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Cooking Wild Game
From Old to New Ways
Hunting and cooking wild game is what Texas grew up on. Even most of the cattle and hogs ran wild for years, up until the middle of the nineteenth century. Deer, turkeys, and bears were far more plentiful than people then, and settlers relied on their rifles for wild game meat of all kinds. If anyone could not hunt, they were not guaranteed to make it through the winter.
Most of Texas' game back then was tough and tasted very pungent. Pioneers ate this meat because they had to survive, not because they enjoyed it, or it was any good.
Years later, after domesticated animals became as abundant as wild game, Texans started becoming more accustomed to the milder tastes. Hunters learned how important it was to field dress game properly when the food would be brought to the table. And cooks began to look for ways to temper the "gamey" flavors, cooking game using different methods. More recently, ranchers and farmers have learned about raising and harvesting game to fit the tastes of today's wild game palate. Because of these improvements, game is undergoing a large surge in popularity across the United States. Texas cooks, after generations of experience preparing and cooking game, are leading the way in this popularity. The modern preparations of wild game today are balancing the hint of the old Texas wildness with a eye toward maximizing flavors. Today's wild game chefs have transformed old necessities into tamed and tasty modern meals.
Cooking Wild Game - Venison
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