It's Hunting Season

My brother, David got a 7 point buck over the weekend with his bow. Yay! He loves hunting and my Mom loves spreading the news as quickly as possible. I, on the other hand, only know how to cook the meat, not kill it. Since venison is such a lean meat it's important to either cook it quickly- as not to dry it out, baste it constantly, or add in a fatty meat to accompany it.

There are some venison recipes out there...but in my mind, it's better to keep it simple and let the flavors do the talking. And besides, I haven't found any that I like.

Some ideas for hunters out there:
-Pan sear the sides then add butter, thyme, smashed garlic and constantly baste for a few minutes each side- reduce butter, deglaze with red wine and beef stock and finish with butter- viola!-venison with beurre rouge!

-Ground venison on a pizza. Simply, sear your ground venison in olive oil until it's browned. Remove your venison and add whatever herbs and spices you like. I would suggest garlic, thyme, tarragon, onions and shallots. Then, add your venison back and deglaze the pan with beef broth. Reduce, and season to taste! It would be delicious with sauteed leeks and mushrooms with ricotta cheese on top. I would also try to grill the pizza dough to get a smoky flavor on the crust. Delicious!