Sweet, Savory and packed full of flavor, this dinner is simple and sure to leave all the plates around the table licked clean. 

One year ago I was running through the airport with minutes between flights and starving. I passed the food court area and smelt a dish I hadn’t eaten in over 7 years, I walked over and watched as a chef with a wok flung crispy beef though the air coating it in a thick Mongolian style sauce. I watched as the green onions flew through the air coating with the sauce along with the thinly sliced pieces of beef. I dreamt back to the last time I had eaten crispy Mongolian beef before my beef allergy and I got even more hungry. As I walked away starving I said to myself “Jeremiah, you have to recreate this when you get home.” 

I sat on the airplane eating a bag of trail mix still dreaming of Crispy Beef, I pulled my recipe book out and clicked my pen. I wrote the following recipe that day, but once I got home it got lost in many other recipes within the book and was soon forgotten. Last night I pulled out my recipe book and started scanning through it for inspiration, and there before me was this dish. I knew it was time to make it, it did not disappoint.  I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. 

Crispy Mongolian Style Venison

Ingredients: 

1-2 pounds venison, sliced thin

( I used backstrap)

1/2 cup cornstarch 

Peanut Oil 

1/3 cup soy sauce 

2 cloves garlic, smashed 

1 tsp cracked pepper 

Sauce:

2 tablespoons oil 

1 Tablespoon gingers, grated 

4 cloves garlic, crushed 

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 rice vinegar 

1/2 cup water 

1/2 tsp hoisin sauce 

1/3 cup brown sugar 

1 tsp cornstarch mixed in 2 tsp water 

Chili Flakes, to taste 

1 bunch green onions

Directions:

1. Slice venison into thin strips. I take the back strap and butterfly, then I slice into strips from there. 
2. In glass bowl whisk soy sauce, garlic and pepper. Add venison to mixture and marinate in fridge for 2-3 hours. 
3. Remove venison from mixture and pat dry, coat I cornstarch once dried. 
4. In cast iron skillet or frying pan heat oil “2 inches deep” to 275-300 degrees, deep fry strips for 2-3 minutes until crispy. Remove from heat, drain and let rest 
5. In small sauce pan add oil and heat over high heat, add garlic and ginger sauté for 10-15  seconds. 
6. Add soy sauce, water, vinegar and hoisin, bring to a bowl and reduce heat to med-low. 
7. Add brown sugar and cornstarch, whisk one minute and remove from heat, allow to sit 5 minutes, sauce will thicken. 
8. Add green onions allowing them to cook for 1 minute in the hot sauce to soften them up.
9. Toss in venison and serve over rice. 

Jeremiah Doughty

fromfieldtoplate.com 

Now that I’m an adult I look back at those dinners and read whats in it and cringe and can’t believe I used to crave it so much. Well, I still crave it on those cold winter nights, crave the tomato sauce, meat, noodles and that cheese goodness. So I decided I needed to recreate this dish and put a wild game spin on it. My whole family was surprised how much it tasted like the boxed version. I was excited that I knew what went into our dinner and that my craving for the helper had been met.

GameBurger Helper 

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground game meat (venison, elk, moose, turkey, pheasant, dove)
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley

• 2 teaspoon garlic powder

* 3 cloves, crushed
• pinch to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder (if wanted heat)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 cups Venison broth (or beef broth)
• 2 cups uncooked macaroni
• 1, 6 oz can tomato paste
*1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

1 .In large skillet or dutch oven heat oil over med-high heat. Add onion and brown, add garlic and cook additional two minutes.

2 .Add ground game meat and brown, add paprika, parsley, garlic powder, cayenne, salt and pepper. Still until blended

3. Stir in milk, broth, pasta and tomato paste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to med-low and cook 10-12 minutes until pasta is cooked, stirring often so not to burn.

4 .Remove from heat and stir in cheddar cheese. (this is key, if you try adding cheese while on heat, cheese can start to separate.)

5. Serve and enjoy.

( This can be used as a base recipe, add any vegetable, spice or seasoning your family enjoys.)