I am not a hunter in the classical sense of the word. I hunt for bargains, for things people toss and ways to save my family money in any way at all possible. This is the obadiali, time for those who hunt continually. There are many who do hunt to this day to feed their families. Many people hunt to fill in the gaps and add to the family larder. Small game is popular and often easier to find than big game.
My grandmother lived in a city in Massachusetts in the early 20th century. She had two sons and my mother, and they were not exactly well off – they were poor. My two uncles would often bring home rabbit for dinner. It was free and tasty if prepared right. I had it a few times cooked right and a couple of times not. I guess I could say it isn’t a favorite. My parents had access to plentiful mussels, since we lived by the ocean, but we had them so often I think I’ve had enough to last a lifetime.
I really do believe that just about any wild thing can be good to eat if prepared properly and with love. The method is important. Game meats usually benefit from marinating and/or smoking. Brines are good for some as well. Turkey (nahama) can be made fork-tender by using a light brine and then smoking it. The very best turkey I ever, ever had was brined and then smoked.
Basic Smoking Seasoning
1 pound regular or sea salt
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon onion salt
2 tablespoons celery salt
2 tablespoons chili powder
4 tablespoons black pepper
4 tablespoons sugar or substitute
1 tablespoon thyme
1 tablespoon nutmeg or mace
Mix all together thoroughly and store in a tightly covered jar for at least a week.
Note: This is where you can get creative and use herbs and spices you might prefer; for example, try cumin instead of celery salt, chipotle powder instead of chili powder, maple sugar instead of regular or substitute sweetener, rosemary instead of thyme, and on and on … just personalize this mix. It is basically a seasoned salt and you can use it for many recipes.
Basic Brine for Meats and Poultry
When you mix the brine, you must be sure to cover the meat or poultry completely with it. If it floats to the top, weigh it down with a plate and a rock on top: anything to keep it submerged. The timing is also important; I’ve heard anything from six hours to three days, but it seems to me that 24 hours is more than enough to get those flavors and juiciness to do their job. You don’t want to overwhelm the flavor of the meat itself, either. The use of kosher salt is also important.
Double or triple the recipe if you need to completely cover the meat. I used it on a turkey breast the first time, and did it in a small canner; however, a large soup pot for a six-pound breast would do fine.
8 cups water
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 whole cloves garlic, peeled
5 allspice berries, crushed
5 juniper berries, crushed
Mix all ingredients into the water and stir well. Add meat and cover completely. Soak for about 24 hours. Wash meat under cold water. Cook as you normally would. To smoke the meat at this point, rub the meat or poultry with a little oil and put in the smoker for one hour per pound.
Cranberry Sauce – One Way
1 bag fresh cranberries (about 3 cups)
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup sugar or substitute
1 apple, cut up
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Bring all to a boil, reduce heat, stir and cook for 8 – 10 minutes. Let cool in pan, then spoon into serving dish and chill overnight.
Cranberry Sauce – A Second Way
1 bag fresh cranberries (about 3 cups)
1 small orange, skin on, seeded and chopped fine
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup each: golden raisins and chopped dried apricots
2 tablespoons ginger, minced
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Bring all to a boil, reduce heat, stir and cook for 15 – 20 minutes. Let cool in pan, then spoon into serving dish and chill overnight.
Notes and Tips
*If using brine on a frozen turkey breast, allow one to two days for it to defrost before brining, then one more day for that process. In other words, three to four days before you plan to serve it.
*Most vegetables’ vitamins and nutrition are in their skins. If you can leave the skin on, do it; if not, don’t peel too deeply. Of course, wash veggies well with a brush first.
*One cup of raw white rice yields about 3 cups cooked; one cup of wild rice yields 4 cups when cooked.
