life as a hunter's wife, part II

This meal was created for the following three reasons:
1. I can't stand to waste ingredients, I had portobellas and fromage blanc in my refrigerator
2. We had a cold front come through which in our part of the country means we had spring like weather. Our seasons are distinct, but they do not last long. We have freezing summers and blazing hot winters which are quite long; however, our days of spring and summer are VERY short. BUT very pleasant. So it was one of those spring like days, not an 80 "spring" day.
3. Due to my work schedule, I used a slow cooker :)

Because my husband is a hunter, I am to find ways to use the copious amounts of venison he brought home. (which I do not mind at all, it is fun) I looked in the freezer and looked through the various cuts of meat and came across a package labeled pot roast. I wondered what that "meant", I'd never seen beef labeled that way. You just know which cuts work well for braising or slow cooking. I thought I would try this cut since I wanted the beef I mean venison to be flavorful. I knew that since I'd be working, this method would allow for that. So after the "pot roast" of venison had thawed out, I placed it in the slow cooker with a chopped onion, the portobellos, red wine, dijon mustard, worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, chicken stock (didn't have beef), dill, and parsley. I thought about adding both tomato paste and some veal demi glaze, but I opted out of that. I put the slow cooker pot in the refrigerator with the hopes of being able to stop in around 10 to put it in the slow cooker. It almost happened the way I had planned, an hour and a half later, (8:30) I was back home to start the slow cooker. (on low)

I called my sister, who is in college, she graciously agreed to stop by my house at 5 to switch it to "keep warm" so that our dinner was not a lump of coal when we got home that evening.

Upon my arrival home, I boiled some egg noodles while I began my inspection of the venison stroganoff.

I found this lovely bone.




and this




I think it looks prettier like this.




one of the instigators to this experiment.




topped




mixed and sprinkled (with parsley)

This was the best venison stroganoff I have ever had, not to mention the only. The venison was incredibly tender! I think that I, in fact, adore cooking with venison. Stay tuned, I have about 4 tenderloins, 2 pot roasts, 10 ground "hamburger", 5 ground "sausage", and some other oddly named cut? I love life as a hunter's wife. That is, of course, is contingent upon the fact that the hunter be T!