Easy to Make Holiday Wild Game Side Dishes
Wild game meats work well with just about any recipes that are traditionally made with domestic meats.
Here are a couple of my favorites that are a hit with hunters and non-hunters alike. For some of the less adventurous, it might be best to wait to tell them that it’s wild game until after they’ve told you how great they taste.
Game Sausage Dressing
Most of us who hunt antlered game have game sausage on hand. If not, mixing ground game with sausage seasonings will work just fine in this dressing recipe.
8 to 10 servings
2 cups game sausage, casings removed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely diced
1 1/2 cups celery, finely diced
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely diced
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, minced
pinch ground sage
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups cornbread croutons
2 1/2 to 3 cups chicken broth
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and brown evenly while stirring to break into small pieces. Add onion, celery, jalapeno pepper, rosemary, sage, Kosher salt and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes.
2. Transfer contents of skillet to a large bowl. Add croutons and chicken broth and mix well. Let rest until chicken broth is absorbed.
3. Place stuffing mixture in a greased oven-safe skillet or baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until the top is lightly browned.
Green Beans with Boar Bacon
A fitting substitute for the standard holiday side dish that all-too-often includes canned green beans and over-salted canned mushroom soup concentrate. If you’re out of boar bacon, try crisping up any finely diced smoked game meat in hot oil.
8 to 10 servings
2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed
1 1/2 cups boar bacon
1 large onion, thinly sliced into rings
1 cup flour, seasoned with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
dash hot sauce
1 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1. Bring 2 quarts water to a boil. Add green beans and blanch for 2 minutes. Drain beans and immediately plunge into ice-cold water. Dry thoroughly with paper towels and reserve.
2. Heat 3 cups peanut/vegetable oil to 350 degrees in a heavy-duty pot or deep skillet. Dredge sliced onions in seasoned flour. Add to hot oil, a few at a time, until lightly browned and crispy.
3. In a large skillet, brown bacon. Add mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes. Add Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce.
4. Add reserved green beans. Cook for 3 minutes to warm. Add lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in almonds. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with lemon zest and fried onions.
For more information, make sure you check out Winchester’s social media channels for hunting and shooting tips and updates on Winchester supported events and promotions on Facebook, You Tube, Instagram and Twitter.
