Category Archives: Hunting For The Pot, Fishing For The Pan

Getting It Done! Hunters Were “Paleo” and “Field To Table” Long Before it Had a Catchy Name

Complete Fish and game Cookery of North America by Frances Macilquham

Complete Fish and Game Cookery of North America: A Compendium of Lore, History, and Cooking Methods Ancient and Modern, Encompassing All Varieties of Birds, Beasts, and Fishes as Well as every Regional Cuisine, from the Arctic to the Tropics. By Frances Macilquham.

Backcountry Considerations, Foraging and Wild Foods

Forget Your Aspirin? – No Problem, There’s Always Willow

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Hunting, fishing, and other kinds of outdoor fun may have little in common with a bottle of aspirin, but not from my somewhat jaded point of view. A rugged outdoor lifestyle can leave some marks, and at this point in my sporting life I can barely imagine one without the other. It is a small price to pay for a lifetime of wild rewards.

Perhaps I have more nagging and bothersome pains than most, but then again, perhaps not. I just know that I have some issues and several points of contention with my otherwise healthy body, like a little toe that likes to remind me at every step that it is not so happy on a steep uphill grade. Or a neck and lower back that tend to tighten, burn, and throb after a short hike with any kind of weight in my pack.

We all have them, those little nicks and troubles. We nurse them along and suffer through the pain and inconvenience of it all. Making the best of it is the outdoor way, but what  do you do when diet and exercise or body treatments haven’t helped?

Call me trite or unimaginative, but I choose painkillers. Nothing too strong of course, just a couple of  small white pills…the breakfast of champions… a little marine candy…, and more coffee, always coffee, if I can get it.

The problem is I tend to forget it more often than not, a sure sign that many of my springs’ have already sprung which is one of the reasons that I needed the aspirin in the first place.  I usually realize that I forgot it when I am far enough from the truck for my body to finally remind me that I can’t be without it, while at the same time being too far from it to endure the pain to go back and get it. Or something like that.

This can lead to a long, uncomfortable day in the field, wincing at every step while promising my burning brain to never ever ever forget such a small but crucial little item again…until next time that is.

Some things in life are simply not fair, and rarely do they change.

So, if you are like me, take heart. The remedy may be right under your nose, where is exactly where you will want to put it…and it’s called “Willow”.

 

Nature's Pain Killer
Nature’s Pain Killer
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Smething to Chew On
Hunting For The Pot, Fishing For The Pan

Maple-Vinegar Marinated Pronghorn

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An Pronghorn Antelope Doe Steals a Drink at a High Desert Waterhole in Northwestern Colorado, during a mid-august bowhunt.
Closer Than Close – But No Horns
Pronghorn Reflections. Photo by Michael Patrick McCarty

 

Maple syrup was used as a traditional sweetener by many of the Northeastern Native American tribes, though there were never any antelope in that part of the country. Luckily, I live in the part of the world where they be, and every once and awhile I have an opportunity to test my burgeoning cookery skills.

This recipe features the boneless loin of Pronghorn, and the simple ingredients seem to blend perfectly with this wonderful and unique meat. It is one of my new favorite (of many), new game recipes.

  • 6-8 loin cutlets, thickly sliced
  • 1/2 to 1 cup each of maple syrup and apple cider vinegar (equal parts)
  • 6 juniper berries, crushed
  • several slices apple smoked bacon (enough to cover bottom of pan)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon butter

In a medium-sized bowl combine syrup, vinegar, and crushed berries. Mix well, add loin, cover, and refrigerate overnight (about 10 hours). Fry bacon in iron skillet until the grease is well rendered and set bacon aside. Remove from marinade, roll loin in unbleached flour, and then fry in bacon grease and butter until approaching medium rare. Serve with crumbled bacon on top.

This is a fabulous dinner entre or lunch, served with a salad or your favorite sides. It’s a special treat for breakfast too. I had mine with eggs over medium and a hunk of corn bread. I’m still thinking about it!

Happy Trails!

– Adapted from a recipe found in “Spirit of The Harvest: North American Indian Cooking” by Beverly Cox and Martin Jacobs.

* Vinegar is a natural meat tenderizer, so it is important not to marinade too long for younger animals. It is, however, a great trick for breaking down the meat of the older and tougher animals.

** I have not yet tried this with elk or deer or other game, but I suspect it would also work well in other instances. I can’t wait to give it a try.

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Food Freedom – and Wild Game Too!

Michael Patrick McCarty

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