1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:05,120 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Wired to Hunt Foundations podcast, your guide 2 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:08,879 Speaker 1: to the fundamentals of better deer hunting, presented by first Light, 3 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:13,560 Speaker 1: creating proven versatile hunting apparel for the stand, saddle or blind. 4 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:18,600 Speaker 1: First Light, Go Farther, Stay Longer, and now your host 5 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:19,919 Speaker 1: Tony Peterson. 6 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:23,080 Speaker 2: Hey, everyone, welcome to the Wired to Hunt Foundation's podcast, 7 00:00:23,079 --> 00:00:25,040 Speaker 2: which is brought to you by first Light. I'm your host, 8 00:00:25,079 --> 00:00:27,880 Speaker 2: Tony Peterson. In today's episode is all about venison and 9 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:30,640 Speaker 2: why it's such a reward for a successful hunt as 10 00:00:30,680 --> 00:00:41,360 Speaker 2: long as you know what you're doing with it. There 11 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:43,880 Speaker 2: are a ton of hacky jokes, you know, in TV 12 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:47,879 Speaker 2: sitcoms and other shows about teenagers and their voracious appetites. Now, 13 00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:49,199 Speaker 2: when I think about that, I always just kind of 14 00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:51,680 Speaker 2: think of this in reference to boys, because well, that's 15 00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:54,560 Speaker 2: what I am. But it turns out teenage girls like 16 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:57,960 Speaker 2: my twin daughters, eat a lot too, and it was 17 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:00,640 Speaker 2: their never ending demand for snacks. That's on the whole 18 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:03,600 Speaker 2: idea for this podcast. I think we don't give venison 19 00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:05,880 Speaker 2: enough credit for what it really is. And I'm not 20 00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:08,200 Speaker 2: being facetious when I say this. I value it way 21 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:10,760 Speaker 2: more than Antler's these days. A full freezer is a 22 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:12,840 Speaker 2: huge win for me in my family, and it's something 23 00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:15,119 Speaker 2: that can shape your entire year, which is what I'm 24 00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:24,640 Speaker 2: going to talk about right now. In the old Peterson household, 25 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:27,440 Speaker 2: if I don't make a meal, we generally find ourselves 26 00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:30,760 Speaker 2: ordering from somewhere heading to a restaurant. There isn't a 27 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:33,280 Speaker 2: lot of meal planning going on with my bride, if 28 00:01:33,319 --> 00:01:35,680 Speaker 2: you get my drift. She did take the girls on 29 00:01:35,720 --> 00:01:37,720 Speaker 2: a costco run the other night to get snacks for 30 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:40,880 Speaker 2: their school lunches, and you know, just for general grazing 31 00:01:40,959 --> 00:01:44,440 Speaker 2: throughout the day. They unloaded the usual stuff like cheese, 32 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:47,640 Speaker 2: it's and the kind of snacks and whatever that we 33 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:49,560 Speaker 2: think of his food now. But if you could go 34 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:51,720 Speaker 2: back to maybe the days of the Pilgrims, their heads 35 00:01:51,720 --> 00:01:54,400 Speaker 2: would explode. I don't know why, but I think about 36 00:01:54,440 --> 00:01:57,080 Speaker 2: this a lot like if you could give I don't know, 37 00:01:57,280 --> 00:02:00,840 Speaker 2: Cleopatra a pack of gushers or some roam in a 38 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:05,360 Speaker 2: bottle of mountain dew, heads would totally explode. Any huski. 39 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:08,520 Speaker 2: As the girls unloaded the groceries, I noticed a package 40 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:11,600 Speaker 2: of snacksticks. This is a highly unusual thing for my 41 00:02:11,639 --> 00:02:13,400 Speaker 2: wife to buy, so I asked one of my daughters, 42 00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:16,400 Speaker 2: and she said her sister wanted it. I thought, huh, 43 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:21,120 Speaker 2: that's an odd request, especially since they are jalapeno flavored snacksticks, 44 00:02:21,480 --> 00:02:23,440 Speaker 2: and it wouldn't surprise me if my daughter is sent 45 00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:25,440 Speaker 2: back their water at a restaurant because it was just 46 00:02:25,480 --> 00:02:28,640 Speaker 2: a little too spicy. Well, it turns out that my 47 00:02:28,960 --> 00:02:31,800 Speaker 2: doctorate holding wife didn't read the label and bought them 48 00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:34,680 Speaker 2: by accident, which means I'm working my way through this 49 00:02:34,760 --> 00:02:38,400 Speaker 2: bag of snacksticks because they were expensive like all groceries 50 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:40,919 Speaker 2: these days, and I'm just not about to waste them. 51 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:43,880 Speaker 2: But to be honest, I hate them, I really do. 52 00:02:44,639 --> 00:02:47,119 Speaker 2: They are a package like they should be high quality 53 00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:49,960 Speaker 2: grass fed beef, but the meat is just, you know, 54 00:02:50,080 --> 00:02:52,720 Speaker 2: kind of gross and flavorless and a little waxy and well, 55 00:02:53,160 --> 00:02:55,679 Speaker 2: nothing like the meat that I usually eat. Maybe I'm 56 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:58,200 Speaker 2: just a snob these days, But other than a burger 57 00:02:58,320 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 2: or a steak at a restaurant once in a while 58 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:02,519 Speaker 2: while you know, or lunch meat for sandwiches on the 59 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:06,280 Speaker 2: road trip somewhere to hunt something, we really only eat 60 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:09,919 Speaker 2: wild game in my house, with a heavy, heavy emphasis 61 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:12,960 Speaker 2: on venison. It's honestly what I prefer these days. And 62 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:16,160 Speaker 2: you probably understand that if you're listening to this, but 63 00:03:16,280 --> 00:03:19,120 Speaker 2: maybe you don't. And if you don't, I'd guess that 64 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:22,080 Speaker 2: it's most likely because I don't know. You don't butcher 65 00:03:22,120 --> 00:03:24,639 Speaker 2: your own deer have a real strong grasp on how 66 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:27,400 Speaker 2: to make it as good as possible. To learn that. 67 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:31,240 Speaker 2: It's a great idea to understand what venison isn't, which 68 00:03:31,280 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 2: is beef. Venison is lower in calories, lower in fat, 69 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:39,600 Speaker 2: higher in protein than beef. It also contains omega three 70 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 2: and omega six fatty acids, a whole ton of vitamins 71 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:46,960 Speaker 2: and minerals, and is essentially a super food. It really is. 72 00:03:47,520 --> 00:03:51,680 Speaker 2: It's insanely nutrient dense and really good for you. But 73 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:54,120 Speaker 2: it's not beef. And that's where a lot of people 74 00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:57,680 Speaker 2: get this thing wrong, because the expectations are different. A 75 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:01,360 Speaker 2: simple way to understand this is is that beef fat 76 00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:04,280 Speaker 2: is kind of sweet, and venison fat is definitely not. 77 00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:07,680 Speaker 2: It's gross, really gross, and a little of it can 78 00:04:07,720 --> 00:04:10,280 Speaker 2: do a lot of damage to meat that should be 79 00:04:10,320 --> 00:04:12,840 Speaker 2: really good otherwise. But this is one of the many 80 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:15,200 Speaker 2: reasons why I butcher all of my own animals and 81 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:17,800 Speaker 2: make all of my own burder. I don't want deer 82 00:04:17,839 --> 00:04:20,120 Speaker 2: fat on my steaks, and I don't really want a 83 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:22,800 Speaker 2: bunch of deer fat mixed into my burder. Now, some 84 00:04:22,839 --> 00:04:25,400 Speaker 2: folks don't seem to mind, but I do, and I 85 00:04:25,440 --> 00:04:27,160 Speaker 2: look at it like a little extra work on the 86 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:30,120 Speaker 2: front end for a welcome payoff every time I fry 87 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:33,120 Speaker 2: up some steaks or make some tacos afterwards. Now a 88 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:35,360 Speaker 2: lot of people might think I'm too picky with that stuff, 89 00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:37,600 Speaker 2: but I don't care. I've had a hell of a 90 00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:39,920 Speaker 2: lot of deer meat and other wild game from other people, 91 00:04:40,320 --> 00:04:43,120 Speaker 2: and it has only hardened my stance on this one. 92 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:46,159 Speaker 2: In fact, I think the easiest way to turn someone 93 00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:48,960 Speaker 2: off of venison, which is the opposite of my goal 94 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:51,279 Speaker 2: when I feed it to people, is to not be 95 00:04:51,400 --> 00:04:54,760 Speaker 2: mindful of fat or silver skin or anything that isn't muscle. 96 00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:57,880 Speaker 2: If I'm being honest now, I'm not trying to throw 97 00:04:57,920 --> 00:05:00,799 Speaker 2: shade at deer processors because they provide a much needed 98 00:05:00,839 --> 00:05:03,400 Speaker 2: service for a whole lot of folks. But there isn't 99 00:05:03,520 --> 00:05:06,080 Speaker 2: anyone out there who cares more about my venicon than 100 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:08,800 Speaker 2: I do. I like to know what happens to my 101 00:05:08,880 --> 00:05:11,560 Speaker 2: deer every step of the way, and off shoring any 102 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:14,280 Speaker 2: part of that to someone else is just not that appealing. Now, 103 00:05:14,279 --> 00:05:16,760 Speaker 2: if you've never butchered a deer, I get it. It 104 00:05:16,760 --> 00:05:19,760 Speaker 2: can be intimidating, but it's a skill worth learning for 105 00:05:19,800 --> 00:05:24,160 Speaker 2: so many reasons. Plus, it's not really that hard, and 106 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:27,680 Speaker 2: the mistakes you make often don't do anything other than 107 00:05:27,680 --> 00:05:30,600 Speaker 2: force you to eat smaller pieces of vedicon or throw 108 00:05:30,680 --> 00:05:33,120 Speaker 2: more of it into the grinder. You don't lose it 109 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:36,279 Speaker 2: from butchering mistakes you just make. I don't know smaller 110 00:05:36,279 --> 00:05:39,760 Speaker 2: pieces generally, And speaking of smaller pieces, a lot of 111 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:42,280 Speaker 2: people I meet who don't seem to value deer meat 112 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:45,280 Speaker 2: a whole lot are often very limited in how they 113 00:05:45,279 --> 00:05:49,160 Speaker 2: prepare it. Look, before you check out completely here, let 114 00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:52,520 Speaker 2: me say this. I am not your typical media or personality. 115 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:56,120 Speaker 2: I don't care about super fancy recipes or wowing you 116 00:05:56,200 --> 00:05:59,800 Speaker 2: with my culinary skills. I'm not into flare. Let's just 117 00:05:59,839 --> 00:06:03,240 Speaker 2: leave at that. I like good and simple in my 118 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:05,880 Speaker 2: life and with my venison. But that doesn't mean I 119 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:08,200 Speaker 2: don't have a lot of different ways to prepare dear meat. 120 00:06:08,480 --> 00:06:10,320 Speaker 2: Because if I didn't, we get sick of it in 121 00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:14,080 Speaker 2: a hurry, and we don't now, aside from spaghetti, sauce 122 00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:17,239 Speaker 2: and tacos in the usual suspects for ground venison, most 123 00:06:17,240 --> 00:06:20,280 Speaker 2: of us think of deer meat as deer steaks, and 124 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:24,120 Speaker 2: why not. Who doesn't love a backstrap just grilled to perfection. 125 00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:27,920 Speaker 2: Freaks and weirdos maybe the rest of us, no question, 126 00:06:28,720 --> 00:06:31,279 Speaker 2: But deer steaks are pretty easy to screw up, and 127 00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:33,240 Speaker 2: the easiest way to do it is to cook them 128 00:06:33,279 --> 00:06:36,599 Speaker 2: too much. I know this isn't a revelation, it's well known, 129 00:06:36,839 --> 00:06:39,440 Speaker 2: but it's still an issue. In fact, when I was 130 00:06:39,440 --> 00:06:41,360 Speaker 2: growing up, I didn't know that deer meat could be 131 00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:44,159 Speaker 2: prepared any other way than well done. Now I wish 132 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:47,039 Speaker 2: I was joking, but I'm not. My mother has one 133 00:06:47,080 --> 00:06:49,640 Speaker 2: mode of cooking, and it's one where she's terrified that 134 00:06:49,680 --> 00:06:51,440 Speaker 2: we were all going to get parasites or some other 135 00:06:51,480 --> 00:06:54,480 Speaker 2: illness from undercooked meat, and so everything that comes out 136 00:06:54,480 --> 00:06:57,640 Speaker 2: of her kitchen comes out fully and truly scorched to oblivion. 137 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:00,880 Speaker 2: As a kid, I just thought that's how your steaks were, 138 00:07:01,240 --> 00:07:04,599 Speaker 2: And while we ate them fairly often, there wasn't a 139 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:07,039 Speaker 2: single time where I was like, well, this is the 140 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:09,840 Speaker 2: best meat I've ever had. It was just deer meat, 141 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:12,200 Speaker 2: and we ate it now. Over time, I started working 142 00:07:12,200 --> 00:07:15,160 Speaker 2: at some restaurants to put myself through school and realized 143 00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:17,120 Speaker 2: that the household I grew up in got the whole 144 00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:20,320 Speaker 2: steak thing about as wrong as you could. And to 145 00:07:20,320 --> 00:07:22,640 Speaker 2: put a little bit finer point on that, those crispy 146 00:07:22,680 --> 00:07:26,920 Speaker 2: critter steaks were also not seasoned or marinated ever, so 147 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:30,120 Speaker 2: it was all just gnomming on hockey pucks until I 148 00:07:30,200 --> 00:07:32,400 Speaker 2: learned that you could eat them pretty much from raw 149 00:07:32,480 --> 00:07:35,040 Speaker 2: all the way up to wherever your personal preference lands. 150 00:07:35,440 --> 00:07:38,160 Speaker 2: For me, that's generally medium rare, but it also depends 151 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:40,320 Speaker 2: on how hungry I am or how impatient I am 152 00:07:40,360 --> 00:07:42,760 Speaker 2: at times, which usually only comes into play on a 153 00:07:42,840 --> 00:07:45,000 Speaker 2: hunting trip where there's a fire rolling in camp and 154 00:07:45,040 --> 00:07:48,080 Speaker 2: we were all running on a serious calorie deficit from 155 00:07:48,120 --> 00:08:02,680 Speaker 2: the daytime activities. We might go pretty rare in that situation. Now, 156 00:08:02,760 --> 00:08:04,679 Speaker 2: one of the things we did when I was young 157 00:08:04,840 --> 00:08:08,360 Speaker 2: that made my mom's incinerator strategy easier was that we 158 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:11,200 Speaker 2: caught our steaks really thin when we butchered our deer. 159 00:08:12,040 --> 00:08:14,280 Speaker 2: I don't know why this happened, but I know My 160 00:08:14,400 --> 00:08:16,600 Speaker 2: dad was a self taught bow hunter and a self 161 00:08:16,640 --> 00:08:20,720 Speaker 2: taught deer processor, which might not mean much in today's world, 162 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:24,160 Speaker 2: but before YouTube tutorials in the Internet, you really didn't 163 00:08:24,160 --> 00:08:26,400 Speaker 2: have as many ways to learn how to do basic 164 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:30,000 Speaker 2: tasks the right way. This is another thing I like 165 00:08:30,080 --> 00:08:33,800 Speaker 2: about butchering my own deer. I can package steaks according 166 00:08:33,840 --> 00:08:36,720 Speaker 2: to their thickness because I like them medium rare. My 167 00:08:36,800 --> 00:08:39,439 Speaker 2: wife and one daughter are medium steak eaters, and my 168 00:08:39,520 --> 00:08:41,720 Speaker 2: one daughter will gag if there is any hint of 169 00:08:41,760 --> 00:08:44,880 Speaker 2: redness or blood in her deer steaks. So each package 170 00:08:44,880 --> 00:08:48,320 Speaker 2: for my family will have steaks of varying thicknesses, which 171 00:08:48,360 --> 00:08:50,520 Speaker 2: allows me to cook them all more or less at 172 00:08:50,559 --> 00:08:53,520 Speaker 2: the same speed at the same time, but end up 173 00:08:53,559 --> 00:08:56,760 Speaker 2: with different levels of dumbness. Which is a word. Even 174 00:08:56,760 --> 00:08:59,760 Speaker 2: if it sounds like I made it up because I 175 00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:02,040 Speaker 2: thought so, I looked it up and it actually is 176 00:09:02,040 --> 00:09:04,880 Speaker 2: a word. This is also one of the reasons I've 177 00:09:04,920 --> 00:09:07,640 Speaker 2: gone to cooking whole muscle groups more and more. If 178 00:09:07,640 --> 00:09:11,040 Speaker 2: you take the backstrap, for example, the natural shape of it, 179 00:09:11,120 --> 00:09:13,679 Speaker 2: you know, with its beefiest section close to the rump 180 00:09:13,720 --> 00:09:17,079 Speaker 2: that tapers down as it stretches towards the neck, allows 181 00:09:17,120 --> 00:09:18,760 Speaker 2: for them to cook at the same time, but to 182 00:09:18,800 --> 00:09:22,640 Speaker 2: different levels of you guessed it done this now? I 183 00:09:22,800 --> 00:09:24,560 Speaker 2: used to bake and wrap them for the grill, but 184 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:27,360 Speaker 2: now I season them with loweryes, garlic, salt and let 185 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:31,080 Speaker 2: them cook. It's so simple and so damn good. But 186 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:34,559 Speaker 2: overcooking isn't the only way you can screw up traditional 187 00:09:34,600 --> 00:09:37,640 Speaker 2: deer sticks. Let's say you get home and work and 188 00:09:37,720 --> 00:09:40,000 Speaker 2: realize you're hungry, but don't I have too many options. 189 00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:42,440 Speaker 2: You head to the old garage and grab a package 190 00:09:42,440 --> 00:09:45,840 Speaker 2: of deer sticks from the freezer, but they are well frozen. 191 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:48,760 Speaker 2: There are ways to speed up the thaw, and all 192 00:09:48,800 --> 00:09:50,560 Speaker 2: of them will result in deer meat that's just a 193 00:09:50,559 --> 00:09:53,160 Speaker 2: little tougher than it needs to be. Letting a package 194 00:09:53,160 --> 00:09:55,240 Speaker 2: of venison thaw naturally in the sink or in the 195 00:09:55,280 --> 00:09:57,679 Speaker 2: fridge is just the best way to do it. Now. 196 00:09:57,679 --> 00:09:59,360 Speaker 2: If you do throw a slab of butter in the 197 00:09:59,360 --> 00:10:01,840 Speaker 2: frying panic, try to cook them while they are somewhat frozen. 198 00:10:02,320 --> 00:10:04,760 Speaker 2: You'll have deer meat you can eat. It just won't 199 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:06,640 Speaker 2: be as good as it would be if you didn't 200 00:10:06,640 --> 00:10:09,680 Speaker 2: do that. Planning the thought also allows you the chance 201 00:10:09,720 --> 00:10:11,720 Speaker 2: to marinate if you choose. Now, I used to do 202 00:10:11,760 --> 00:10:13,640 Speaker 2: this a lot for a lot of steaks, and I 203 00:10:13,640 --> 00:10:16,600 Speaker 2: still do sometimes, but not as much as I used to. Hell, 204 00:10:16,640 --> 00:10:19,520 Speaker 2: when I was growing up, we drowned our steaks in ketchup, 205 00:10:19,760 --> 00:10:22,280 Speaker 2: but you can probably guess why we did that, given 206 00:10:22,320 --> 00:10:24,520 Speaker 2: what I've already told you about the whole thing. Now, 207 00:10:24,559 --> 00:10:27,400 Speaker 2: my favorite marinade these days is just Famous Dave's Devil 208 00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:30,520 Speaker 2: Spit barbecue sauce. It has a really nice kick to it, 209 00:10:30,559 --> 00:10:33,520 Speaker 2: but that gets tempered down once it's cooked, to the 210 00:10:33,520 --> 00:10:36,240 Speaker 2: point where even my daughters like it, which is incredible 211 00:10:36,240 --> 00:10:39,040 Speaker 2: because if three molecules of that sauce hit their tongues raw, 212 00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:43,040 Speaker 2: their pasty heads would explode. It's really hard to go 213 00:10:43,080 --> 00:10:45,760 Speaker 2: wrong with marinating deer steaks, and it's a great way 214 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:48,200 Speaker 2: to change the flavor profile enough to make each meal 215 00:10:48,200 --> 00:10:50,760 Speaker 2: a little bit different, even if they mostly aren't that different. 216 00:10:51,559 --> 00:10:53,880 Speaker 2: And all that's simple and great, but deer are made 217 00:10:53,920 --> 00:10:56,400 Speaker 2: up of a lot more than just backstraps. They also 218 00:10:56,480 --> 00:10:58,880 Speaker 2: have all kinds of smaller muscle groups that don't lend 219 00:10:58,960 --> 00:11:02,280 Speaker 2: themselves to steak. This is where a lot of folks 220 00:11:02,320 --> 00:11:04,079 Speaker 2: like to reach for the bowl to throw their grind 221 00:11:04,120 --> 00:11:07,520 Speaker 2: scraps in, but not me. I like ground venison, but 222 00:11:07,600 --> 00:11:11,080 Speaker 2: not as much as I like venison that isn't ground. 223 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:12,920 Speaker 2: So I do a lot of packages of meat that 224 00:11:12,960 --> 00:11:15,599 Speaker 2: I either label as stir fry or stew meat. 225 00:11:15,800 --> 00:11:15,960 Speaker 1: You know. 226 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:18,640 Speaker 2: This amounts to either longish skinny strips of meat or 227 00:11:18,679 --> 00:11:22,760 Speaker 2: just chunks of meat. I love these packages because I 228 00:11:22,800 --> 00:11:25,600 Speaker 2: can always buy some asparagus and peppers and maybe an 229 00:11:25,640 --> 00:11:29,000 Speaker 2: onion or some portobello mushrooms and make a simple sturfry, 230 00:11:29,559 --> 00:11:31,600 Speaker 2: you know, with veggies and some meat. It only takes 231 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:34,320 Speaker 2: some rice and maybe some tariaki sauce and you have 232 00:11:34,400 --> 00:11:38,240 Speaker 2: something totally different from a traditional deer steak meal. And 233 00:11:38,280 --> 00:11:41,240 Speaker 2: if not that, some noodles or some raviolis and a 234 00:11:41,280 --> 00:11:43,680 Speaker 2: little heavy whipping cream and some fresh parmesan and you 235 00:11:43,760 --> 00:11:46,960 Speaker 2: have a pasta which is not only really simple, but 236 00:11:47,120 --> 00:11:50,920 Speaker 2: damn good. Lately, I've started using these packages of smaller 237 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:53,560 Speaker 2: chunks of meat to make venison sliders, which my whole 238 00:11:53,600 --> 00:11:56,959 Speaker 2: family loves. You just saute them up with some garlic salt, 239 00:11:56,960 --> 00:12:00,120 Speaker 2: add some mushrooms and onions and some Hawaiian rolls and 240 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:03,320 Speaker 2: that's about it. Again, that's venison as a base, but 241 00:12:03,400 --> 00:12:07,079 Speaker 2: nothing like a typical meal of deer steaks. Now here's 242 00:12:07,120 --> 00:12:09,520 Speaker 2: what I've really learned about how to make deer meat 243 00:12:09,520 --> 00:12:11,920 Speaker 2: a reliable and enjoyable part of a lot of your 244 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:15,280 Speaker 2: yearly meals. You got a plan for it. I pull 245 00:12:15,320 --> 00:12:17,680 Speaker 2: packages of venison out of the freezer and start thawing 246 00:12:17,679 --> 00:12:20,760 Speaker 2: them at the beginning of pretty much every week, often 247 00:12:20,800 --> 00:12:23,200 Speaker 2: with a package of pheasants or something else just thrown 248 00:12:23,240 --> 00:12:25,920 Speaker 2: in there because we have it. And when I grocery shop, 249 00:12:26,120 --> 00:12:28,400 Speaker 2: I think about what makes a meal of venison better 250 00:12:28,720 --> 00:12:30,839 Speaker 2: and try to have that on hand because it'll make 251 00:12:30,840 --> 00:12:33,600 Speaker 2: me cook deer meat more. It's a cheap trick, but 252 00:12:33,640 --> 00:12:37,080 Speaker 2: it works. Let's say, if you love mushrooms for your steaks, well, 253 00:12:37,720 --> 00:12:40,640 Speaker 2: buy some, and you're far more likely to make exactly that, 254 00:12:40,960 --> 00:12:43,480 Speaker 2: especially if you have a thought and marinate a package 255 00:12:43,480 --> 00:12:46,200 Speaker 2: of steaks and your fridge just ready to go. And 256 00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:48,240 Speaker 2: this is going to sound dumb too, but it might 257 00:12:48,280 --> 00:12:50,920 Speaker 2: make sense when I explain it. The more you learn 258 00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:54,200 Speaker 2: to cook with venison, the more you'll cook with venison. 259 00:12:54,600 --> 00:12:57,280 Speaker 2: When I was growing up, it wasn't all that exciting 260 00:12:57,320 --> 00:12:59,600 Speaker 2: to pull a package of deer steaks from the freezer. 261 00:13:00,240 --> 00:13:02,360 Speaker 2: We knew what we were getting, and it wasn't something 262 00:13:02,360 --> 00:13:05,120 Speaker 2: you'd cheer for. It was something you'd eat, because that's 263 00:13:05,120 --> 00:13:08,400 Speaker 2: what we ate. Learning to make meals that you want 264 00:13:08,440 --> 00:13:11,959 Speaker 2: to eat and that are also relatively inexpensive and quick 265 00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:15,360 Speaker 2: to prepare is a huge deal in modern life where 266 00:13:15,360 --> 00:13:18,920 Speaker 2: we're all super busy. It's also just something that, even 267 00:13:18,960 --> 00:13:21,360 Speaker 2: though this might sound like bullshit, just sort of completes 268 00:13:21,400 --> 00:13:24,360 Speaker 2: the whole process when you're cooking meals like that and 269 00:13:24,400 --> 00:13:27,640 Speaker 2: you enjoy them. There's so much focus on big antlers 270 00:13:27,679 --> 00:13:31,000 Speaker 2: these days and all that goes along with tagging a 271 00:13:31,040 --> 00:13:34,560 Speaker 2: mega giant buck. But feeding yourself and your family or 272 00:13:34,600 --> 00:13:37,240 Speaker 2: your friends with meat that came from an animal you 273 00:13:37,360 --> 00:13:39,840 Speaker 2: scoutered and shot and tracked and field dressed and butchered 274 00:13:39,880 --> 00:13:43,000 Speaker 2: and prepared in a delicious way. It's no small thing. 275 00:13:43,600 --> 00:13:46,520 Speaker 2: It's important and something I think about a lot, but 276 00:13:46,559 --> 00:13:49,320 Speaker 2: I don't really know why. I look at this sort 277 00:13:49,360 --> 00:13:52,040 Speaker 2: of like how everyone these days likes to say, how 278 00:13:52,080 --> 00:13:55,559 Speaker 2: that is a species. We're just heading for a real downfall. 279 00:13:56,120 --> 00:13:59,160 Speaker 2: Society is on a shaky foundation, and eventually we'll be 280 00:13:59,200 --> 00:14:02,760 Speaker 2: back to warring in pure survival. I often think about 281 00:14:02,760 --> 00:14:05,200 Speaker 2: what would happen if our food supply chain suddenly didn't 282 00:14:05,280 --> 00:14:09,000 Speaker 2: deliver insane amounts of readily packaged food to the developed world. 283 00:14:09,760 --> 00:14:12,360 Speaker 2: There wouldn't be a whole lot of emphasis on shooting 284 00:14:12,360 --> 00:14:14,959 Speaker 2: two hundred inch bucks or letting up and comers pass. 285 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:18,160 Speaker 2: If that shit happened, we'd look at deer in a 286 00:14:18,200 --> 00:14:21,760 Speaker 2: whole new light. We have the luxury of not doing 287 00:14:21,800 --> 00:14:24,160 Speaker 2: that right now, but it's an interesting thing to think 288 00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:27,920 Speaker 2: about because our priorities would shift real fast. Look, I 289 00:14:27,920 --> 00:14:30,360 Speaker 2: hope that doesn't happen, but that doesn't mean we can't 290 00:14:30,480 --> 00:14:32,720 Speaker 2: value the meat aspect a whole hell of a lot. 291 00:14:33,160 --> 00:14:35,280 Speaker 2: In fact, that was one of the big reasons I 292 00:14:35,320 --> 00:14:37,520 Speaker 2: was interested in coming on over here to meat Eater 293 00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:39,640 Speaker 2: when I did, because that was, you know, just at 294 00:14:39,680 --> 00:14:41,440 Speaker 2: the stage of my career where I was just done 295 00:14:41,480 --> 00:14:44,600 Speaker 2: with the trophy hunting messaging and you know, antlers above 296 00:14:44,640 --> 00:14:47,040 Speaker 2: all else, and I wanted to try to paint this 297 00:14:47,160 --> 00:14:50,080 Speaker 2: hunting thing in a different light. Don't get me wrong, 298 00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:53,560 Speaker 2: I love big antlers, and I am very interested in 299 00:14:53,600 --> 00:14:56,640 Speaker 2: mature bucks for many reasons, but I also really like 300 00:14:56,760 --> 00:15:00,600 Speaker 2: all deer and have never, not once regrets shooting a 301 00:15:00,600 --> 00:15:03,440 Speaker 2: scrap or buck or a dough once it was broken 302 00:15:03,480 --> 00:15:05,920 Speaker 2: down into bite sized chunks and cooling off on my 303 00:15:06,080 --> 00:15:09,560 Speaker 2: plate at the dinner table with my family, or maybe 304 00:15:09,560 --> 00:15:11,520 Speaker 2: in a tent somewhere with a good buddy or two, 305 00:15:11,600 --> 00:15:14,600 Speaker 2: while the coyotes howled in the distance and the stars 306 00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:17,000 Speaker 2: showed up like they only can when you're very far 307 00:15:17,040 --> 00:15:19,760 Speaker 2: away from light pollution. I think this is a good 308 00:15:19,800 --> 00:15:22,240 Speaker 2: thing to think about and to try to get better 309 00:15:22,280 --> 00:15:24,800 Speaker 2: at in the off season. You know, while there are 310 00:15:24,880 --> 00:15:28,040 Speaker 2: hunting seasons open in some places still, you know, some 311 00:15:28,120 --> 00:15:30,520 Speaker 2: of our southern brothers and sisters are still really getting 312 00:15:30,520 --> 00:15:32,440 Speaker 2: after it. For a lot of us, this is the 313 00:15:32,480 --> 00:15:35,360 Speaker 2: beginning of a long stretch before we can climb into 314 00:15:35,400 --> 00:15:37,920 Speaker 2: a tree again. And yeah, they're scouting to keep you 315 00:15:37,960 --> 00:15:40,080 Speaker 2: connected at Chad Antler's and shooting your bow in the 316 00:15:40,080 --> 00:15:43,080 Speaker 2: summer and running trail cameras in all kinds of things 317 00:15:43,120 --> 00:15:45,240 Speaker 2: that can be done to keep yourself tethered to the deer. 318 00:15:45,840 --> 00:15:48,920 Speaker 2: There's also the reality of all that nutritious and delicious 319 00:15:48,920 --> 00:15:52,520 Speaker 2: benison to work through before the whole thing starts over again. 320 00:15:53,080 --> 00:15:56,400 Speaker 2: So get creative, cook up some good stuff, and come 321 00:15:56,440 --> 00:15:58,480 Speaker 2: back next week, because I'm going to keep talking about 322 00:15:58,520 --> 00:16:03,640 Speaker 2: America's number one best favorite game Animal. That's it for 323 00:16:03,720 --> 00:16:05,720 Speaker 2: this week. I'm Tony Peterson and this has been the 324 00:16:05,760 --> 00:16:08,800 Speaker 2: Wire to Hunt Foundations podcast. Thank you so much for 325 00:16:08,880 --> 00:16:10,800 Speaker 2: all your support. You know, we had a great hear 326 00:16:10,920 --> 00:16:13,640 Speaker 2: here at meat Eater in twenty twenty five. We got 327 00:16:13,640 --> 00:16:16,080 Speaker 2: a whole bunch of really cool plans this year, but 328 00:16:16,160 --> 00:16:18,560 Speaker 2: none of it matters without you guys, so thank you 329 00:16:18,600 --> 00:16:21,160 Speaker 2: for all your support. If you're bored out of your 330 00:16:21,200 --> 00:16:23,800 Speaker 2: mind right now, which a lot of us are this 331 00:16:23,880 --> 00:16:26,400 Speaker 2: time of year, and you need some entertainment, or you 332 00:16:26,480 --> 00:16:28,280 Speaker 2: just want to elevate your game a little bit you 333 00:16:28,320 --> 00:16:31,280 Speaker 2: don't know how, head on over to the medeater dot com. 334 00:16:31,320 --> 00:16:36,160 Speaker 2: We drop new content literally every single day, hunting films, 335 00:16:36,520 --> 00:16:40,360 Speaker 2: tons of podcasts. If you haven't checked out Jordan Siller's 336 00:16:40,360 --> 00:16:43,800 Speaker 2: Blood Trails, check that out. That dude does such a 337 00:16:43,840 --> 00:16:47,640 Speaker 2: good job with that. Podcast, articles, recipes, you name it. 338 00:16:47,680 --> 00:16:49,600 Speaker 2: The medeater dot com go check it out.