GAME COOKING BASICS

Great Game Cooking 101
by Scott Leysath, The Sporting Chef

Finally ... you managed to get through the Hunter Education course where you learned, among other things, that there really is a great deal more to handling a gun than pointing and shooting at stuff. Hopefully, you took the opportunity to practice the art of shooting a moving target before taking to the field. A bit harder than it looks, isn't it? With any luck you learned the importance of accepting the responsibility for your behavior while in pursuit of wild game. My number one rule is, "Do not shoot anything you are not prepared to eat." Responsible hunters do not "practice" on blackbirds, coots, or squirrels unless they are prepared to feast upon these unsuspecting animals at dinnertime. No one will ever make you eat a clay pigeon.

Hunters and game chefs are obligated not only to eat what they shoot (or at least see to it that someone else does) but also get the most out of bagged game. This starts with how the game is handled in the field. Game that has been field dressed and cooled quickly tastes better when cooked than game that is left in the back of a pickup all day. When you get to the vehicle, make some room in the cooler for your game.

Upon arriving home, forget about taking that shower and nap -- you've got work to do. Clean your game thoroughly, rinse it with cold water, and pat it dry with paper towels. If you are not going to cook it within the next few days, you must carefully prepare your game for freezing. Oxygen is the enemy. You've heard about "freezer burn?" Well, that's the result of something which has been carelessly wrapped before being placed in the freezer. If the meat is exposed to air when frozen, the meat will deteriorate and, eventually, be unfit to cook.

You'll discover that it is easier to package parts of an animal rather than the whole thing. For instance, if you remove your duck breasts and place them in one package and freeze the legs and thighs in another, not only will they both be easier to store, but you'll have a great deal more room in your freezer. The carcasses can be roasted in the oven with vegetables or tossed into a large pot with some water, wine, herbs, and garlic. Turn the burner on low and simmer until the liquid turns dark and full of intense flavors. Strain the liquid into ice cube trays and freeze. When frozen, pop the cubes out and toss them into a zipper-lock bag. These cubes are great for sautéing, sauces, and soup stocks. In this way, you use the whole bird, not just the breasts.

If you don't happen to have one of those vacuum-sealing machines, place your duck parts into a zipper-lock freezer bag. First, label the bag with a permanent marker. Note the contents and date ("Mallard Breast - 1/10/07"). Fill the bag with water, squeeze out the air, and lay it flat in a plastic container in the freezer. When frozen, these packages can be stacked in the freezer.

Now that you have ensured that your game is fit for cooking, it's time to get busy. I've found that simple dishes are much more fun to prepare than complicated ones. Who wants to spend all day in the kitchen? Start with a hot skillet and a few choice ingredients, and you can prepare a fantastic wild game masterpiece. But please do not overcook it. If you cook your ducks past medium-rare they will become tough, chewy, and reminiscent of liver or mutton. If you like the taste of an old sheep, you'll love a duck cooked medium-well or well done. Of course, you can always place the duck in a slow-cooker with a can of "cream of anything" soup and it will, eventually, be fork tender, but it won't taste much like duck.

Here are a couple of recipes to help you on your way to sensational wild game cooking. Don't be afraid to substitute any of the ingredients. Your version may be better than the original!

Your Basic Duck
4 servings

• 4 medium to large duck breast
half fillets, skin on or off
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons vinegar (white wine, red wine, or balsamic)
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Season duck with salt and pepper. Heat one-half of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear ducks on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Stir in remaining ingredients (including other half of olive oil) and heat to blend, about 2 minutes. Slice duck breasts and pour sauce over.

John Armstrong's Ginger Duck
2 servings

• 2-4 duck breast fillets, skin removed; meat sliced into 1/4 inch strips
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon your choice of spices (dried oregano, tarragon, basil, etc.)
• 1/3 teaspoon powdered ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon each garlic powder, onion powder, and salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 ounces Grand Marnier, sherry, dry wine, or orange juice

Combine flour with next four ingredients in a plastic bag. Add the sliced duck and shake bag to coat evenly. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a skillet. Remove duck strips and shake off excess flour mixture. Add the seasoned strips and cook until just medium-rare, about 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully add remaining choice of liquid and stir in until sauce is slightly thickened. CAREFUL: ALCOHOL WILL IGNITE WHEN ADDED TO A HOT PAN! Serve over rice.