Jimmy Holt - The Great Outdoorsman Cookbook: How We Catch It and How We Cook It

THE
GREAT OUTDOORSMAN
COOKBOOKJimmy Holt
and
Vernon Summerlin Copyright 2003 by Jimmy Holt and Vernon Summerlin. All rights reserved. Written permission must be secured from the publisher to use or reproduce any part of this book, except for brief quotations in critical reviews and articles. Published by Rutledge Hill Press, a Division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, Tennessee 37214. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Holt, Jimmy.
The great outdoorsman cookbook / Jimmy Holt and Vernon Summerlin.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 1-4016-0108-1
1. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 1-4016-0108-1
1.

Cookery (Game) 2. Cookery (Fish) I. Summerlin, Vernon, 1943 II. Title.
TX751.H6496 2003
641.6'91dc21 2003046583 Printed in the United States of America 03 04 05 06 07 5 4 3 2 1 Contents 1 Finny Feasts
General Fish Recipes, Catfish, Crappie, Trout, True Bass,
Black Bass, Bream, Sauger/Walleye, Gar, Salmon 2 Bait-Stealing Turtles
Snappers and OtherTasty Shellbacks 3 Small Feathered Game
Quail, Dove, Pheasant, Grouse 4 Flying and Floating Birds
Duck, Goose, Coot 5 Big Feathered Game
Wild Turkey 6 Small Hairy Critters
Rabbit, Squirrel, Raccoon, Groundhog, Opossum,
Woodchuck, Muskrat, Beaver 7 Big Hairy Critters
Venison, Antelope, Elk, Caribou, Moose, Bear, Boar 10 Side Dishes
Salads, Vegetables, Fruit, Grits, Rice, and Beans I began to enjoy cooking about 15 years ago, and almost every day I get an urge to cook up something different. For me, cooking is fun. I guess its like building something.

When I try a new recipe and my friends tell me how tasty it is, then I know Ive succeeded in something I love to do. For more years than I can recall, I have collected recipes. As the host of The Tennessee Outdoorsmen television show, I receive fish and game recipes from people in all walks of life, including fine chefs, throughout Tennessee and the surrounding states. My intention when I began collecting them was to publish a cookbook, but my procrastination never faltered. Fortunately, Vernon Summerlin, who worked as a field host on my show for a few years, agreed to collaborate with me on this cookbook. Vern has his own files of recipes, saved from the recipe column he wrote when he was editor of Tennessee Angler magazine.

And we both have favorite recipes that weve gathered from family and friends. For this book, weve selected the best from our collections. Many recipes dont give credit to their originator because they were unsigned. And unfortunately, over the years of saving these recipes, some names were separated from recipes. If you see your recipe without a credit, we apologize and ask that you let us know so that we can give credit where credit is due in the next edition. Over the years, Vern and I have tried most of these recipes to make sure they taste good.

And we know that the many recipes sent in by hunters, fishermen, and their wives have been tried and tested many times. Most of the recipes in this book are simple to preparecatching or hunting some of the ingredients may be the most difficult part! We dont have a lot of beaver, bear, raccoon, and opossum recipes, but weve included enough so that you can prepare these critters if you shoot or trap them. We concentrated on fish and venison and other game easier to come by. Many people, including some hunters, profess that they do not like to eat wild game. Its strong, they say. It has a wild flavor.

So it is often wasted. If you are a hunter, or your spouse is, and youre both frustrated because you have never cooked wild game that satisfies your taste buds, I hope this cookbook will help you understand that fish and wild game can be delicious. Just try these recipes. This book could open a whole new world of fine food for you. Remember, however, that wild game has to be properly prepared, meaning cleaned correctly and washed thoroughly. So do fish and fowl.

To accompany the recipes, weve included some of our favorite stories, including one that explains why I always close my show with the advice to wear your life jacket. Weve also sprinkled fishing and hunting tips throughout the book. I know from all the recipes in this book that hunters want to eat the game they take and fishermen want to eat their catch. They all want to improve upon their own recipes or try someone elses. We know youll find numerous dishes youll enjoy and make a part of your cooking repertoire. Feel free to experiment with recipes by changing the seasonings to suit your tastes.

Keep in mind that although we include the number of servings at the end of each recipe, the recipe may not go as far with hungry outdoorsmen. Jimmy Holt General Fish Recipes, Catfish, Crappie, Trout, True
Bass, Black Bass, Bream, Sauger/Walleye, Gar, Salmon COOKING OUTDOORS Americans, from the pilgrims and wagon train pioneers to the cowboys and mountain men, have had a continuing love affair with the outdoors, and still do today. They have a real fondness for cooking and eating outdoors. Cooking something as simple as a hot dog or as complex as an entire meal is great fun outdoors, and for some unknown reason the food tastes better. I have cooked on an open fireI love itand, of course, the charcoal grill. There is a wide variety of grills available, from small hibachis to large built-in types.

Covered kettles, smokers, and grills fired by gas or electricity can greatly increase and enhance the scope of your cookout style. All of these cookers work differently, and you should be familiar with the strengths and limitations of them in order to cook well. For some real barbecue fun, take a grill and place dry gravel or crushed rock on the bottom of the firebox. This protects the grill, evenly distributes the heat, and helps prevent flame-ups from drippings. Use a generous amount of briquettes made from maple, birch, oak, elm, or other hardwoods and start the fire early enough to get a sufficiently hot bed of coalsabout 30 to 40 minutes before cooking. PREPARING AND STORING FISH Fish are extremely perishable.

Fish that do not have red gills, clear eyes, and a fresh odor should be thrown away. Here are a few tips for proper care: Keep your fish alive: Most fishing boats have aerated live wells in which fish are kept alive during the fishing day. Check your catch often and remove the dead fish and place them on ice immediately. Keep your fish cold: Cleaning the fish before putting them on ice is best. When placing the fish on ice, do not put them on the bottom where water collects, because water aids in deterioration. Cleaning and cooking your fish within two hours after catching it provides the best flavor.

You can either fillet your catch or field dress it by removing its entrails and head, including the gills. If you prefer to scale your fish, use a fish scaler, dull knife, or a spoon. Wet the fish and scrape off the scales from tail to head. Filleting fish and leaving no bones is the most popular method of preparation. Most of the flesh can be cut from the bones without touching the intestines. A sharp knife is essential, and the length of the blade should fit the size of your fish.