Deer Camp Recipes
Cooking Over Coals
by Mel Marshall
Venison Chili
3 lbs. venison; flank, neck, any trimmings left from butchering (may substitute very lean beef)
1/4 cup beef suet or lard
2-3 tsp. chili molido powder (caution: chili molido brands can vary greatly in heat and sweetness)
3-4 small hot chili peppers
1 tsp. powdered oregano
1/4 tsp. cumin
2 cloves garlic or 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
2 medium size hot onions
Chop the meat into finger-tip size bits. With fat at smoking heat, brown meat – a small quantity at a time. Drain any excess fat, sprinkle with chili powder, cover pan tightly and cook over very low heat for 15 minutes; stir once or twice.
Cover the meat entirely with water, stir in remaining seasonings. Cover and cook over low heat for an hour, or until onion bits dissolve.
Before serving, let stand 10 to 15 minutes and skim off any grease that rises to the top. If possible, refrigerate chili in the cooking pot overnight, or let it sit in a cool place to let the fat form a cake on top, which you can lift off and discard. Chili can be kept covered in the fridge for a week to 10 days. Makes about 12 generous bowls.
Hotchpotch on the Coals
12 thin slices leftover, cooked meat
2 large sweet onions
2 large potatoes
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne
6 drops Tabasco Sauce
1 Tbsp. butter
Peel the onion and potatoes and slice as thinly as the meat. Butter a deep skillet, begin with a layer of potatoes on the bottom, then a layer of onion, then meat, and build up the pot in alternate layers until all ingredients are used up. Mix milk and seasonings and pour over. Dot the top with dabs of butter.
Close the skillet and cook over low coals 20 to 30 minutes. No liquid should be added, but additional dots of butter should be placed on top and the dish dusted with a scant sprinkling of pepper just before serving. Serves 6-8.
Bread Pudding,
Camp Style
12 slices dry bread
Any kind of jam or jelly – enough to generously cover each slice of bread.
1 Tbsp. butter
1 cup milk
Spread the bread thinly with butter and thickly with jam or jelly. Butter a dutch oven or heavy skillet (that has a tight fitting cover) and arrange bread slices in layers. Slowly pour all the milk it will absorb over the bread. Do not cover the bread with the milk. Dot the top with butter. Cover pan, put over low coals 20 minutes – or long enough for everyone to finish supper. The pudding will not be spoiled if it waits a while in the pan.