4 WAYS TO COOK PERFECT GAME AND FISH OVER A FLAME
Few elements of the outdoors are so naturally paired. Here are four delicious ways to cook game and fish over a flame, using little more than what Mother Nature provides.
1. VENISON STEAKS ON A ROCK
Don’t bother with the weight of a fry pan. Instead, grease a flat rock with oil and slap on some whitetail medallions.
Before there were porcelain-coated grill grates, there were smoking-hot rocks with hunks of wild game on them. Cooking medallions of venison backstrap on hot slabs of earth is still an outstanding way to cook game and fish over a flame without ignoring your modern tastes.
Start by building a hot fire to produce a deep bed of coals. While the wood is cooking, find a flat rock that’s less than 2 inches thick. Avoid stream rocks; they can explode in fire. Preheat the rock at the edge of the coals for 15 minutes.
Once hot, brush on chipotle olive oil, add backstrap medallions and onion slices. Season and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the rock, add more oil, and place the meat back on, topping with sun-dried tomato. Cook another 2 minutes. Stack, serve, and enjoy.
Tip: Slice your backstrap evenly into 1⁄2- to 3⁄4-inch medallions and pat dry before heating for a good sear.
2. DUCK ON A STICK
After you’ve downed a bird, find a sturdy stick, build a strong tepee fire, and cook.
Our Athabascan Chipewyan guide cooked a whole duck on a stick. The bird basted itself in its own fat, sending aromatic smoke around the meat.
Butterfly the duck through the breast, not the back. Work it loose, press it flat, then skewer the duck through the breast. Anchor the stick near the fire at a 45° angle. Cook breast side to fire first, then rotate. Cooking time: About 20 minutes.
Tip: While prepping the duck, have someone gather wood for the fire.
3. FISH ON A LOG
Grab your ax and split a log. Then, get ready for the best fish dinner of your life.
Planked fish once meant driftwood cedar logs and fire, not cedar boards on grills. While kayaking Alaska, we cooked salmon the old way.
Split an 18–24 inch cedar log. Whittle 2-inch pegs. Lightly oil the flat side and lay down your fish, skin-side down. Mark peg spots, remove the fish, drill holes, then tap the fish back in place. Season with salt, pepper, butter, or spice rubs.
Build a tepee fire. Position the log beside the flame using rocks. Reflect heat with foil in front of the log. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until the fish flakes. It’s one of the best ways to cook game and fish over a flame in the wild.
Tip: For fillets, always place skin-side down. Plank larger fish vertically.
Wilderness cooking is part of the full hunting experience. After a thrilling dove hunt, why not end the day with wild duck on a stick or venison on a rock? Check out our Argentina hunting packages for your next outdoor adventure.
