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How to Keep it Cool When It’s Sooo Damned Hot!

Photo by Adrianna Calvo on Pexels.com

It’s already been established in my last post that it’s hot as hell in the Texas Hill Country (as usual)! It doesn’t change the fact that there’s plenty of work that’s got to be done to get ready for the upcoming hunting seasons. Staying cool when there’s so much to do is a top priority. I don’t need to tell any of you that you need to stay hydrated, wear light colors, and use plenty of sunscreen. We take our Yeti Roadster cooler in the truck to carry cold drinks and some chilled fruit when we’re working on feeder pens and hunting blinds.

Of course, everyone will also need to eat and they will want to eat well after all the hard work they’ve done. Nobody, however, wants the stove or oven to heat up the camper, cabin, or ranch house no matter how delectable the meal. That’s why the meals should be carefully planned so that the indoors stay as cool as possible. Using the stove heats up the quarters less than using the oven. If you must use the stove, be sure to take hot skillets or pots outside after they’ve been used so they don’t continue to radiate heat. An even better alternative is to set up an outdoor propane stove, like the Camp Chef, Browning, or Coleman, so that all the heat stays outside.

This camp stove is from Browning. It’s almost identical to the Camp Chef and costs much less. This one came from Bass Pro Shop several years ago. I purchased the griddle, separately, from Camp Chef. It fit perfectly! I absolutely love it. In addition, I bought the zippered carrying bags for the griddle and the stove making it easier to keep the components together and haul around.

When planning for breakfast, always make arrangements to have the accoutrements for coffee! There are several ways to prepare coffee for the hunting camp. See them here. Milk or cream, raw or white sugar, and artificial sweeteners. Recently, since it’s just Deerslayer and myself heading out to work, we’ve been going pretty light for the morning meal; cereal, fruit, breakfast muffins, and of course milk, juice, and coffee. A heavy meal in the morning before working in the hot sun can lower one’s productivity.

Everyone is usually ready to come in for lunch early because of the heat and I’ve been serving sandwiches (BLTs, ruebens, sliced turkey or venison), cold watermelon, and some chips or soup. I will usually cook up bacon ahead of time and bring it with me. Reheating it for sandwiches requires much less time at the stove than cooking it as needed. Don’t forget to take the skillet or griddle outside as soon as you’re finished with it if your aren’t cooking outside!

For dinner, I’ve come to rely on my sous vide cooker pretty heavily. Check here for more info about how it works. I can actually set it up before we head out to work in the afternoon. I use it for chicken and venison, preparing more than we need for our meal. The leftovers can be used the next day for tacos, tostadas (sometimes called chalupas), or hearty sandwiches. My next post will include instructions for using the sous vide to get several meals with leftovers.

The key is in the planning. I plan my menus out before we get to the ranch. That enables me to have what I need for my recipes (which are pretty simple) and make a grocery list.

This is an app that my daughter put on my phone called “Keep Notes”. I love it for all kinds of lists including dates that we fill feeders and how many bags of feed we used and/or need.

Like most hunting ranches, ours is out in the middle of nowhere. A trip to the grocer would be more than an hour. Nothing is worse than planning and looking forward to wonderful Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato sandwiches (BLTs) only to discover that there’s NO “L”!

As all the deer slayers and their wives know, this time of year can be brutal. But the reward will be great. Stay tuned for some recipes and prep tips.

Please share any tips of your own and your thoughts.

2 Comments

Posted by thedeerslayerswife on August 9, 2019 in camping, camping in South Texas, Cooking, Hunting, hunting in South Texas, Recipes, Uncategorized, Venison

Tags: camp cooking, camping for non-campers, camping tips, food for camping, hunting season, making camping lists

My Favorite Yeti (the 105)

29 Jul

It’s still the hottest part of the summer in the Texas Hill Country. However, there’s plenty for hunters to do in the sweltering heat. The feeders have to be filled. The overgrown roads need to be cleared. In many cases, hunting camp trailers, cabins and ranch houses need to be cleaned up and prepared for the upcoming season. This particular season, we have the additional work of righting three of our blinds and removing dozens of downed trees after a big storm that blew through a few weeks ago.

It’s my job to bring enough food and cold beverages to keep my deerslayer up and running to get the job done. I like to start with food from our fridge at home, using produce and perishables that would, um, perish if we left them at home. My favorite cooler for packing food is the Yeti 105. It’s large capacity (21.8 gallons) and tall interior (14 usable inches when closed) make it perfect for most of the chilled food that I need to take. It is tall enough to hold a gallon of milk (or juice) with room above it for the wire rack that comes with it.

I discovered that a 5 gallon bucket from Home Depot or Lowe’s fits perfectly in one side of the cooler. When fitted with a kitchen trash bag, I can fill the bucket with produce, cheese, lunch meat, etc., anything that needs to be chilled but that I don’t want to become waterlogged as the ice melts. Heaviest or less delicate items like cabbage or blocks of cheese can go on the bottom. Easily bruised produce and other delicate things can rest up top.

Once the cooler is full, pack ice around milk, other beverages, and between the bucket and the walls of the cooler but not into it. The items in the cooler should stay chilled for a number of hours. Extra ice can be added as needed.

As much as I LOVE our Yeti coolers, one of the only issues that I have with them is that they are HEAVY. Even empty, they weigh quite a bit. A solution that I found for moving them around the house easily for packing is to set them on small moving dollies that we purchased from Harbor Freight. The dollies allow me to roll the coolers freely around the kitchen and out to the truck for loading. I purchased two extra ones to keep in our hunting cabin. I can use the coolers when I need them and push them conveniently out of the way when I don’t.

Fix good meals, work efficiently, get stuff done! Hunting season will be here before we know it! Embrace the Hunters’ Lifestyle!

Springtime for the Deerslayer’s Wife

08 Mar

Deer season is over. The freezers are full. Most people would think that there’s no reason to head out to the hunting lease or ranch. Au contraire, mon ami!

This is the time of year that we clean out watering troughs, trim branches that start to extend out over the roads, and just generally clean up after an active hunting season.

For me, it’s the most beautiful time to be out at the hunting camp. It’s less hectic, quieter. The chores that do need to be done can wait until after I’ve taken in a glorious sunrise with a steaming cup of coffee and the sound of birds all around.

In the Texas Hill Country, tiny flowers and leaves anticipate the first day of spring. There was a time when I didn’t see the natural beauty that has been there all along if only I’d looked more closely. Before I chose to embrace the hunting lifestyle for the sake of my beloved, I missed out on so much.

The thrill of seeing the first bluebonnets on the ranch or the first sprigs of mesquite leaves brings me more joy than any piece of jewelry or dinner at any exclusive restaurant ever could.

I’m so grateful that I can share these experiences with my family, friends, and you!

Back in the Saddle

22 Feb

The main purpose for this blog was originally and continues to be to encourage reluctant wives and girlfriends of hunters to embrace and share the passion that their loved ones have for a lifestyle that is unlike any other. I’ve attempted to do this by chronicling my experiences, both humorous and horrific, as well as providing recipes and tips that will be useful at the hunting camp and at home.

marmalade, grinding meat, empanadas, 2014-2-16 022

jerky, rattlesnake, roasting pumpkin 008

The reason I’m bringing this up now is that I tend to get off track and, recently, I’ve wandered off completely. So I guess the first paragraph was a reaffirmation of sorts. Whenever I’m with friends and family or being introduced to someone new, it often comes up in conversation that I’m “The Deerslayer’s Wife”, that I have “this blog” that’s about wild game recipes, etc. While I love talking about it, (and once I get started, it’s hard to shut me up) I’ve become remiss in my writings. I love being “The Deerslayer’s Wife” but have fallen down in my responsibilities. I’m still passionate about sharing my experiences in an attempt to encourage others to “join the sisterhood”. I’m constantly jotting down recipes and tips that would make hunting camp just a little bit easier to conquer for someone who is new to the game.

My plan is to be a little bit more disciplined, to actually take the photos of the great wild game dishes and ingredients, write down the tips and musings, and share the beautiful surroundings that are part of the everyday life of a Deerslayer’s Wife.

4 Comments

Posted by thedeerslayerswife on February 22, 2019 in camping, Cooking, Hunting, Recipes, Uncategorized

Why Sous Vide is Perfect for the Hunting Camp

05 Nov

Wanna be the favorite person at the hunting camp? Grab these few items and you’re all set to whip up some amazing meals with little effort!

Imagine….. autumn has arrived and it’s time to head out to the hunting camp. There’s so much to do! There are feeders to fill, game cameras to check, brush to cut. With all the work to be done, often supper gets “put on the back burner”. Get it? The guys will likely just heat a can of Ranch Style Beans. Ick.

This is where The Deer Slayer’s Wife can step up with something amazing and wow everyone at camp. If your hunting camp has a power hook up, you can use a sous vide cooker. It’s truly effortless. It also frees you up to help out with other chores associated with getting ready for deer season.

Throw these things together: any stock or soup pot at least 6 inches deep, some vacuum seal bags and a hand pump (you can actually use plain zipper bags in a pinch), some cooking twine (in case you want to prepare a football roast). It’s not in the picture but I ALWAYS bring my Salt-Pepper-Garlic Powder mix. I put it on everything.

You’ll need a pot at least 6 inches deep for this particular sous vide cooker. When it’s just going to be Deerslayer and me, I take the small 6″ pot. If I’m going to be preparing a larger cut of meat for more people, I use a larger pot. Ah, the freedom to choose! Then grab some frozen venison from the reserves you have in your freezer, a little olive oil, and maybe some fresh or dried herbs, and head for the hunting camp. You can use backstrap, tenderloin, football roast or other individual muscles from the hind quarter previously thought to be too tough to serve medium rare as a steak.

On the day you want to have the venison, take a break from the hunting chores and get things rolling mid-afternoon. See if the meat’s still frozen. If it is, no worries! Fill the pot with clean drinking water or distilled water within about 2-3 inches from the top of the pot. On my sous vide cooker, there is a water level indicator that lets me know how much water I need. Next, attach the cooker to the side of the pot and plug it in. Set the temperature at 131 degrees and let the water start heating up.

While the water’s heating, remove the frozen or semi-frozen meat from its bag, very liberally season it with salt, pepper, and garlic mix. Place the meat in a fresh vacuum seal bag. Add some fresh or dried herbs (maybe rosemary, thyme, oregano), some fresh garlic if you want, and a drizzle of olive oil. You may have figured out by this point that there’s no real right or wrong way to do this part. Then seal the bag and remove as much of the air as possible so the meat stays completely submerged in the water. I usually attach the plastic bag to the side of the pot with a wooden clothespin.

Now, you’re ready to place the meat in the water bath. I clip mine to the side of the pot with a clothespin. You can set the timer for about 3 hours if the meat is frozen or 1 1/2 hours if it is thawed. Once the water has reached 131 degrees, the timer will begin ticking away.

This is where the magic starts! Because the water is not boiling, you can go about your business until the meat is ready. If you aren’t back from your chores when the meat is done, no problem. The water will keep it at the perfect temperature for up to a couple of hours. After that, the texture of the meat will be affected somewhat.

Once the your venison is ready, remove it from the bag and place it on a cutting board. Pat it dry while you heat a skillet pretty hot with some butter or olive oil so you can sear your meat.

I served this roast with horseradish sauce, some wilted spinach, onion, and bacon and also some garlic mashed potatoes. Pretty amazing for the hunting camp.

Do some research about how to use the cooker and the wealth of wild game recipes! There’s so much information about the Sous Vide method on the internet. I got my first recipe from my nephew (venison football roast) and then found other recipes for wild game online. Anova (the brand of my cooker) has LOTS of information. Conor Bofin’s One Man’s Meat has become my go-to for sous vide information, outstanding game recipes, and witty stories. His photography is a feast for the eyes, as well.

Hank Shaw’s Hunter-Angler-Gardener-Cook is another great resource. Hank is an inspiration with his wealth of recipes, foraging tidbits, and hunting stories. He also uses the sous vide method for many of his recipes.

Hunting season is upon us! Grab your pot full of cooking magic, do a little research, and put on your hunting camp tiara because you are gonna be the camp queen! Oh, don’t forget a bottle of wine for your highness!

1 Comment

Posted by thedeerslayerswife on November 5, 2018 in camping, camping in South Texas, Cooking, Hunting, hunting in South Texas, Recipes, Uncategorized, Venison

Tags: appetizers, autumn, camping, Cooking venison, recipe, sous vide, sous vide venison recipes

Sometimes the Simplest Things Make a Big Difference

16 Nov

It’s deer season in South Texas ! So it’s time to head out for the big hunt! Getting the all the STUFF to the hunting camp can often be one of the biggest problems for hunters, though, bigger than deciding which rifle to take. If you’ve got an SUV, you’re golden. Everything can be shoved in the back, usually up to the ceiling and packed in tight! I always chuckle when I pass these guys going down the highway. There’s barely room for the hunters, the beer, and all the stuff. Ya gotta wonder if a hunter got left behind to make room for the beer!

But if you head out in a pick-up truck, you need something a little more sturdy and weather resistant in which to pack the necessities. The sleeping bags (or bedding if you have that luxury), towels, food, various tools, ammo, etc. will need to be kept safe from the wind, dust, and possibly rain. Everything can be thrown into the back of the truck, maybe in trash bags. I’m not going to pretend that we haven’t traveled that way in the past. If you’ve had stuff blow out of the bed, then you throw heavy things on top of “fly-away” things.

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We learned the value of plastic storage containers quite a while ago. While they are a step up from trash bags, be warned. There are an endless variety of containers on the market. Many just won’t hold up to the rigors of the trip.

We’ve discovered that there are certain things to consider when choosing containers for hauling supplies in the bed of a truck:

Choose boxes that are reinforced with recessed grids. They seem to be much stronger for repeated use.
Be sure that the boxes fit securely one atop the other when stacked with lids on. Boxes like the one pictured above come in several similar but not identical sizes. On three trips to Home Depot, we purchased three slightly different boxes with lids that weren’t interchangeable and that didn’t stack.
When empty, make sure that the boxes nest one inside the other. It will make it easier for the return trip.
If you have a chance, label each box with the contents so you don’t have to constantly be looking in all the boxes for your socks, or ammo, or cereal.
If inclement weather is possible, pack your stuff in plastic garbage bags in the boxes. While the boxes will go a long way toward keeping your belongings dry, they are not entirely waterproof.
We discovered that the lids, (even the “locking” kind) can sometimes pop off, which can cause them to blow out of the truck!

wp-image--2034384424 These clips can be purchased at any hardware store. They secure the lid without affecting the ability to stack the boxes.

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I know that this seems like an awful lot of advice for something that seems pretty insignificant, but carefully choosing the storage containers that you use to haul your stuff can not only save you money and protect your possessions but, more importantly, it can save a hunting trip!

2 Comments

Posted by thedeerslayerswife on November 16, 2017 in camping, camping in South Texas, Hunting

Tags: camping tips, packing for camping, packing for hunting, plastic storage containers, traveling tips

Grocery List for Three Meals at the Hunting Camp

18 Oct

For me, one of the most difficult things to plan for when heading out for a weekend at the hunting camp is what groceries to take. I don’t want to take so much food that it will end up back in the cooler and brought home again. Also, we don’t always want to grill for every meal so I figured out a way to get three meals out of one evening at the BBQ grill.

With the list of groceries that I’m going to share, you can prepare grilled chicken and vegetables, huevos rancheros, and grilled chicken tacos; one evening at the grill, three meals. Of course some of the veggies can vary according to preference. The veggies needed for the tacos and huevos rancheros will be indicated.

Grocery list:

chicken thighs (about 2 for each person plus one extra per person for the tacos)
one red bell pepper per person (bell pepper will also be used in the tacos)
1 small onion per person, thinly sliced (can be served with the chicken, will be used in huevos rancheros and tacos)
1 jalapenño per person, stem end, seeds removed (will be used in the huevos rancheros and tacos)
other veggie of choice to grill for dinner the first night, suggestions include, asparagus, yellow or zucchini squash (or calabaza if you can get it), or whatever you prefer
olive oil or olive oil cooking spray
seasoned salt
2 eggs per person
2 cans of fire roasted tomatoes
Flour tortillas, the cook-yourself kind if you can find them in the refrigerated biscuit section of your grocer
grated cheddar cheese for tacos

Along with the items on the grocery list, pick up a stack of small aluminum pans. They make clean up so much easier.

Cut ends off peppers, remove seeds and inner membrane, remove stem from squash and quarter length-wise, quarter onion, coat with olive oil and sprinkle liberally with seasoned salt

Set hot charcoal on one side. Place aluminum pan with seasoned chicken on opposite side.

After chicken has cooked for a while, add veggies and cook until chicken is cooked through and veggies are tender.

Meal one.

Meal two: Take leftover onions, jalapeno pepper, and half can of fire-roasted tomatoes. Heat through. Push off to one side. Add eggs and cook as desired. We prefer our eggs over easy.