Venison Ragu

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs venison back strap, sliced 1/4” thick

1 medium sweet onion chopped

1 red bell pepper sliced

1 Tbsp minced garlic

16 oz baby bella mushrooms sliced

Fresh basil

3/4 cup red wine (only use wine that you’re willing to drink)

3/4 cup oil (I used coconut oil as I like the clean taste it produces)

1/2 cup flour

2 Tbsp butter

48 oz. Marinara sauce

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp fresh ground pepper

1/2 tsp salt

Shaved parmesan cheese for topping

Rigatoni Pasta

Instructions:

Mix the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper in a bowl. Then using a meat mallet thin out the venison by hitting each side a few times. Heat up the oil in a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the oil heats up then lightly dredge the meat in the flour and fry on each side about 2-3 minutes. Do not over crowd the pot as it will take the temp of the oil down to low. Once the meat is done cooking set on a cooling rack and set aside.

Discard any leftover oil in the pot but don’t pour out those little tidbits from when frying the venison. Add in the butter and 1/4 of the wine to deglaze the pot over medium heat. Then add in the onion, sauté until they start to sweat, then add the bell peppers. Once the onions become translucent add in the garlic and cook for 3 minutes.

Add in the mushrooms, three sliced basil leaves and all of the sauce. I had two jars of sauce and using a 1/4 cup of wine in each jar, close the lid, shake to get all of the rest of the sauce out and pour into the pot. Bring everything to a simmer and add the meat back into to pot. Stir, cover, and simmer for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom. I like to cook the venison until it’s for tender, not falling apart but to where it takes little effort to cut the meat. I like to be able to use tongs to grab the meat and it not fall apart.

Cook pasta per the instructions, put the pasta on a plate, add some of the shaved parmesan on top of the pasta, top with a few pieces of the venison, add sauce to the top of it, top with more parmesan if you want, and garnish with more sliced basil. Pour a glass of the leftover wine and enjoy.

Chile Verde Pork Stew

Ingredients: 

 2 lbs tomatillos, paper skin removed and sliced in half
1 large sweet onion, diced
8 cloves peeled garlic
3 jalapenos sliced in half, seeded and ribs removed
2 poblano peppers
4 lbs of boston butt, cut into 2" cubes
1 cup fresh chopped cilantro

Instructions: 

1. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Place the tomatillos, onion, and garlic on a baking sheet. Roast until softened and golden-brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. When done put vegetables in a food processor and set aside.

2. Turn the broiler to high, place the jalapenos and poblanos on a baking sheet. Broil until charred and blistered, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the peppers to a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let the peppers sit for about 10 minutes until cool enough to handle. Then rover the skin from the jalapenos, the seeds, stem and seeds from the poblano peppers. Then add the peppers and cilantro to the food processor, then blend the sauce until smooth.

3. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Season the pork with salt and pepper to your liking and brown each side of the meat in small batches. Only 2 to 3 minutes per side and then put the meat in a croc pot.

4. Once the meat is all done then pour the sauce over the meat and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours/high 4 to 5 hours.

5. Serve with corn tortillas, cheese, cilantro, sliced onion and sliced avocado. Or replace the corn tortillas with cooked rice.

Mexico Chiquito Punch

A buddy of mine sent me this recipe and it's a great punch for any party as it makes over a gallon per recipe. You can make it for all ages or add some rum to make it feel you're down on the beach somewhere. It is a very sugary drink, so have some club soda on hand to dilute it a little bit. However, I'd suggest tasting it first to see how much you would want to add.

Ingredients:

1 can (46 ounce) pineapple juice
1 liter grenadine syrup
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
5 quarts of fresh made tea

After brewing the tea add in the sugar so that it will properly dissolve. Once the sugar dissolves in the tea then add the rest of the ingredients in a container that holds at least 2 gallons. Serve over ice and enjoy feeling like you're on the beach somewhere.