Kung Pao Venison

 

Venison Round Steaks chopped lean 

      We're only a week away from departure south for this winter.  We are also whittling away at our freezer so as to create room for this winter's bounty.  This recipe is one we enjoy so I decided to try it with our lean, rich Axis venison round steak.  Of course wok times will be shortened as the Axis cooks quickly.  I served this with Egg Drop Soup.  

1 pound boneless venison steak cut into 1 inch pieces

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons light sesame oil

3 tablespoons green onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

2 teaspoons sugar

1/4 cup dry roasted peanuts, crushed into halves

Dredge venison strips in corn starch

      Combine venison and cornstarch in small bowl.  Toss to coat.  Yep, that's corn starch.  At times I have found it to be a great breading agent by itself or in addition to flour for stickiness when frying.  Heat olive oil in large non-stick skillet or wok on medium heat.  Stir fry 5-7 minutes or until no longer pink in center.  Remove from heat.  When in the RV I use our much smaller Teflon wok, but at home I have a large cast iron wok that I love; it cooks evenly.  

Stir frying the venison strips

      Add onions, garlic, red pepper and ginger to skillet.  Stir fry 15 seconds. Remove from heat.  Combine vinegar, soy sauce and sugar in small bowl.  Stir well and add to skillet.

      Return venison to wok and stir until meat is well coated. Stir in peanuts.

Stir Fried Venison w/veg and peanuts

 Heat thoroughly, stirring occasionally. Serve over hot rice.  I love brown rice.  I used Texmati Rice this time; found it to be more earthy and a bit chewy, but not bad.  

EGG DROP SOUP

3 cups chicken broth

1 tsp. sesame oil

2 eggs

1/2 tsp. white pepper

      Bring chicken broth to boil in sauce pan.  Add sesame oil, white pepper, and whisk.  Crack and add 2 egg; whisk vigorously for 30 seconds.  Set aside as low simmer.  Of course this is our final plated dish with our best china........lol 

Plated with Egg Drop Soup

"Governing a great nation is like cooking a small fish-too much handling will spoil it"  

Lao Tzu

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Embracing Fall; Crawfish Stew & Dumplings

 

      Fall is my favorite time of year, the weather is cooling, leaves are changing, and the anticipation of impending comfort cuisine.  We are entering the season of "It never really dries out now."  Gumbo, Jambalaya, Stew, Red Beans with Rice, and Chili......oh my!  This is my first time with this recipe.  No recipe is perfect.  I did modify/tweak this as I went along.  I know what we like.  After all this is Cajun, how bad can it be?  It is my favorite cuisine to prepare.

3 lbs. crawfish (of course in lieu of fresh I get tails in the freezer section of Walmart)

1 cup Roux

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 onion chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

2-3 cups chicken broth

Salt and red pepper

1 tbsp. chives

1 tsp file powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

 

NOTE:  You can make homemade Roux and I would if I had fresh mudbugs with all the tail fat.  This time I used Tony Chachere's Roux mix.  I'm lazy. 

Stirring the roux 

     I'm in Michigan.  For lack of fresh, 3 packages of crawfish tails will do.  Make roux and heat on bottom of pot, stirring at low heat until mixture is a golden brown.  Add the Holy Trinity (onions, celery, and bell pepper);  cook until vegetables are tender.  Lower fire and add crawfish, stirring.  Add 2-3 cups chicken broth.  Cook 20 to 25 minutes on low, stirring occasionally and add more broth if needed for desired consistency. 

The Holy Trinity of Cajun Cuisine:  onions, celery, and bell pepper

Simmerin'

      Again for easy prep I used Bisquick dumplings, but if you have your won recipe, go for it.  I added File powder, garlic powder, and chives to the dumping recipe.  Spoon dumplings into the pot.  Put cover on, continuing to cook on low for 12 minutes.  Ladle into bowl and add dumplings.       

Dumplings in the pot

Finis' plated 

"Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall"

F. Scott Fitzgerald

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Rolling Smoke; 2021's Last Q

 

       Every year when we return home to NW Michigan there is always a certain amount of dragging stuff out that was stored in the barn for the winter.  One of these is our 'big ass wood pit smoker'.  An original Oklahoma Joes well built with heavy steel, I've been cooking on this for 27 years.  Even on wheels at 900 pounds it just doesn't move itself and the power provided by two aging homeowners is dwindling.  Once outside we move it to a place by a large poplar tree, but still close to the barn.  We still have to drag it's ass back into the barn each fall before departure.  Insert love here. 

     We usually fire up the pit about once a month during our summer stay with anything from brisket to pork butt to pork belly to chicken and ribs (both beef and pork).  I did not do brisket this year due to the much higher beef prices here than at our winter place in Texas.  This will be our last 'Q' for the summer and Barb has been jonesin' for some ribs.  Pork ribs are one of those dishes, much like women, sex, and rock n roll that everyone has strong feelings about.  I have my technique for brisket, beef ribs, pork butt, and chicken perfected, but my pork spare ribs are sometimes a hit and miss deal.  We both prefer Baby Back Ribs.  I have tried several methods, including wrapped or not, 3-2-1 cooking, and sauce on or off.  By the way the 3-2-1 method is 3 hours cooking, 2 hours wrapped and cooking, and 1 hour rest time.  This is the method I used today.  We both prefer our BBQ sauce on the side or just brushed on lightly an hour before finish.  I have used KC Sweet n Smokey Rub, but was yearning for something a bit different so I tried a blend this time.  

      This summer I bought 2 racks of BB ribs when they were on sale.  Barb never complains when I make too much Q so I cooked them both.  After Barb removed the rib membrane I rubbed them out with my KC Sweet n Smokey and a new addition, KOSMOS Killer Bee Honey Rub https://kosmosq.com/ about an hour before putting them on the fire.  I also keep both racks on the same side of the chamber to keep temps uniform.  One of the best things about BB ribs is the cooking time is much shorter so I don't have to fire up the pit till about 11 a.m. 

 Start with lump charcoal then spike with cherry

When coals settle down, place ribs in pit

      I used a bed of kindling and Oak Lump Charcoal to start the fire then spiked it with cherry wood all day for my smoke, keeping temp at 250-275.  After the first hour I spritz it with some apple juice/cider vinegar once each hour.  After 3 hours the meat should be nicely colored and if so then I wrap it.  I use foil for ribs cause it keeps the moisture in and I don't  care about a crispy bark on ribs.  

Ribs @ 3 hours; 160 degrees; more apple juice and wrapped for the last two hours

      After 2 more hours I partially unwrap one of the ribs to check and see if the meat is starting to recede from the bone.  This is my indication that we're close.  Target rib temp here is about 190-205 degrees with my Thermopen probe.  If not satisfied then I replace the wrap and cook an additional hour.  If you like your ribs sauced then lightly brush BBQ sauce on the ribs and rewrap them.  

After resting at 195 degrees

      At this point I remove the ribs from the pit and take into the house, letting them rest for an hour still wrapped on the counter.  Prepare your side dishes about this time.  When ready unwrap the ribs and you can slice all the individual ribs or in sections of 3-4.   

Slicing them up 

      I must admit that even with finishing temps the ribs did not recede from the bone much at all.  Unlike those shows with competition BBQ we like our ribs just about falling off the bone.  Serve with additional BBQ sauce on the side.  Barb also included some of her baked beans and PA Dutch Warm Potato Salad.  They were delicious.  

Cherry Smoked Ribs, PA Dutch Sloppy Tater Salad, and Barb's Baked Beans

"Is this heaven?  It's NW Michigan with summer's last really good BBQ and family"

Roux and the Outlaw Josey Wales Hilts

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