Emma's Recipe for Venison

In Cleared for Planting and the coming release, Uprooted by War, I used my mother's recipe for country-style venison for Emma to cook. My mother and father were born and grew up in the Appalachians. When I wrote of this area, it's a culture I know well.

In Cleared for Planting, Edgar has come to visit Emma, and she's cooking dinner for him:
      Edgar sat at the kitchen table while Emma finished cooking dinner. Emma had planned a special dinner. She’d soaked some venison strips in apple cider vinegar and water to get out the gamey taste, tenderized the meat by beating it, and slowly simmered it in a pan until tender. Then, she took it up, made gravy, and put it back in the gravy. She stewed potatoes and carrots together, added butter, and made biscuits. For dessert, she’d made an apple cobbler. When they sat down to eat, Edgar asked for permission to say grace. Mama gave it, since Papa didn’t say anything.
       “This is an excellent meal,” Edgar said as they began to eat. “I don’t think I’ve ever tasted better venison.”

In Uprooted by War, Emma has decided to cook a meal for the family, although Leah often does the cooking now:

            Granny Em cooked venison for all of them for dinner. She said she’d fixed it like she had for Edgar, when he’d come to visit at her family’s cabin before he and she were married. She'd soaked it in some apple cider vinegar and water to get the gamey taste out, beat it to tenderize it, simmered it tender, and smothered it in gravy.

            “Emma, I didn’t know you could cook like this,” Hawk said.  “I’ve never tasted such delicious venison, and I’ve had it every way imaginable.”

            “This is good, Mama," Clifton added. "I remember you used to make it like this occasionally, but it’s been years, since I’ve had it.”

            “Could you show me how to make it?” Leah asked. “I know Luke loves this.”

            “He does, and yes, I’ll show you.”

Here's a more detailed recipe of how to make this venison:

Place frozen pieces of venison in a bowl of water with lemon juice. Vinegar also works, but my family prefers the lemon or lime juice, and fresh is better than reconstituted, although the reconstituted will work. This will remove the wild taste. Put in the refrigerator for at least six hours, and it can be overnight. Rinse and place in fresh lemon water and set back in the refrigerator until it is completely thawed and soft or for a few more hours. Rinse thoroughly. Use a washable cutting board (placing it on a folded towel will tone down the noise). You can sprinkle a little white meat tenderizer on both sides of each piece of meat and omit the salt, but we never do this. Beat in one direction and then the other with a meat mallet or the edge of a saucer that will not chip easily (I find the saucer works much better), until the meat thins and tiny holes begin to appear.  Place in a skillet with heated oil and brown on both sides. Add water and steam turning at least once for over an hour or until fork tender. You may need to add more water along. Remove meat. Stir in flour to make gravy using either milk or water, whichever you prefer. I do this without measuring, but you can find a gravy recipe if needed. Your gravy won’t lump as much if your stock is not too hot. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place meat back into the gravy and simmer until ready to serve.

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