Recipe: Missouri Hot Roast Dip

SERVES: 4-6 | PREP TIME: 20 MIN | COOK TIME: 4 HOURS

I’m sure that you’ve heard someone in a deer hunting social media group mention Mississippi pot roast as a great way to cook venison, and they’re not wrong. That recipe leans on a Ranch dressing seasoning packet, stock, and some briney peppers to season a pot roast. My recipe: Missouri hot roast dip, is not too far off, but instead, breaks the ingredients down to their fresh parts that are also really easy to come by.

Ranch gets its flavors from garlic, onion, parsley and dill. While I’m not above tossing a seasoning packet into some cooking, it’s not really my go-to method.  Plus, I wanted extra fresh herbs, something you’ll never get in a packet. But if you’re hard-up for fresh herbs and garlic, get a packet. Who am I to tell you how to live your life?

Recipe: Quick Deer Chili

As for the meat, the reality of a neck roast is it has a ton of collagen, which takes time to break down. The upside is it keeps the meat from ever really drying out. This makes it ideal for a long, slow cook. The added stock, mixed with seasonings and briney peppers, naturally turns into something special. Depending on your heat tolerance, I’d highly suggest getting medium to hot pepperoncini and maybe adding in some pickled jalapeños as well.

I browned my salted chunks of roast, added stock, the ingredients and simply let it roast with a lid on until it was fall-apart tender. Once it was done, I pulled the meat and peppers out of the juices to reduce the liquid, and made up some garlic toast. Meat on toast, cheese melted on top, with some peppers and dunked into the cooking juices will make your day, or maybe your month, depending on how bad things have gotten for you recently.

Recipe: Moroccan Venison Hot Pockets

RECIPE INGREDIENTS

• 2-3 lb. of venison neck or shoulder roast
• 1 liter of stock/broth
• 1 jar medium/hot pepperoncini (no juices)
• Extra pickled jalapeños 
• 1 yellow onion, quartered with grain
• 1 garlic cut in half
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 1 bunch parsley chopped
• Salt
• Coarse black pepper
• 1/2lb melting cheese (I used the fanciest provolone I could find)
• Olive oil or soft butter for toast
• Italian bread with sesame seeds or other white bread

DETAILED COOKING STEPS

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Chop herbs and quarter a whole peeled onion.
3. Salt roast and sear in olive oil or lard in an enamel-coated Dutch oven or other covered braising dish.
4. Cover in stock, add in all other ingredients, and roast for 3-4 hours.
5. Pull out once fork tender.
6. Take meat out of stock and pull into small bite-sized chunks.
7. Reduce down stock on low until it’s ½ the volume you started with.
8. Brush slices of bread with butter or oil, sprinkle on some powdered garlic, and toast on a grill pan until browned.
9. Pile up meat, cover in cheese, and bake to melt cheese. 
10. Cut toasts into whatever size you prefer, pile on some peppers to add spice to the bites, and dunk into braising sauce.
11. Brag to all your friends about how good a cook you are or even better, share some with them.

Enjoy your meal! Hit me up on Instagram and let me know how this recipe turns out for you.

Recipe: Venison Steak and Eggs

MORE FIELD NOTES