Wild Game Cooking: Marinated Elk Steaks

For the past few years, Nichole and I created quite the garden and incorporated its bounty into our meals. For this supper, we prepared marinated elk steaks, bacon-wrapped homegrown jalapeños, and sautéed homegrown yellow squash and zucchini.

For the elk steaks, I used my ol' standby: Trent's Secret Wild Game Marinade, and then cooked them on the grill to medium rare. We stuffed the jalapeños with a cream cheese/cheddar cheese mixture, wrapped them in bacon, and then grilled them alongside the steaks. For the squash, we just sautéed the slices in some butter with a few requisite spices like garlic, basil, and oregano.

It was a simple meal to prepare, satisfying to know it was mostly either shot or grown by us, and delicious to boot!

Wild Game Cooking: Javelina & Antelope Kabobs

Most people dislike javelina and don’t care much for antelope, but this easy recipe makes both of them taste great! I used a marinade that is my ‘ol stand-by for wild game, and then skewered the meat with red peppers, mushrooms, and onions, topped it with a pesto cream sauce, and served it with lemon pasta. My mom and step-dad were in town; neither had any idea what to expect and both were pleasantly surprised. Try it - I bet you'll like it too!

Trent’s Secret Wild Game Marinade
1-2 pounds Wild Game Meat (cubed or steaks)
1 cup Teriyaki Sauce
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 cup Olive Oil
2 tablespoons Honey
2 teaspoons Garlic Salt
1 teaspoon Onion Powder
1 teaspoon Oregano
1 teaspoon Basil
Salt & Pepper to taste

Variations:
2 tablespoons Sesame Oil
1 tablespoon Asian Red Chili Sauce

Mix all ingredients and pour into a plastic container. Add wild game meat and poke repeatedly on both sides with a fork to tenderize and allow penetration of marinade. Cover and place in refrigerator for 6-8 hours or overnight.

HINT: When cooking wild game, always cook it to one temperature lower than you cook beef (example: if you enjoy beef medium, cook wild game to medium rare). Basically, cook wild game to the lowest temperature you can possibly stand. It will retain more moisture, feel more tender, and taste less "gamey."


Javelina Kabobs on the left, Antelope Kabobs on the right. Be sure to cook wild game as rare as you can stand it!


The kabobs topped with pesto cream sauce, served next to lemon pasta, and paired with a nice cabernet sauvignon.