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Wild Game Parties Are an Absolute Blast By Tori J. McCormick She was studying to be a lawyer; therefore she talked a lot but said very little. It was December 1993. We were standing nose-to-nose in a bar in St. Paul, Minnesota, debating why any “civilized human being” would hunt, let alone eat wild game.
Ouch! But not even Clarence Darrow could make the murder rap stick, so I immediately dismissed her half-intoxicated self-righteous slander. She’s lucky I didn’t sue. But the woman—an unrepentant carnivore apparently oblivious to her own hypocrisy—touched a raw nerve when she played the “disgusting” card. So I called her bluff. “Let’s dismiss the fact you’ve never eaten wild game before,” I said rather smugly and for effect. “Let me prepare you a dish or two, then you can make an informed, open-minded judgment. What say you?”“Okay, smart guy, you’re on,” she fired back. “But you’ll never convert me.” That was the genesis of my first game party, now an annual spit-shinned production that has enlightened the taste buds of countless conscientious objectors for more than a decade. The inaugural party presented a daunting task: Prepare a wild game spread for as many 40 friends and family members, most of whom heretofore had never eaten wild game. And for those who had, the experience was as sublime as eating a Spam sandwich with moldy bread. In the end, the party was a smash hit. The food, too. They always are.Wild-game cookery, hunting’s natural adjunct, is an extremely important part of my life. As I’ve matured as hunter I’ve developed a deep, spiritual connection with the game I kill. Food, of course, has utility. It nourishes our bodies. But preparing wild game transcends the simple act of eating and keeping meat on our bones. Properly preparing wild game for a party or a meal, I believe, is a way of honoring their life and death; a way of giving thanks to nature’s bounty. When an Ojibwa Indian fells a deer, the old story goes, he kneels beside it and says, “I’m sorry, old friend, I didn’t kill you because I hate you, but because you provide me meat and clothing and moccasins.” The upshot: My annual game party has provided me a platform from which to debunk the tired myth that wild game is “disgusting” to eat; that conscientious hunters prepare—and eat—what they kill; and that food felled in the wild is twice satisfying as food purchased from the grocery store. It’s a powerful message. Of course, throwing a game party is an absolute blast. Just ask my lawyer friend, who endlessly, blissfully, gluttonously stuffed her face with the wild protein she so rudely proclaimed to hate. She reminded me of the autumn squirrel whose cheeks are forever pregnant with acorns. The best part: She couldn’t say a word. Waterfowl-stuffed Mushrooms
To make the stuffing, combine in a non-stick skillet:
Stir frequently until mixture is heated through. Remove from burner and stir add:
Arrange mushroom caps in large baking pan. Spoon roughly 1 tablespoon mixture into each cap. Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve. Duck Breast Teriyaki-Pineapple Appetizer This recipe is killer. I guarantee fellow game-partiers will love it. Start by cutting two duck breasts into one-inch cubes. Start by making the marinade. In a large Ziploc bag, combine:
Add duck and marinate for 24 hours. To prepare, slightly cook (use microwave) 10 slices bacon and cut in half. You’ll also need 20 canned pineapple chunks. Roll up one duck piece and pineapple chunk with a piece of bacon and secure with a tooth pick. Bake in 550-degree oven for 10 minutes or until the bacon is crisp. Slow Cooked Duck Legs Duck legs make an absolutely stupendous appetizer. Begin by storing your cleaned legs in a separate freezer bag throughout the hunting season. Thaw prior to the party. This recipe starts with 25 to 30 duck legs placed evenly in a large baking dish sprayed with vegetable oil. Begin by making the marinade. Combine in a mixing bowl:
Coat a large baking dish with cooking spray, add duck legs and place in a preheated 400 degree oven for one hour, covered. Remove pan and pour off any liquid in pan. Pour enough marinate over legs to barely cover them, reserving the extra liquid. Cover and place in the oven for 1 1/2 hours, checking occasionally to ensure that the liquid does not cook out of the pan completely. Add additional liquid, if necessary. After 1 1/2 hours, check legs every 20 minutes until the meat pulls off the bone with moderate pressure. Don’t wait until the meat falls off the bone. Allow to cool slightly before serving. |
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Game Party Tips at a Glance
This recipe is very easy and very good. Begin by preheating oven to 450 degrees. Remove stems from 42 medium-sized mushrooms, set caps aside and finely chop stems. Shred or finely chop 1/2 pound slowed-cooked duck or goose legs/thighs.