If you want to try something new this hunting season with the deer your husband killed and dragged home, you may want to consider Mexican! Deer can easily be a great substitution for the meat called for in Mexican recipes.
Here is an easy crock-pot favorite using the venison in your freezer for southwestern carne guisada, great for breakfast tacos, or any meal with Spanish rice and beans.
Carne Guisada is as old as beef stew but with a Mexican twist. The spices and lack of vegetables other than tomatoes makes this dish an old time favorite with old Texas cowboys. It can be poured over rice or mashed potatoes, or served as a breakfast taco when on the run.
For carne guisada , use the roast part of the deer. That which hasn’t been sent to the butcher for curing or turning into sausage. Cut it up in beef stew chunks and soak in milk for one hour to prepare. You will need:
1 and ½ pound of deer meat (venison)
½ cup chopped onions
¼ cup diced green pepper
1 clove of garlic chopped
2 tbs olive oil
1 tbs flour
½ cup of water
2 or 3 cans of whole tomatoes, or stewed tomatoes. Or for extra kick “Rotel with green chili tomatoes”
½ tsp, salt
½ tsp pepper
½ tsp cumin.
Sautee the onions, garlic and bell pepper, then put in the crock pot first. Next mix the deer meat chucks with the flower, salt and paper and brown in the olive oil. Then place it in the crock pot.
Take the water, canned tomatoes, and cumin and pour over the meat. Set your crock on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours.
Serve up with fresh hot tortillas, lettuce and tomato salad and Spanish rice and beans. This is great comfort food this side of the border!
Another great comfort food for this deer season is Enchilada Pie. This is an easier recipe than traditional enchiladas. You’ll need:
2 pounds of ground deer
1 lg. chopped onion
1 can cream of mushroom soup,
1 can cream of chicken soup.
1 can of green chilies
1 can enchilada sauce
¾ cup of milk
1 package of soft tortillas (12)
¼ lb of grated Cheddar
½ lb of grated Monterey Jack cheese
1 pt. sour cream (or plain yogurt).
Mix the soups, meat, onion, and chilies together. Line the backing dish or deep pan with six tortillas and top with half of the meat mixture and half of the cheeses, pour part of the enchilada sauce. Repeat the layers. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Cool for five minutes, cut into squares to serve. Top each with sour cream or yogurt.
Enchiladas is a traditional Mayan dish used with beans, corn and chilies. They can be made with beans only, beans and beef, chicken, cheese or just about anything. As with most Mexican dishes, there are distinct regional variations of enchiladas. There are also related dishes that are not technically enchiladas because they’re not dipped in chile sauce, but they use the same technique of frying, dipping in sauce and rolling.
These are just two of many dishes you can prepare with venison. The good thing about venison is that it’s flexible. It can be used in countless dishes you cook every day. It can also be good as plain ordinary deer steaks with fried taters and green beans.
