Buck, Buck, Moose!

The Essential Wild Game Cookbooks for Every Hunter’s Kitchen

by Richard Baimbridge

Editor’s Note: This article is part of our series on nutrition, diet, and fitness for this month.

Speaking as both a hunter and someone who spends a lot of time in the kitchen, it’s hard sometimes to decide which of these passions is more challenging. They’re both, in their own ways, a kind of artform – and often I find myself falling short on one or the other. But a great cookbook can sure go a long way in transforming your culinary skills from zero to hero.

One of the best ways I’ve found to share the love of hunting and fishing, and to open people’s eyes (whether friends or family) to the world of the outdoors, is through food. A good venison steak, fresh catfish or bacon-wrapped jalapeno dove poppers speak louder than words ever can. But at the same time, get it wrong and the result can be dry, tough, or “gamey”, which can turn people off of wild game forever. This is the challenge we face once the guns are in the closet and the pursuit shifts to the cutting board and battle for the taste buds.

A well-made meal from field (or stream)-to-table can be life-changing for some people, helping them to shift away from the over-processed, unhealthy diets that far too many of us now consume. Each one of these cookbooks has something special to offer, with gorgeous photos, inspiring stories, and amazing recipes from total novice to master chef. If you’re tired of the same-old venison burgers and chili, it’s time to step up your (wild) game and take your cooking to the next level.

Bear grease biscuits, fresh flounder, turkey posole, and corned venison sound tempting? Well then, let’s jump in and get started! 

“Buck, Buck, Moose: The Ultimate Guide to Cooking and Preparing Your Wild Game” by Hank Shaw has gained a loyal following among hunters and food lovers alike. What sets this cookbook apart is its comprehensive approach to cooking wild game. Shaw, a passionate hunter and cook, shares more than just recipes. He provides insights into the philosophy of cooking with wild ingredients, emphasizing the importance of respecting the animal and the environment.

With over 100 recipes, “Buck, Buck, Moose” is divided into various sections that explore different species of game, including deer, elk, and moose, each featuring unique flavor profiles and preparation techniques. Shaw’s style is approachable yet informative, making it a great choice for cooks of any level.

*Stand-Out Recipe: Braised Moose Shanks

“The MeatEater Outdoor Cookbook: Wild Game Recipes for the Grill, Smoker, Campstove, and Campfire” by Steven Rinella. The latest addition to the MeatEater cookbook series doesn’t disappoint. In his previous books, Rinella brought wild game into the kitchen, teaching readers how to butcher and cook wild fish and game to create standout dishes with reliable results. Now, Rinella is hauling the kitchen outdoors, with a cookbook that celebrates the possibilities of open-air wild game cooking. Because food just tastes better when it’s caught, cooked, and eaten outside.  

Each chapter covers a different outdoor cooking method—grilling, smoking, cooking over coals. Throughout, recipes are tagged for backyard cooking, car camping, or backpacking. There’s something here for everyone who loves the outdoors, from backyard grill masters to backcountry big game hunters. 

*Standout Recipes: Hot Smoked Trout & Bulgogi Backstrap Lettuce Wraps

“Afield: A Chef's Guide to Preparing and Cooking Wild Game and Fish” by Jesse Griffiths. Afield is both a manifesto for self-reliance and a manual packed with everything a new hunter needs to know.  Wild foods are sustainable, ethical, and delicious, and author Jesse Griffiths combines traditional methods of hunting, butchering, and preparing fish and game with 85 mouthwatering recipes.

Afield sheds light on field dressing for novice and experienced hunters alike.  Stemming from a commitment to locally grown vegetables and nose-to-tail cooking, Griffiths is an expert guide on this tour of tradition and taste, offering a combination of hunting lessons, butchery methods, recipes, including how to scale, clean, stuff, fillet, skin, braise, fry and more. Fellow hunting enthusiast and food photographer Jody Horton takes you into the field, follows Griffiths step-by-step along the way and then provides you with exquisite plate photograph of the finished feasts. Filled with descriptive stories and photographs, Afield takes the reader along for the hunt, from duck and dove to deer and wild hog.

*Standout Recipes: Tenderloin Bear Steak & Pheasant Souvaroff

“The Hunter Chef Cookbook: Hunt, Fish, and Forage in Over 100 Recipes” by Michael Hunter. Well-known hunter and respected wild-game chef, Michael Hunter, grew up in the great outdoors. Inspired by the endless bounty of the land, hunting, fishing, foraging, and cooking is a way of life for Hunter.

Celebrating the resources of the wild, The Hunter Chef Cookbook features a collection of over 100 recipes and butchery guides, and stunning food and landscape photography. The book includes recipes for cooking big game, from moose and bison, to white tail deer and wild boar. Common small game features include wild turkey, duck, wild goose, ruffed grouse, as well as rabbit and squirrel. Fresh-water and salt-water fish recipes feature pickerel, wild salmon, rainbow trout, prawns, scallops, and more. A seasoned forager, Hunter offers an array of savory and sweet recipes, incorporating wild ingredients, everything from mushrooms and leeks to sumac and berries.

*Standout Recipes: Venison Bresaola Pizza & Wild Boar Capicola. 

So, there you have it. Choose one of these great cookbooks, or all of them, then get your tail in the kitchen and do some cooking. The call of the wild is one you can follow deep into the heart of the kitchen. And that’s where the real magic happens…

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