• NORTH CAROLINA WILD GAME COOKERY North Carolina Department of Agriculture James A. Graham, Commissioner POINTS TO REMEMBER IN COOKING WILD GAME (1) Wild game is generally free of fat, therefore. fat must be added or meat will dry out and become difficult to cook. (2) All cooking times must be approximate because each game animal will vary in age and type of food consumed. (3) General rule to follow is that game must be dressed im­ mediately. cooled down rapidly and kept cool to prevent spoilage from its habitat to the kitchen. North Carolina Department of Agriculture James A. Graham, Commissioner For many years, hunting of wild game has been a sport en­ joyed across our great State. The problems came with what to do with the game after it was caught and butchered. Recipes are available in two categories, the gourmet which is compli­ cated both in locating ingredients and procedure, and the generally vague instructions handed down from one hunter to another. The purpose of this publication is to assist the people of our great State in utilizing wild game and increasing con­ sumption of Tar Heel foods such as sweet potatoes, pickles and corn bread. , TABLE OF CONTENTS BEAR Bear Roast .. .. 4 CATFISH Catfish Gumbo . .. 5 Catfish Steaks 5 Southern Fried Catfish . .. •.....•... .... .. ...... .. .. 6 Catfish Jubilee . 6 DOVES Pan Braised Doves ...... .. ........ ...•... .. .... ... .......... 7 Dove Roast . 7 OPOSSUM Stuffed " Possum" ... ... .•..... ..... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .... 8 OYSTERS Roasted Oyste rs . .. 9 Oyster Stew ...... .. .. ............ ...... ... ... 9 QUAIL Sausage Stuffed Quail ......... .... .... .• . .......•.... ...... 10 Country Broiled Quail ...... .. .... .. .. .. ..... ...... 10 Bagged Quail .. ......... .. .... ... .. ... .. .. ........ 11 North Carolina Creamed Qu ail .....•.......... .. .. ... .. .... 11 PHEASANT Roast Pheasant ......... .. .. ..... ..... ........ ..... .. 12 Pheasant in Cream Sauce .. .. .. .. ....... .•.. .•.. ........ ..... 12 RABBIT Rabbit Supreme .. .. • ...•. .. ......... ..... .... ......... 13 Pan Fried Rabbit . ...... ......... ......................... 13 Rabbit Salad .... .......... .. .... ... .. .....•. .. .. 14 Rabbit in Fruit Sauce . .. ..... .. .......... ........ 14 RACCOON " Coon" with Yams . .. ... ....... ... .. ....•............... .. 15 SQUABS Roast Squab with Brown Rice . .. .. .. .. .... .. ..... .... ... 16 Pigeon Pie ...... .. ..... .......................... .. .. .. ... .... 16 SQUIRREL Fried Squirrel .......... ..... .. .. ............. .. ..... .. ....... 17 Squirrel Stew .. .... .... ... .. .. ... ..... .. ... .. .... ... ....... 17 VENISON Ground Venison ............... ........ ......................... 18 Venison Stew ......................•. .. .. .. • . ..... ........ 18 Oriental Venison Ribs .......... ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 19 Venison Meat Loaf . ... .. ... ... ... ... ... ... ........ .. 19 Venison Roast .............•.... ....................•.....•..... 20 Venison Stroganoff . .................... ... .......... .. ... ... 20 WILD BOAR European Wi Id Boar .... ................. .. .. ....... ......... 21 Wi Id Boar Ribs and Sauerkraut .. ..... .. ... .. .. .. .. ... .... 21 WILD DUCK Barbecued Wi Id Duck . .. ... .... ........... ... ...... .. ... ... 22 Roast Wild Duck .................. ............. ......... ...... 23 WILD GOOSE Stuffed Wild Goose ....... .. ..... ....... .... ................. 23 WILD TURKEY Outdoor Grilled Wild Turkey . ... ... ..... .... .. .. ... .. 24 WOODCHUCK Stewed Woodchuck .... .. ..... .. .. .... ... ...... .. .... ...... 25 MISCELLANEOUS Frog Legs ................... .... ... ... ........ ... .. ... ..... 26 White Stew of Terrapin . .. .. ......... ...... ....•.. ..... 26 Turtle Soup ....... ..... ... .. ... .... ... .. ... .. ... ... .. 27 Fried Eel ........................................ .... ... ..... 27 Jim Graham's Tar Heel Brunswick Stew ........... ..... .............. 28 MENU SUGGESTIONS . ................... .. .... ... ... .. .. .. .. 29 BEAR ROAST 1 3 to 4 pounds young bear roast V4 cup cooking oil YJ cup vinegar YJ cup water 2 tablespoons sugar 2 teaspoons dry mustard V4 teaspoon pepper 2 teaspoons salt 1 garlic clove 1 onion minced 2 bay leaves 1 tablespoon lemon juice Y2 teaspoon chili powder Y2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 112 cup catsup V4 cup soy sauce Place roast in a skillet and add cooking oil. Braise roast on all sides using high heat. Add remaining ingredients and simmer the ingredients for 30 minutes. Place roast in an open pan, add sauce and cook for 3 to 4 hours at 350 of. Baste often. Roast should be served well done. Yields: 6 to 8 servings. 4 CATFISH GUMBO 1 pound catfish cut into cubes V2 cup celery chopped Y2 cup onion chopped Y2 cup green pepper chopped V4 cup butter 2 beef bouillon cubes 2 cups water can tomatoes • 1 1 package frozen okra 2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper V4 teaspoon thyme 2 bay leaves 1 teaspoon parsley 2 cups cooked rice Saute celery, oni on, and green peppers, in butter until tender. Add bouillon cubes, water, tomatoes, okra and spices. Cook for approximately 30 minutes. Add catfish and rice and simmer 15 minutes or until fish is tender. Yields: 6 to 8 servings. CATFISH STEAKS 2 pounds catfish steaks 1 teaspoon salt V4 teaspoon white pepper 1 V2 cups cooked rice 1 V2 tablespoons grated onion V2 teaspoon curry powder V4 cup butter 1 lemon sliced Sprinkle steaks lightly with salt and pepper and place in a well greased oven cooking dish. Mix rice, onion, curry powder well and pour over steaks. Dot with butter and lemon. Bake at 350° F. for 25 to 30 minutes or until flaky tender. Yields: 4 to 6 servings. 5 SOUTHERN FRIED CATFISH 4 skinned catfish 8 bacon slices 1 teaspoon salt V4 teaspoon white pepper 1 cup cornmeal 1 tablespoon flour 1 teaspoon paprika 1/2 cup milk Fry bacon until crisp and remove from pan. Mix salt, white pepper, cornmeal, flour and paprika. Dip catfish in milk and dredge in cornmeal mixture. Pan fry fish in hot bacon fat for 4 to 5 minutes. Drain on paper towel. Garnish with bacon, lemon and tomato wedges. CATFISH JUBILEE 2 pounds catfish fillet 1 teaspoon salt V4 teaspoon white pepper 3/4 cup sliced green onions, and tops 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1/2 cup catsup 3 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons white wine (optional) 1 lemon sliced Cut fillets into serving pieces and place into a large oven baking dish. Season fish with salt and pepper. Combine remaining ingredients pour over catfish and top with lemon slices. Yields: 4 to 6 servi ngs. 6 PAN BRAISED DOVES 6 doves Y2 cup milk Y2 cup flour 1 teaspoon salt Y4 teaspoon pepper Y3 cup shortening 2!J cup water Have doves picked, drawn and split open. Dip birds in milk and dredge in flour, mixed with salt and pepper. Heat shortening to about 350° F., place birds in frypan and cook until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towel. Remove excess shortening. Add water and return birds to frypan. Simmer for 1 hour. Yields: 3 to 6 servings. DOVE ROAST 8 doves Y2 cup flour 2 teaspoon salt Y2 teaspoon pepper Y2 cup cooking oil • YJ cup green onion chopped 1 cup water Y2 cup sherry (optional) Split doves and dredge in flour, salt and pepper mixture. Heat cooking oil to 350 ° F. and braise doves lightly. Place doves and excess cooking oil in roast­ ing pan with cover and add chopped onion and water. Put in a 350 ° F. oven for 45 minutes or until tender. Baste often and add sherry during final minutes of cooking. Add parsley as a garnish. Yields: 4 to 6 servings. 7 STUFFED "POSSUM" 1 possum 1112 teaspoons salt Y2 teaspoon pepper Y2 cup chopped onion Y2 cup cracker crumbs Y2 cup bread crumbs (toasted) 1 teaspoon vinegar 1 hard cooked egg chopped 1 egg (raw) 1 quart water Remove skin from possum and clean thoroughly. Soak possum in Y4 cup soda and 2 quarts water for 1 hour. Remove. dry. and salt and pepper lightly. Make stuffing by combining onion. cracker crumbs. bread crumbs. vinegar. and chopped egg. Toss ingredients and add raw egg to serve as a binder. Stuff interior cavity of possum. place in roasting pan and add water. Cook uncovered at 350°F. for 2 V2 to 3 hours basting occasionally. Serve with North Carolina yams. Yields: 6 servings. 8 ROASTED OYSTERS 1 bushel of oysters 2 cups melted butter 3 lemons sliced 2 cups cocktail sauce Build an outdoor fire and let burn until coals are very hot, approximately 1 V2 hours. Place a grill or metal plate over the fire. After rinsing oysters well, place about V4 of the bushel of oysters on the heated metal plate. Cover oysters completely with wet burlap sacks. (The heat from the coals comes in contact with the wet burlap sacks and produces steam, thus cooking the oysters.) Cook oysters approximately 5 to 10 minutes. (The shells will start opening.) Remove oysters from fire and open shells. Repeat the procedure for the remaining oysters. Serve piping hot and with butter, lemon slices and cocktail sauce. Yields: 5 to 10 servings. OYSTER STEW 12 oysters 213 cup chopped celery 1 tablespoon chopped onion 3 tablespoons butter 1 103f4-ounce can cream of mushroom soup 1 cup milk 1 teaspoon salt Dash of pepper 2 teaspoons sherry (optional) Remove oysters from shell. Saute celery and onion In butter. Add oysters, mushroom soup, milk, salt and pepper. Cook over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes stirring occasionally. Add sherry and garnish with paprika and parsley sprigs. Yields: 3 to 4 servings. 9 SAUSAGE STUFFED QUAIL 4 quail 3/4 pound country sausage Y2 cup bread crumbs (toasted) 1 chicken bouillon cube 1 bay leaf 1 teaspoon salt Dash of pepper 1 cup