Crock-pot venison roast

Jerry Dilsaver
COOKING ON THE WILD SIDE
Crock-pot venison roast
Starts dry, cooks dry,winds up moist, tender
T
Dry-rubbed, wrapped
in foil, cooled in the
refrigerator and cooked
in a crock pot, this roast
defies belief.
his has been an unusual year for weather, but
normal patterns seem to have settled in since
fall arrived. Weekly cold fronts in September led to
some chilly mornings with cool afternoons during
October, but at least the monsoon rains backed off
to a much more normal frequency. All this translates
into comfortable weather for hunting.
I’ve been spending time a lot of time on the water,
but when the air started to cool, I decided it was
time to spend a few afternoons in a deer stand. I
really enjoy eating venison, but I don’t care much for
being hot and sweaty or being gnawed on by gnats,
mosquitoes and flies. When the weather began
to cool, I decided it was time to try to add some
venison to the freezer before all the deer had been
spooked by other hunters and gotten super wary.
Even though temperatures have dropped to a
more comfortable level, it’s still important to
recover downed game as quickly as possible and
get it dressed and cooled properly. This will go a
long way toward eliminating the strong gamey
taste many people associate
with venison, and that should
be of the utmost concern.
This month’s offering is a
venison roast recipe that
would have been prefect for
Ronco, if only they had a
crock pot. It is a “set it and
forget it,” recipe that requires
minimal preparation but provides maximum taste.
This recipe works well with a fresh venison roast
that has been aged for between a few days to a week,
but it really shines and brings out the best with a
roast that has been in the freezer for a while. I have
prepared it for folks and was almost embarrassed to
answer when they asked how recently I had killed
the deer. The combination of these spices and slowcooking in a crock pot can make even a big buck or
an old doe surprisingly tender.
As you are filling your freezer — or if you have a
roast left over from last year — give this a try. I’m
into easy recipes, and this is about as easy as it gets.
The difficult part, which is also the most fun, is getting out to tag the main ingredient. November in
the Carolinas is neither too hot nor cold, and that
makes it an excellent month to spend in the woods
or on the water. The big plus is the healthy and tasty
meals made from the fish you catch and the game
you harvest. ■
More
COOKING
>>>
Jerry Dilsaver is a freelance writer and
columnist for North Carolina Sportsman and
South Carolina Sportsman magazines who lives
in Oak Island, N.C., as well as a former national
king mackerel champion fisherman. Readers are
encouraged to send their favorite recipes and a
photo of the completed dish to possibly be used in
a future issue of the magazine. E-mail the recipes
and photos to [email protected].
90
North Carolina Sportsman | November 2013
Jerry Dilsaver
Jerry Dilsaver
COOKING ON THE WILD SIDE
Before anyone asks, I don’t know anyone at 8th Wonder
Foods; however, I sure like their 8th Wonder Spice Blend.
I think it is the only product this Wilmington, N.C., company makes. 8th Wonder Spice Blend is a unique blend
of 17 ingredients, two of which are cocoa and coffee. It is
available in some cooking specialty stores and on-line at
www.8thwonderspice.com.
I don’t remember where I first saw this unique combination of spices, but I remember we were about
to walk by when the person showing it
began talking about it and mentioned it
contained cocoa and coffee. That got
my attention enough to be drawn
into a discussion, tasting a sample
and taking a small package home.
After some experimentation, I
have decided 8th Wonder Spice
Blend works pretty well on several things, but where it really
shines is with venison roasts.
While it isn’t salt free by any
means, there is less salt than
many rubs and spices. I think
allowing something to set
too long with heavy salt tends
to cure it and make it a little
tough or chewy, but that isn’t
the case here. Something in it
seems to tenderize meat, especially meat lower in fat content like
venison. I don’t claim to understand it,
I just believe it works.
This roast is prepped and allowed to sit overnight in the refrigerator with the rub applied. This is
the most difficult part. The next morning it is simply placed
in a dry crock pot and turned on. I like to check the roast at
about four to five hours and be sure it has made some liquid in
the bottom of the crock pot, but I have cooked it several times
without checking and didn’t have any issues.
My concern is that venison is very lean and some leaner than
others. About halfway through the cooking, I believe having
some steam from the liquid in the pot helps cook it evenly and
without toughening. If the crock pot is dry at four or five hours,
I add a half-cup to a cup of water, depending on the size of the
roast. I use one of the larger oval crock pots, not a round one,
so less water would be appropriate in a smaller crock.
The roast will be extremely tender, and there is rarely any left
over. When there are leftovers, they warm well in a microwave
without drying out. I think this is also because of something in
the spice blend, but don’t know exactly what.
I like simple recipes, and this is about as simple as it gets. I
also like crock-pot cooking so I can move about and not be tied
to the stove. This recipe turns out better than it should, and I
believe the special ingredient is the 8th Wonder Spice Blend.
It is slowly being added to the spice section of more stores, but
can always be found on-line. If you try it once, I’m sure you will
enjoy it and try it again.
92
North Carolina Sportsman | November 2013
8th Wonder
Venison Roast
Jerry Dilsaver
Jerry Dilsaver
PREPARATION:
INGREDIENTS:
1 venison roast
Place roast on large piece
8th Wonder Spice Blend
of aluminum foil and
½ to 1 cup of water
liberally sprinkle with 8th
Wonder Spice Blend on all
sides, then rub it in. Seal the roast as tightly as possible
in aluminum foil. Allow to season overnight on lower
shelf of refrigerator. Put roast in a dry crock pot while still
wrapped in aluminum foil. Turn crock pot to high for a
maximum of an hour, then switch to low. After four to
five hours, check to see if there is liquid in the bottom
of the crock pot, and if not, add ½ to 1 cup of water.
Cook for a total of eight to 10 hours, depending on size
of roast. Remove roast to platter, slice only as used and
serve warm. This will be an incredibly tender, moist and
flavorful venison roast. It goes well with a variety of
sides. I like something green, a baked potato or sweet
potato and warm, hearty bread.