Planning a Memorial Day cookout and want to impress your guests? Add a fresh and flavorful recipe to your menu, like this Green Bean Stuffed Wild Boar. (Photo courtesy of Tiffany Haugen)
May 22, 2014
By Tiffany Haugen
In many ways, our Memorial Day celebrations capture the heart of all things Americana. There's meat on the grill, family and friends in the backyard, suds in the cooler and well-deserved tributes to the men and women who've died protecting our nation.
To help you get your weekend celebrations off to a rocking start, we've compiled a few great, mouthwatering grilling recipes you and your family will love. So crack open a cold one, invite the whole crew over, and fire up the grill.
Advertisement
Wild Turkey, Bacon and Pineapple Skewers Recipe Bacon intertwined with pineapple and wild turkey makes each bite both sweet and savory. (Photo courtesy of Tiffany Haugen) Appetizers are a great way to introduce people to the amazing flavors of wild game. Try this recipe with wild turkey, pheasant, quail, or grouse.
Ingredients:
1 pound wild turkey breast 6 slices bacon 18 pineapple chunks 18 fresh basil leaves 1 tablespoon bacon grease 3 tablespoons BBQ, Teriyaki Sauce, or flavored mustard 6 wooden skewers (soak 10 minutes in water before using) Get the recipe: Wild Turkey, Bacon and Pineapple Skewers Recipe
Advertisement
Wild Game Marinade Recipe for Grilling From deer and elk to bear and boar, this sweet and tangy marinade recipe will tame any wild game. (Photo courtesy of Tiffany Haugen) This is a great marinade recipe for deer, elk, bear and wild boar. You can even use it on upland birds and waterfowl. Just keep in mind cook time when grilling and don't let your game overcook and dry out.
Ingredients:
1-2 pounds venison steaks ¼ cup real maple syrup ¼ soy sauce ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce ¼ cup cider vinegar ¼ cup brown sugar ¼ cup olive oil 3-6 cloves garlic, crushed 3 rosemary sprigs (2-inch) Get the recipe: Wild Game Marinade Recipe
Green Bean Stuffed Wild Boar Recipe When the pigs are running and fresh green beans are overflowing in the garden, take the time to put this fresh, flavorful combination on the table. It will be worth your efforts. (Photo courtesy of Tiffany Haugen) In this recipe, wild boar backstrap is given the full treatment! After a 1- to 12-hour soak in a citrus marinade, the pork is stuffed with a delightful mixture of sautéd green beans, garlic, mushrooms, and dried cherries; then it's wrapped in kitchen twine, grilled, and glazed with spicy mustard and honey.
Ingredients:
1 ½ pound wild boar backstrap Marinade:
2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon chopped parsley 1 teaspoon lemon zest Green Bean Stuffing:
1 teaspoon olive oil ¼ cup thinly sliced onion 2 cloves slivered garlic ¼ cup sliced mushrooms ¼ cup fresh green beans, French sliced ⅓ cup dried cherries 1 tablespoon spicy mustard Salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste Glaze:
1 tablespoon spicy mustard 1 tablespoon honey Get the recipe: Green Bean Stuffed Wild Boar Recipe
Tips for Grilling Wild Game (Photo courtesy of Tiffany Haugen) For years, I kept my game off the grill. Trying to cook an elk steak the way I grew up grilling a beef t-bone just never worked for me. While writing "Cooking Big Game" I knew I needed to get some foolproof grilling recipes going to add to the book.
After a little experimentation, my fear of grilling game directly on the grates disappeared. There are really just a few guidelines to follow when grilling lean game meats such as elk, deer, antelope, and turkey.
Get the tips: Tips for Grilling Wild Game
Tips for Plank Cooking Wild Game on the Grill (Photo courtesy of Tiffany Haugen) While Cedar Planked Salmon is popular throughout the nation, not as many folks have put wild game on a plank. Once I started plank cooking, the grill started staying out year-round and everything went on it.
Because planks help keep the moisture in fish and game meat, they take care of the problem of lean meat drying out and either tasting like shoe leather or falling through the grill. Planks also keep the grill clean and make a great serving platter/cutting board. If you haven't tried this easy method on the grill, get a fillet of fish, venison backstrap, or pork loin out of the freezer and give it a go.
Planks can be purchased "ready-to-use" or untreated wood can be bought at a lumber yard and planks can be cut to the desired size. Any non-resinous wood can be plank cooked upon; cedar, alder, oak, maple, cherry, apple, pecan, and hickory are some of the more common wood types.
Get the tips: Tips for Plank Cooking Wild Game on the Grill