Petersen's Hunting Holiday Recipe Guide - Petersen's Hunting (2024)

By Petersen's Hunting Online Staff

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So … you’ve decided to host this year’s Christmas feast and now you need a tasty main entrée to serve. Sure, you could do the same old honey-baked ham you do every year, but why not try something different? We’ve scoured our wild game dishes to bring you the holiday recipe collection you never knew you needed. Take your cooking game to the next level and “wow” your guests this season with one of these delicious meaty recipes.

Seared Rabbit With Creole Mustard Cream Sauce Recipe

The creamy mustard sauce in this recipe pairs nicely with the earthy, meaty flavor of the rabbit.

Ingredients:

• 1 large rabbit
• ½ cup flour
• Kosher Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 diced shallots
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons Creole whole grain mustard
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

Get the Recipe: Seared Rabbit With Creole Mustard Cream Sauce Recipe

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How to Make the Perfect Christmas Goose

A whitefront or specklebelly goose easily feeds four people and has the perfectly sweet flavor for a Christmas dinner.

Ingredients:

• 1 to 1½ pounds goose or duck breast
• Salt (smoked salt if you have it)
• ⅓ cup unsalted butter
• Black pepper to taste
• 1 heaping cup of cranberries
• ½ cup fresh rosemary, (loosely packed) little bunches on stem
• 1 tablespoon honey or brown sugar
• Pickled mustard seeds (optional)

Get the Recipe: How to Make the Perfect Christmas Goose

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Elk Venison Hungarian Goulash Recipe

For how easy this recipe is to make, you'll be amazed by how flavorful this elk venison Hungarian goulash tastes.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds elk (or venison) roast
• 2 large onions, sliced
• 2 tablespoons oil, separated
• 2 teaspoons Hungarian sweet paprika
• 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
• Kosher salt, to taste
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups water or beef broth
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon dried marjoram
• Chopped parsley
• Cooked pasta, egg noodles or mashed potatoes

Get the Recipe: Elk Venison Hungarian Goulash Recipe

Canada Goose and Apple, Blue Cheese Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe

Don't pay for an overpriced salad at a restaurant – try this wild game salad recipe in the comforts of your own home.

Ingredients:

• 2 large or 4 small Canada goose breasts
• Kosher salt
• Freshly cracked pepper
• 1 large package prewashed spring salad mix
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 crisp apples, cored and cubed
• Red onion, thinly sliced
• Crumbled blue cheese
• White sugar, optional

Balsamic Vinaigrette Ingredients:

• ¼ cup (good quality) balsamic vinegar
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon coarse ground mustard
• 1 heaping tablespoon of fruit preserves according to your preference
• ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons of brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Get the Recipe: Canada Goose and Apple, Blue Cheese Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe

German Rabbit Stew (Hasenpfeffer) Recipe

Follow this recipe for a traditional Hasenpfeffer dish, otherwise known as German Rabbit Stew, for an unbelievable slow-cooked meal.

Ingredients:

• 2 cottontails or 1 jackrabbit or 1 domestic rabbit
• 2 tablespoons oil, separated
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 bay leaf

Marinade:

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 cloves, whole
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 large shallots, thinly sliced
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon juniper berries, crushed
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt

Get the Recipe: German Rabbit Stew (Hasenpfeffer) Recipe

Marinated Wild Hog Loin Chops With Blueberry Apple Compote Recipe

Lean wild hog loin chops will benefit from several hours in a flavorful marinade, but be careful not to overcook them or they will be dry and chewy.

Marinade Ingredients:

• 2 cups apple juice
• 1 tablespoon ginger root, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ cup red onion, minced
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

Blueberry Apple Compote Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 cups frozen blueberries
• 1 large apple, any variety, peeled, cored and cut into matchsticks
• ½ cup onion, minced
• 3 tablespoons water
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Get the Recipe: Marinated Wild Hog Loin Chops With Blueberry Apple Compote Recipe

Venison Pot Pie Recipe

Cut a large slice of this Venison Pot Pie Recipe, or make them in individual soufflé dishes for a tasty wild-game take on the traditional chicken pot pie.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds venison stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 3 tablespoons salted butter
• 2 teaspoons basil paste
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon white pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¼ cup flour
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 cup diced carrots
• ½ cup diced celery
• ½ cup green peas
• 1 cup diced, canned new potatoes
• 1 tablespoon garlic paste
• 1 cup red wine
• 2 tablespoons beef base paste mixed in 1 cup water
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 cup green onions
• Prepared pastry dough

Get the Recipe: Venison Pot Pie Recipe

Venison Roast With Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Hank Shaw enjoys hunting, fishing and foraging near Sacramento, California, then creating delicious recipes from his day's work, like this Venison Roast With Cranberry Sauce Recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 to 5 pounds venison roast
• Vegetable oil to coat
• Salt and black pepper
• 2 cups cranberries
• ⅓ cup maple syrup
• Zest of an orange, sliced into strips with pith removed
• ¼ teaspoon cloves
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 pounds potatoes, peeled and chopped
• Salt
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup butter
• 1 teaspoon white pepper

Get the Recipe: Venison Roast With Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Rosemary and Orange Roasted Quail Recipe

Citrusy from orange and lemon, aromatic from fresh herbs, and savory from cumin and onion, this roasted quail recipe is delicious.

Ingredients:

• 6 whole quail, skin on
• 2-3 fresh sprigs of rosemary
• Small bunch of fresh thyme
• 5 cloves of garlic, crushed or minced
• Grated zest of 2 medium oranges
• Juice of 2 medium sweet oranges
• ¼ cup of olive oil, plus extra
• Juice of half a lemon
• ¼ cup of chardonnay
• ¼ teaspoon of cumin
• ¼ cup of white onion, minced
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• Paprika, to taste

Get the Recipe: Rosemary and Orange Roasted Quail Recipe

Wild Goose Stew Recipe

Share this Wild Goose Stew Recipe with friends and family during the holiday season.

Wild Goose Stew Ingredients:

• 3 ½ to 4 pounds goose breasts
• 5 tablespoons oil
• 1 cup lardons (bacon sliced ¼ inch thick by 1 inch long)
• ¼ cup chopped onions
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 to 3 cups marinade
• Salt and freshly-ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon cognac
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tablespoons finely-chopped fresh thyme
• 3 bay leaves

Marinade Ingredients:

• 3 cups full-bodied red wine
• 1 cup sliced onions
• 1 cup coarsely sliced carrots
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
• 2 cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• Pinch of thyme

Get the Recipe: Wild Goose Stew Recipe