MOT favorite foods

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Fundamental staple to the MOT Weekend...  The Hack Zone. 

A melange of cured meats, italian cheeses, pickled vegetables, breads, and anything else that facilitates hardening of the arteries.    During Prep, always remember,  Hands up!  Safety First.

Steven Rinella

•  1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil, divided
  2 1/4 lbs ground venison
  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  3 large poblanos, stemmed and diced
  1 large onion, chopped
  6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  2 tbsp ancho chile powder, or to taste
  1 1/2 tbsp ground cumin
  1 tsp dried oregano
  3 tbsp minced chipotle peppers in adobo
  3 (14.5-ounce) cans whole tomatoes, preferably in tomato puree
  2 (15-ounce) cans small red beans, kidney beans, or pinto beans, rinsed and drained
  3 cups beef stock

• Serving Ingredients
  corn chips
  shredded sharp cheddar or Pepper jack cheese
  sour cream
  diced red onions or sliced scallions
  sliced jalapenos or serrano chiles

 Slow Cooker

1. Heat a large Dutch oven or other wide, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil.
3. Sprinkle the venison generously with salt and pepper.
4. Working in batches, crumble the venison into large chunks into the pot and sear until browned, transferring to a large bowl as done, 6 to 8 minutes per batch, adding more oil as needed.
5. Reduce the heat to medium. (If working on an electric range, you may need to remove the pot from heat to let it cool down a bit.)
6. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, the poblanos, and onions, scraping up the browned bits at the bottom of the pot to cool it down a little faster.
7. Return to the heat and cook, stirring often, until soft, 8 to 10 minutes.
8. Stir in the garlic, chile powder, cumin, and oregano and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
9. Add the chipotles and tomatoes, crushing the tomatoes with your hands or mashing with a potato masher, half of the beans, the stock, and the venison with any juices that have accumulated in the bowl.
10. Stir to combine, then bring to a simmer.
    Transfer all contents to a slow cooker.
11. Cook partially covered, stirring occasionally, until the venison is tender, about 2 hours.
12. Add the remaining beans and warm through. 
13. Adjust seasonings.

Steven Rinella

•  4 squirrels or 2 rabbits, skinned and cut into 4 legs and 2 loins each (about 2lbs total)
• 1 quart buttermilk
• 2 tbsp hot sauce (I like Frank’s)
• Peanut or canola oil
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp cayenne
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper 

1. Using a two-tined fork, pierce the quartered squirrels or rabbits many times.
2. Lay the meat in a baking dish or a food-safe tub.
3. Pour the buttermilk over the meat and add the hot sauce, stirring to combine.
4. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
5. Heat 3 inches of oil in a deep cast-iron pan over low to medium heat until it reaches 325°- 350°. Use a deep fry thermometer to measure the temperature.
6. In a pie plate or baking dish, combine the flour and the cayenne pepper.
7. Remove the meat out of the marinade, let the excess liquid drip off, and set the meat on a plate.
8. Season the meat with salt and pepper, then dredge the meat in the flour.
9. Working in batches, fry the meat on one side until golden brown and crispy.
10. Using tongs, turn each piece over and fry on the second side until browned and crispy.
11. Lift out a piece of meat and place it on a rack set into a baking sheet or on a baking sheet lined with paper towels.
12. Use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature of the meat; it should be at least 160°.
13. When all the meat is cooked, let the pieces drain.
14. Sea­son with additional salt as soon as they come out of the oil.

 Hank Shaw

• 1/2 pound piece of venison backstrap or tenderloin
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 shallot, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 1/2 cup venison stock or beef broth
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon mustard (I use Dijon)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• Minced herbs for garnish (basil parsley, chives, etc)

Bring the venison loin out of the fridge, salt it well and let it come to room temperature, at least 20 minutes.

Heat the butter in a large saute pan over medium-high heat for about 90 seconds. Pat the venison dry with a paper towel and cook it on all sides. Turn the heat to medium so the butter doesn't scorch, and take your time. It should take about 8 to 10 minutes or so to get a nice brown crust on the venison without overcooking the center. Remove the venison, tent loosely with foil and set aside.

Add the shallots to the saute pan and cook for 1 minute, then add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds or so. Don't let the garlic burn. Deglaze the pan with the brandy, scraping off any stuck-on bits in the pan with a wooden spoon. Let the brandy cook down almost to a glaze, then add the venison stock, tomato paste, mustard and Worcestershire sauce and stir to combine. Let this boil down until a wooden spoon dragged across the pan leaves a trail behind it that does not fill in for a second or two. This should take about 3 minutes on high heat.

Turn off the heat and let the boiling subside. Stir in cream until the sauce is as light as you like. Don't let the sauce boil again or it could break.

Slice the venison into thick medallions. If you find you have not cooked it enough, let the meat swim in the sauce for a few moments to heat through. If the venison is to your liking, pour some sauce on a plate and top with the meat. Garnish with some chopped herbs. Chives are traditional, but basil and parsley are also nice.

 Hank Shaw

• 1 rabbit, cut into serving pieces
• Salt
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 large shallots, chopped
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup grainy country mustard, like Dijon
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

1. Sprinkle rabbit pieces with salt: Salt your rabbit pieces well and set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour.

2. Brown the rabbit pieces in butter: Heat the butter over medium heat in a large sauté pan with a lid. Pat the rabbit pieces dry and brown them in the butter. Do this at a moderate pace – you don’t want the butter to scorch – and don’t let the rabbit pieces touch each other. Do it in batches if you need to.

Once the rabbit is browned, remove it to a bowl.

3. Brown the chopped shallots: Add the shallots and brown them well. This will take 3-4 minutes.

4 Make the sauce: Pour in the white wine and turn the heat to high. Scrape off any browned bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the mustard, thyme and water and bring to a rolling boil. Taste the sauce for salt and add some if needed.

5. Coat rabbit with sauce, cover and simmer: Add the rabbit pieces, coat them with the sauce, then drop the heat to low. Cover and simmer gently for 45 minutes. You want the meat to be nearly falling off the bone. It might need more time, but should not need more than an hour total. Wild rabbits sometimes need more time.

6. When the meat is ready, gently remove it to a platter.

7. Reduce the sauce, add cream and parsley: Turn the heat to high and boil the sauce down by half. Turn off the heat and add the cream and parsley. Stir the sauce to combine.

8. Serve:  Return the rabbit to the pan. Coat with the sauce and serve at once.

Serve this dish with crusty bread and a big white wine, such as a white Bordeaux, white Cotes du Rhone blend or a buttery California Chardonnay. If you prefer beer, try pairing this with an unfiltered wheat beer.

 Jim Zumbo

• 1 pound venison/elk steaks
• ½ pound bacon

 Cut meat into one inch squares, and wrap each piece with a strip of bacon about 2-1/2 to inches long. Pierce through the bacon and meat with a toothpick to secure the roll. 

Skewer 6 to 7 “wraps” onto a bamboo or metal skewer stick and place on a broiler rack. Broil until one side is lightly brown, turn and cook other side. Serve hot. Makes 24 to 30.

Tip: For gamey meat, marinate the meat chunks in soy sauce for about 30 minutes before cooking. 

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