Friday Feast: Korean-Style Venison

This week’s Friday Feast, we’re trying something slightly different – incorporating international flavors. Given my Korean heritage, I was inspired to share a take on Korean-style venison from a recipe I saw in American Hunter. This take on venison was inspired by a traditional Korean dish, bulgogi (bul-go-gi), which is marinated sliced beef and grilled over fire or a stove top. The marinade alone is enough to make your mouth water with a combination of soy sauce, garlic, ginger, green onions and sesame oil. Open your mind and your pallet with this dish and I promise you’ll be left wanting seconds, and thirds.

Ingredients for marinade:

•         3 crushed garlic cloves
•         1 teaspoon minced ginger
•         1 chopped scallion
•         1 small chopped onion
•         1 sliced carrot (diagonal)
•         ¼ cup soy sauce
•         ¼ cup sugar
•         ¼ cup sesame oil
•         ½ teaspoon black pepper
•         ¼ cup of water
•         1 teaspoon honey (optional)
•         ½ cup crushed Korean pear (optional)

Directions:

Thinly slice a pound of venison steak. Hand mix the venison with marinade and let the meat soak. Ideally, the meat should marinate for a minimum of three hours – though marinating overnight would be best. Place marinated venison in a frying pan on the stove and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes on high heat. This will vary on how thin the meat was sliced. Garnish the venison bulgogi with sesame seeds and serve with steamed rice. For additional taste, make a lettuce wrap with a spoonful of rice, bulgogi, and small amount of gochujahng (go-chew-jang) – hot pepper paste, and enjoy!