If you've read just about any of my other columns, you know venison is a staple on my dinner table. I grew up hunting squirrels and deer with my dad on the family farm in Pomona, and I now hunt with Matt, and we eat a lot of deer meat.
I cook venison in so many ways, making chili, tacos, stews and roasts, and so much more, and although I love beef, I rarely buy any at the grocery store. I prefer to grab the meat from my freezer at home, harvested, processed and packaged ourselves. There is most definitely a difference in having your own meat. Not only is it so fresh and tender, there is a special feeling when I cook something that I know exactly where it came from and that it is pure and natural.
And, I haven't had a recipe yet that didn't taste amazing replacing beef with my venison.
Last night I prepared a family favorite: Mongolian beef.
It is so easy and delicious and a great way to have a hearty meat and pasta dish without grabbing the typical spaghetti sauce.
First, I brown about 1.5-pounds of ground venison, breaking it up into small pieces as it cooks. I add fresh or minced garlic and salt and pepper to taste.
Once completely browned, I add a 1/4-cup beef broth, 1/2-cup brown sugar and 1/2-cup soy sauce.
While the meat is browning, I start the water to boil for the pasta. Any noodle will work, but I prefer to use fettuccine noodles. Once cooked to preferred texture, I drain the pasta and add noodles to the meat sauce, carefully combining to make sure the pasta is completely coated with the sauce.
At my house, this is a two-bowl serving, rarely any leftovers meal and I hope you enjoy it, too.
