28 ounces) tomatoes 4 medium onions, quartered 5 medium potatoes (1 inch cubes) 3 carrots, sliced ½ inch thick 1 cup Lima beans, cooked 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 bay leaf 4 cups water 2 tablespoons flour 2 tablespoons butter ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper Cut venison into 1 inch cubes. Dredge meat in flour until thoroughly coated. Heat the oil in an 8 quart pot. Add the venison and sear until lightly browned. Add all other ingredients except the flour and butter and simmer for 1 ½ hours or until meat and vegetables are done. Make a paste of the flour and butter and stir this, bit by bit into the stew. Cook 15 more minutes. Serves 6 Wild Turkey Wild Turkey Parmesan My 14-year-old son harvested his first wild turkey this year thanks to the help of his wonderful mentor, Josh. Jack did an A+ job butchering this Jake (young male turkey), and he was able to feed his family of seven with this delicious meal prepared only eight hours after the hunt. Talk about fresh! This wild turkey parmesan was out of this world good. If you can and have an interest, I highly recommend learning the skill of hunting. It is a wonderful life skill to have. Wild Turkey Parmesan Ingredients 2 wild turkey breasts, pounded to ½-¾ inch thick, sliced into 8 pieces 1 cup flour 1 tsp salt 20 grinds black pepper 4 eggs, beaten 2 cups panko breadcrumbs ¾ cup olive oil 2 (15 oz) cans tomato sauce 1 tsp Italian seasoning 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese ½ cup grated parmesan cheese Directions Directions Heat oven to 425 F. In a large cast iron skillet, add olive oil and heat over medium heat. Meanwhile, add flour to a shallow bowl, eggs to another shallow bowl, and panko breadcrumbs to the 3rd shallow bowl. Add salt and pepper to the dish with the flour and stir. Dip each piece of turkey into the flour, then egg, and lastly, breadcrumbs. Fry turkey in oil until both sides are golden. Add turkey pieces to a 9x13 casserole dish. Top with sauce, Italian seasoning, parmesan cheese, and mozzarella cheese. Bake for about 20 minutes or until turkey is cooked through. Serve with pasta and sauce! Creamy Wild Turkey with Sweet Peppers over Bucatini My son was able to harvest a beautiful 24-pound wild turkey at the Light Foundation 2023 Youth Wild Turkey Hunt. We are so grateful to Matt Light and this foundation, as well as the RIDEM and all of the mentors that made this hunt successful for 10 youth hunters. Jack came home with over 10 pounds of meat, and this is the meal I created with just one breast. I hope you enjoy this just as much as we did. If you have never tried wild turkey, you must-it’s simply delicious. Creamy Wild Turkey with Sweet Peppers over Bucatini Ingredients 1 wild turkey breast (about 3 lbs), cut into bite size chunks 2 onions, chopped 4 cloves garlic, sliced 2 sticks butter Salt Pepper 1 cup white wine 16 oz mini sweet peppers, chopped 1 pint heavy cream 1 tsp dried parsley or 1 TBS fresh chopped parsley 1 cup parmesan cheese 2 lbs bucatini pasta Directions Cook pasta according to directions. Drain. Meanwhile, add onions, garlic, and butter to a pot set over medium heat. Cook for a few minutes. Salt and pepper the turkey pieces (about 1 tsp salt and 20 grinds of pepper). Add turkey to butter mixture and cook until turkey is almost cooked through. Add wine and cook for 5 minutes. Add cream and peppers and cook for 3 minutes. Add cheese and cook for 3 more minutes. Add pasta to the turkey mixture. Mix well with tongs. Add lid to pot and let sit for 5 minutes to thicken up before serving. Wild Turkey Sliders with Pickles and Special Sauce After my son brought home a HUGE 24.5 wild turkey from a local youth hunt he got to participate in, we had a large quantity of meat that allowed me to have some fun in the kitchen. I always like to be inspired when I am cooking, and cooking wild game is probably one of the ways I get most inspired while cooking. I came up with these yummy sliders, and my family went nuts for them. They are super delicious. Wild Turkey Sliders with Pickles and Special Sauce Ingredients 1 wild turkey breast, pounded slightly and cut into 3 x 3 pieces 2 cups flour 6 eggs, beaten 8 oz panko breadcrumbs 1 tsp salt 20 grinds black pepper Oil for frying (avocado or vegetable work well) Slider rolls Bread and butter pickle rounds ‘Honey Mustard Sauce’ Directions Heat oven to 450 F. Prepare 3 shallow bowls with flour, salt, and pepper in one bowl, eggs in another, and breadcrumbs in the last bowl. Dip turkey pieces into flour, eggs then breadcrumbs. Heat two cast iron skillets over medium heat with the oil and fry the turkey until golden. Add these pieces to a 9x13 rimmed baking sheet and stick in the oven until turkey is cooked through, but not overcooked (you don’t want tough turkey)! Add turkey to roll with pickles and special sauce. Enjoy! Wild Turkey Jerky My son Jack harvested his first turkey this year. We made a nice ‘Wild Turkey Parmesan’ with the big breasts. He decided he wanted to make turkey jerky with the leg meat, and we developed this recipe together. We think it's delicious! A great snack for time spent in the woods. Wild Turkey Jerky Ingredients 2 wild turkey legs/thighs, meat sliced off into 1-3 inch thin strips ¼ cup coconut aminos or soy sauce ⅓ cup Worcestershire sauce 1 TBS sugar Dash red pepper flakes 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp onion powder ¼ tsp salt 2 tsp molasses 1 TBS liquid smoke Directions Mix marinade in a bowl with a whisk. Add pieces of turkey to marinade and let sit in the fridge for 1 hour. Add pieces of turkey to a dehydrator and dehydrate until done. Enjoy for up to 1 week. *Keeps in an airtight container on the counter. Goose and Pheasant Baked Canada Goose 1 goose 1 cup flour ¾ cup olive oil 2 large onions, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 can cream of mushroom soup 3 cups Sauterne wine 1 dash cayenne pepper 1 lemon, juice 1 bay leaf 1 turnip, peeled whole 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce ½ cup fresh parsley 3 cups water white vinegar If the goose is wild, marinate in a solution of ¼ cup vinegar and ¾ cup water, enough to cover the goose for 4-12 hours. If domestic, marinate 1-3 hours. Remove from marinade and wash well with cold water. Drain well and salt and pepper with the cayenne pepper. Place turnip inside goose. Brown flour slowly over low heat in olive oil. Add onions and parsley. Stir for 2-3 minutes. Add 3 cups of water, garlic, wine, mushroom soup, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaf. Remove the bay leaf after 1 hour of cooking. Place goose on a rack and place it in a roaster, cover and baste occasionally. Cook in a 375°F oven for 2 hours, removing cover to brown if necessary. Marinated Wild Goose 1 goose 8 strips bacon, raw ½ cup teriyaki sauce 1 small can mushroom soup ½ cup white wine ½ cup Italian dressing 2 large onions 1 small can chicken broth 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce lemon pepper onion salt crushed red pepper crushed black pepper Rub the inside of the goose with onions and peppers. Rub outside with lemon pepper. For marinade, combine teriyaki sauce, dressing, wine, Worcestershire sauce and poultry seasoning and pour over goose in a heavy plastic bag. Seal and refrigerate for 24 hours, turning several times. Remove goose from bag, place onions and soup inside goose. Cover breast with raw bacon. Place in an oven baking bag with marinade and chicken broth, seal and bake at 325°F for 2 hours. Open top of bag and cook until tender, basting every 10 minutes. Serve with marinade sauce. Stuffed Roast Pheasant 2 small pheasants 1 ½ cups Madeira wine ¼ cup raisins 3 whole cloves 2/3 cup cooked wild rice ½ cup almonds, chopped 1 pinch ground ginger 4 tablespoons butter, melted & divided juice of 1 orange 2 teaspoons orange peel, grated Combine in a saucepan wine, raisins, cloves and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove cloves and strain mixture. Reserve liquid. Combine the raisins with the cooked wild rice, almonds, orange peel, and ginger and stir in the butter. Stuff the birds with mixture, truss the birds and brush with butter. Blend reserved Madeira wine with orange juice to make a basting sauce. Roast pheasants in a 450°F oven for 5 minutes, lower heat to 300°F. Baste frequently with sauce until tender, about 25 minutes. Place on a heated platter with rice and serve at once. Crock Pot Goose Stew Submitted by Ed Vallette 1 to 2 cups celery 2 pkgs beef stew seasoning 1 to 2 cups carrots 2 pkgs of goose cut up to 1" cubes 1 to 2 cups onions 1 can of onion soup, or cream of mushroom, or cream of celery 2 cups of potatoes 1 cup barley added to stew 4 cups of water one hour before being done Remove bones from leg meat while partially frozen. Add all ingredients to crock pot. Cook 6 to 8 hours on high or 8 to 10 on low Pot Goose "Like Pot Roast Only Better" Submitted by Ed Vallette 1 or 2 packages of goose in crock pot whole 1 package dry onion-mushroom soup No water in pot Fill pot with whole or cut-up veggies that you like on top of goose and soup 10 hours + on low 8 hours + on high Eliminate veggies and add cup or tow water for meat and gravy for over rice etc. Frozen Goose Meat Preparation Submitted by Ed Vallette 1 lb + packages contain ½ goose – leg and thigh with bone and 1 breast. For easy preparation, thaw in refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours, and then cut up. While partially frozen, pry leg from breast before cutting up. When partially thawed, makes cutting leg meat from the bone very easy – no waste. Use leg meat and breast meat in stew – you won't be able to tell the difference when cooked. Goose Meat Loaf Submitted by Ed Vallette 1 lb. ground goose ½ lb. ground pork 2 tablespoons chopped onions 2 tablespoons minced parsley 1 tsp. salt ¼ tsp. pepper ½ cup dry bread crumbs 1 egg unbeaten ½ cup milk or tomato juice or V8 Place meat in a bowl, add the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Pack the mixture into a ½ qt. loaf pan. Bake in pre heated 350º oven for one hour. Pour off any fat. Serve hot or cold. Buffalo Pheasant Pizza Recipe by Maddie Proulx Shredded, cooked pheasant meat (or chicken) Buffalo sauce Pizza dough (homemade or store bought) Ranch or blue cheese dressing Mozzarella cheese CRUST Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Stretch the pizza dough into a 12-inch circle on a sheet of parchment paper lightly coated with cornmeal or flour. Set the parchment paper with dough on a pizza pan and begin to mix your toppings! TOPPINGS: In a small bowl, toss the pheasant with the buffalo sauce. Spreadnthe blue cheese (or Ranch) dressing over the pizza, then top with the shredded pheasant. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese all over the top. BAKE: Bake 9-11 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted. Enjoy! Freshwater Fish Fish with Onion & Pepper Rings 1 ½ -2 lbs. fish fillets (trout) 1 bell pepper (seeded sliced into rings) 1 lemon (grate peel & save juice) ¼ teaspoon salt (optional) 3 tablespoons margarine ½ teaspoon black pepper (optional) 1 large garlic clove, minced ½ cup white wine or chicken broth 1 large onion, sliced into rings Place raw fish in a single layer on a platter; sprinkle with lemon juice and gratings and set aside. In a skillet, melt margarine and sauté garlic, pepper rings and onion rings until tender. Do not over brown. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon, raise temperature and fry fish for 10 minutes on each side or until browned and flaky. Add margarine if needed. Place peppers and onions on top of the fish once it has been turned over. Sprinkle with salt and pepper if desired. When the fish is done remove to a heated platter. Cover with the peppers and onion. Pour wine or chicken broth into skillet and heat for about 2 minutes. Pour over fish and vegetables and serve. Serves 4. Fish Soup 2-3 lbs. fish fillets ( ½ inch pieces) ½ teaspoon basil 1 small onion, chopped ¼ teaspoon black pepper 1 clove garlic, minced 1 teaspoon dried parsley 1 (16 oz) can stewed tomatoes 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 (16 oz) can tomato sauce ½ cup dry white wine 2 cups fish or chicken stock In a large pan, heat oil and lightly brown the onion and garlic. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, fish or chicken stock, basil, pepper and parsley. Bring to a boil, stirring to break up the tomatoes. Lower heat and simmer for twenty minutes. Check fish to make sure all the bones have been removed. Cut fish into bite sized pieces and add to the soup. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the fish is done. Stir in the wine and simmer for 5 minutes and serve. Serves 4-6. Saltwater Fish Batter-Fried Striped Bass 1 thick bass fillet (1 inch pieces) 2 eggs 4 heaping tablespoons flour ½ teaspoon sugar milk vegetable oil 6 dashes Worcestershire sauce salt & black pepper to taste Beat together eggs, sugar, flour and Worcestershire sauce. Add enough milk to provide a heavy cream consistency. Salt & pepper striper pieces and dip them in batter. Deep fry quickly in oil at 375°F- 400°F. One pound of fish serves 3. Striped Bass Chowder 1 lb. thick bass (1 inch pieces) 4 medium white potatoes, peeled and cubed 2 tablespoons butter 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped 2 ½ -3 cups whole milk salt & fresh ground black pepper to taste Place cubed potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with water and simmer 10-12 minutes or until fork can pierce. Drain and set aside. In a deep Dutch oven type pot, sauté onion in butter until translucent. Add fish pieces to pot with onions and cover with water. Boil gently until fish turns white. Do not drain. Add potatoes and milk; salt and pepper to taste. Heat thoroughly, cool and refrigerate overnight. Reheat the next day. If the chowder is made in the morning, and refrigerated after cooling, it may be reheated for dinner that evening. Serves 4-6. TAUGOS Recipe courtesy of Scott Buchanan, DFW Filets of one Tautog 1 bag tortilla chip 2 cups fresh Pico de Gallo Directions: Rub tautog filets with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Remove tautog filets from oven and break meat into small pieces using a fork. Remove any remaining small bones. Lay out fish on cutting board or parchment paper to drain and prevent soggy chips. Place a generous spoonful of fish into each Scoop chip. Place Pico de Gallo on top of fish. Finish with a dab of sour cream to taste – Enjoy! Pro tip: For extra meat, remove the head and bake the remainder of the fish. Use a fork to remove all the meat from in between the bones. RI Seafood Recipes + Resources