Wednesday, December 24, 2008

The Perfect Holiday Steak

I remember growing up with traditional turkey or ham being served every holiday. I remember anticipating the dinner and the goodies that followed, which this “Husky” kid could not pass up. I was an odd kid, as I always looked forward to the meals on Christmas Eve before wondering what Saint Nick would leave for me Christmas morning. When most kids lay in bed counting sheep, I would count lamb chops with a light garlic and rosemary glaze. Let’s just say I was destined to become a cook.

Asking my friends and colleges what they are serving for the holidays; it seems that beef tenderloin has become the choice holiday feast of this generation. So I decided that I would share this recipe with you.

Here is a great steak rub that I use for almost any event. Pair this with Crofut Frontenac and you will have the perfect steak.

Dollarhide Espresso Steak Rub
8 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons black pepper
2 tablespoons dehydrated onion
1 tablespoon dehydrated garlic
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1 tablespoon dried fennel
4 tablespoons ground espresso

Happy Holidays
The Dollarhides

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Oh Deer!

My favorite gifts are those of food. Whether its’ venison from one of my brother-in-laws hunts or pheasant from my uncle Craig, the gift of food is always the best. These gifts do come with an alternative motive, being that Molly and I have to cook for them, though this motive is a good one as not only do we get the gift of cuisine but the gift of family and the story of how the feast came to our table.

Venison bites “Minnesota Style”
This is the easiest recipe I have ever tried (I tend to say this a lot). It makes for a great appetizer for the football game or even just sitting around the house on a cold day watching movies or playing video games (all of which Molly tells me is me being non-productive). This is also a great recipe to introduce venison to a first timer.

For this recipe I use a sauce I found at the Prior Lake farmers market earlier this fall. It is based out of Eagan and called “Spooky All Natural Hot Sauce”.

2 pound cubed venison roast (about 1 ½ inch thick)
1 cup flour (seasoned with a little salt and pepper)
2 Tbs Olive oil
1 clove garlic
1 cup hot sauce
2 cups Frontenac
A little patience

The how:
In a large skillet heat the oil. Dredge the cubed venison in the seasoned flour. Toss the floured venison in the skillet and brown each sides of the cubed meat. Once these are brown add the wine, hot sauce & garlic. Bring to a boil for one minute then turn the heat down to a simmer for ½ hour.

The smokiness of the wine and the sauce make for a great combination.

\m/ Richard

P.S. I found the website for the sauce. Keep it local!
http://www.spookygourmethotsauce.net/index.html