Black Pepper Encrusted Mustard Fried Venison

In for Mrs. Tom - Chef Peter Ryan
 

When we first moved to South Carolina in 1990 our family was invited to a traditional Plantation hunters feast and yes many southerners still own plantations, groups of them have turned many into hunt clubs of sorts. They talked about guns, family, food and college football most of them don't even pay attention to the NFL. It was here where we first discovered a southern dish that has become a Christmas  tradition for as many years at our house.

I grew up in a house with all women we flat out just ordered our food, nobody thought about shooting it. However we are in the South now and they shoot everything. Hunting wild game is akin to Church on Sunday and college football. I know we do both in the North but trust me there just are some things here that are indelibly etched into each and every generation unlike any place I have ever been.

I have always been a big sports fan and when I moved here I thought it was great to have two football teams that were on the national scene year after year, the Clemson Tigers and the Carolina Gamecocks, The "Cocks" as they are referred too around the State. I remember being torn about who to embrace. Coming from Vermont of course it was Notre Dame and Penn State but without any real blood in the games.

So I though thought it would be acceptable to embrace both teams at the same time. As I embraced the other favorite past time of my new home Golf I was called to the carpet on one beautiful day at the Reserve Golf Club a private club I belonged to. A place that at one time while on the drawing board, considered offering memberships to only locals in other words "none of us Yankee's" bless our hearts!.

I was getting ready to t-off the first hole and we were in a club tournament and I was playing with some members I didn't really know. As if my game wasn't challenge enough without getting called to the carpet on my first swing. It seems there was a distraction in my bag. A Clemson head cover and a Cocks head cover protruding proudly from my bag. What the hell is that? The ribbing started where the devil are you from?

Suffice to say by the end of the round I was ready to commit to one or the other of the teams as resting on the fence was just not acceptable in South Carolina it was important to choose a team and more important to harbor distain for the remaining University. It was the year that Lou Holtz came to South Carolina and the Cocks. So with my Norte Dame affiliation I sided with the stumbling Cocks. Today 23 years later, I live eat and sleep SEC and Gamecock football.

And oh yah the Christmas dish here ya-go y'all!

Black Pepper Encrusted Mustard Fried Venison

I suppose you need a good hunter in the family or a good beggar like we do every season. Actually no real southerner it caught without a freezer full of Venison most all year and in true Southern Hospitality they are willing to share especially if you promise to invite them over when you cook it.

It sure helps to get the most tender parts but if not pound it as you would veal, not too much just enough tom break it down. HOW MUCH YOU ASK? It's never enough. I eat two portions while I'm frying it too make sure I don't get left out, my boys eat it until it comes out their ears. The pieces should be about 1 and a half oz or 2 oz at the most pounded lightly.

Ingredients

·       Oil for frying in a iron skillet if you have one.

·       as much Venison as you can get your hands on covered in course black pepper (really covered well)
·       A whole container of French's yellow mustard.
·       Cover the venison with the pepper and gobs and gobs of mustard make sure it is totally covered with the mustard and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight or at least 4-5 hours.
·       All purpose flour

Heat about a 1/2 inch of oil in the skillet and dredge the venison in the flour still coated in the mustard. Fry about 2-3 minutes on each side place on a paper towel to absorb some of the oil.

Serve with:
Your favorite warm red cabbage and warm homemade applesauce Just writing this is killing me, I'm ready to start begging.

Happy New Year from Proctor Gas "the propane people" remember we have roots in the Rutland Area not just branches