From start to finish

This was an amazing treat.  Dion came home after a hunting weekend with 4 young deer attached to his helicopter.  The deer are considered almost pests, so there is no trophy hunting for buck, and no need for a tag or license.  Dion goes to get young, tender meat to feed his family (his daughter eats nothing but mince). Crystal was able to skin and break down the deer fresh from the hunt and so she honored it with a four course dinner using multiple parts.  Hunt to table:  we started with appetizers of venison jerky and venison sausage wrapped in house bacon she cured, followed by venison tartare from the loin, venison curry stew from the shoulder, seared backstrap loins in a parmesan crust, finishing with the venison leg. We used some wild flowers and herbs found in the back country and paired four courses with two NZ wines: a Bordeaux blend from Rod Macdonald that went amazingly well with the stew, and Black Barn's exceptional Syrah for the last two courses.

Venison leg, field mushrooms, wild rice, pine cone gastrique, fat hen

Parmesan crusted backstrap, asparagus tips, charred lemon vinaigrette

Hanging to dry

Dion giving some tips

Getting it done

Julian learning how to break down an animal

Venison jerky

Patsy learning all the parts

Venison tartare, juniper cracker, pickled rhubarb, cured egg, sage & basil flowers

Venison shoulder curry stew, burnt honey & curry leaf carrot, apple pearls

The line-up

Skinning the beast

So focused

Breaking it down