Deershank Redemption

Most hunters aren't quite sure what to do with the shank. Elk, deer, antelope. But nothing gets wasted here. This book is one of the best I've seen if you've never processed your own meat and need detailed, pictorial instructions (and don't worry folks, those are painting drop cloths, not the scene of violent meat mayhem).

Shanks (the lower part of the leg) have a lot of sinew and connective tissue so there really isn't a lot you can do to make them tender or tasty. So they usually get ground up into burger. Nothing braises quite like a shank, whether it be lamb, beef, veal or, in this case, venison, but if you are short on actual prep time, a marinade makes a good alternative. For the hunters out there, we all know that we really shouldn't’t waste the shanks of the deer, elk or antelope we shoot and with the right prep you can get a tasty supper. Prep is the key. Muscles that get a lot of work, though tough as all get out, are full of flavor.

A proper marinade is easy, and will help to break down the connection tissue into a silky coating that will tenderize and sweeten the meat. Add in a little spice and some savory bacon. . . .

I made this a weekend or two ago, and it was a hit.

Bacon Wrapped Venison Shanks

2 lbs venison shank per person. For each add:

1/2 lb bacon (Plain, thin-sliced Bacon is best)
3 cups dark brown sugar
2 cups soy sauce

2 heaping teaspoons of ground ginger

dash of garlic powder (or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of minced garlic).

Mix sugar, soy and seasoning in a large zip lock bag (you can use more than one bag if you have several helpings, I usually only have four to prep unless I got the Three Mile Island Whitetail). Poke just a few shallow holes in the venison with a fork. Add venison shank(s) to the marinade in the bag. Put in the fridge at night and let marinate until dinner tomorrow.

Remove the shank(s) and place on a slotted bake sheet with a drip pan or aluminum foil below to catch dripping. Don't throw away marinade.

Wrap the shank in uncooked Bacon. You may use more than 1/2 a pound, just make sure the shank is covered, securing it as needed with a toothpick or two.

Drizzle some of the the remaining marinade over the meat. You want enough to moisten the meat and also a little in the bottom of the pan so you can continue to baste the shank with the marinade throughout the cooking process with a brush or a turkey baster.

Place on center rack in oven and bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes. This should cook the meat to about rare. If you want it more cooked, even with the searing step that follows, add 5-10 minutes. This is a naturally tough piece of meat so leaning towards rare will give you the better cut and taste.

Remove shank from oven and place the shank directly on a grill over medium-high heat for a minute to sear the bacon and outer shank. If you wish to pass on this step, cook the shank at 300 degrees F. for an hour and a half, remove and let rest five minutes and slice and serve. The bacon won't be as crispy but it will be as good.

"Night Vision" Barkley

The look says it all. Busted.

I swear, If he's going to keep stealing my brand new underwear I'm getting him an inflatable poodle.

The Price

The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.

Thomas Jefferson

Weekend Update - Gun Show

Sometimes the best weekends aren't at a exotic location, but in a warm home, among friends who understand what is truly important.

And good food. I was lucky and got to spend the weekend with Mr. B. and Midwest Chick.


Boiling oil. It's not just for medieval sieges any more.
Pepper steak. Marinated for two days, tossed in flour seasoned with cayenne, cumin and paprika and flash fried at a high temp so it melts and explodes on your tongue at your first bite. Mr. B can do a meal up right, I can say that. Midwest Chick and I just stood around with a beer going "it's Shake and Bake and I helped" in a cheesy southern accent and nibbling on the beef as it came out of the pan, it being too good to wait for the table.

He cooked it in small batches so the pan stayed hot, and the meat crisped up and didn't get soggy, as can happen if you try and cook it all at once, overcrowding the meat.

Tossed with stir fried broccoli, onion and pepper we served it over rice. It was incredible.

click to enlarge

Add in a bottle of Yuengling, a loaf of homemade bread that Midwest Chick crafted and some butter I picked up at a local dairy farm.

Then, after a good night's sleep, it was off to the Valparaiso Gun Show. We arrived a couple hours after opening and the line was still out the door. We didn't wear coats, thinking we'd just be in and quick so the 20 minute wait got a little chilly. Mr. B, being a gentleman, put an arm around each of us and tucked us in close. The man behind us in line was like "I can't even get ONE pretty girl to come to the gun show with me, he gets two. . .".

We spent several hours, perusing many displays and business offerings, including a stop at 21st Century Firearms of Bluffton. Their employee Jahred works hard for a great business with good service and a new firearm was picked up.

There was something for every taste, from weekend shooter to medieval enthusiasts.
I looked for a Fairbairn Sykes knife (between the third and fourth rib, seventeen degrees up. . . . ) for the collection but couldn't find one, but the show had a pretty good collection of flat edged weapons of all varieties.
Just Say NO to pink guns.
Then off to a place in town for a little bite to eat. Don't even ask. OHHHH. New Toys!!!
Tonight, a dinner out with Og and the Mrs and other friends, and another Yuengling may sacrifice itself for the cause. Cheers - Brigid

RePosts from the Road - Girl Scout Gunsmithing

Changing out grips isn't real gunsmithing, but it's still something one should try their hand at. Real gunsmithing can be challenging and technically demanding. The gunsmiths I've met are a combination of mechanic, metalworker, mathematician, artisan, ballistic expert and chemist. The gunsmith trade is one that through time has been respected and supported in most Western civilizations. The skills of the gunsmith were necessary for the very survival of early colonies, towns, and cities. Skilled men, providing the services to protect and defend; providing the services to keep peace among the town's people.

In this case, this is the equivalent of some kitchen cosmetic work, the modification required the mighty skill of working a screwdriver. Lets see..... righty tighty, lefty loosey.... yup, I can deal with that. If there was a Girl Scout Badge in this, I could have nailed it.

I love wheel guns, and have owned a couple, as do friends of mine. This one here, is a Taurus snub nose .38 , model 85. It's about fifteen years old, and can count in its history thousands of rounds and thousands of miles of CCW carry as well, always being a personal weapon.

It might be that you just want a different grip, or it might be after years of careful use, you notice a small crack. . The wood is still beautiful, but eventually the grips are going to loosen and perhaps to the point one might come off. That is not an option. So, in this case it was a Hogue Monogrip replacement unit.

I'll be the first to admit. I can do a lot of technical things but as far as guns, I'm not the most experienced with doing more than field stripping, cleaning, bluing and occasionally putting on a scope. The last time I tried to put something together of a non forensic nature involving small pieces, it was that lighted, animated reindeer thing for the lawn for Christmas. After going through the directions, which were written in Sri Lakin, I wrote the manufacturer asking that they consider including with the "all parts included! reindeer kit" (1) directions in English (2) tiny elf-sized metric tools and (3) a gun capable of taking out a reindeer.

I needn't have worried about this little project. Al Gore could have removed these grips. Simply pull the one screw out of the panels and pull them away from the frame, being careful not to lose the locating pin that resides in a frame hole at the bottom of the frame.

The Hogue Monogrip installs with a neat little widget that's included with the grip. Slipped over the frame with the locating pin through it, it provided a good place for the single screw that holds the Hogue Monogrip on the pistol.

With the widget installed as per instructions (wow. . in ENGLISH) it was simply a matter of sliding the Monogrip into place and installing the single mounting screw. That simple. Total time for the job, start to finish, less than ten minutes.

The result is a positive and good feeling pistol grip. Soft enough to really stick to the hand, while being firm enough to provide lots of control. Yes it's rubber, but it's not tacky or spongy. Recoil absorption should be good. The texture of the grip, a sort of "cobblestone feel" as the manufacturer calls it, should be a good medium between a smooth grip and a checkered one.

Not bad for a few minutes at the workbench. Leaving time for other garage projects after supper. Anyone got any duct tape?

Limelight

Now, not only do I want the car, I want a piece of key lime pie.

Next time you are at the grocers, look in the aisle that has lemon juice and try and spot a bottle of Nellie and Joe's Key West Lime Juice . If they have it, grab a bottle. It's a great addition to the kitchen. I use it for all sorts of things, marinades, stir fry, and a HOTR favorite, lime jalapeno chip dip . If you didn't manage to shoot cupid out of the sky, it makes a nice appetizer. :-)

3 cups ranch dressing
¼ cup green chilies, roasted
¼ cup jalapeño, pickled, marinated, (or my preference) roasted
a pinch of Penzey's ancho chili powder
1 tablespoon Nellie & Joe's Key West Lime Juice
1/3 bunch fresh cilantro
1 Roma tomato, diced

Place all ingredients except cilantro and tomato in blender and blend until smooth. Add tomatoes and cilantro and just pulse until chopped fine but not pureed.

Serve as a salad dressing or as a dip for chips.

But the real classic when it comes to key limes is key lime pie. The recipe is on the back of the bottle, and in the comments here. I just make a simple graham cracker, butter and sugar crust and there you have it.

Prior to the 30's when the Overseas Highway opened, the Keys had no fresh milk, no refrigeration, and no ice. Because of this lack of milk, local cooks used canned sweetened condensed milk which had been around since 1856. Good cooks still use it as it's the secret to a creamy Key Lime Pie. There are differing opinions on the making. Some use whipped cream, some meringue. Some use a pastry shell, some graham crackers. I prefer Graham Cracker, but a homemade one, not the pre-made ones which are made out of ground presto logs. The consistency should be more custard than pudding and have a light yellow color. You do not put green food coloring in a Key Lime Pie though I've seen some that look like Marvin the Martian made them.


The original key limes themselves looked like little confused lemons, and were native to Malaysia, likely arriving in the 1500's with the Spanish. When a hurricane in 1926 wiped out the large key lime plantations in South Florida, growers replanted with Persian limes which are easier to pick and ship. The key lime, however is is smaller, seedier, has a higher acidity, a stronger aroma, and a thinner rind than the Persian lime. Today, the original key lime is almost a ghost, and any remaining trees are found with small growers and in backyards, their fruit seldom leaving the Keys. Their unique taste is what makes a true key lime pie a rare treat. Forget the big Persian limes, heaven forbid you use that stuff that comes out of a bright green plastic lime, for an authentic taste use the real thing.

Some things are classic and should not be messed with.

Notes from the Road

Travel light in life

take only what you need;

a loving family,

good friends,

simple pleasures,

someone to love,

and someone to love you,

enough to eat, enough to wear

and a little more than enough to drink,

for thirst is a dangerous thing.

Photo is from the Gravity Bar in Dublin on another trip.