A main dish, a side and even a dessert – here are 3 recipes you should try for this year’s Fourth of July gathering.
VENISON CAPRESE STEAKS
Ingredients:
- 4-6 Venison steaks
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp cracked pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 large tomato
- Fresh basil leaves
- Fresh mozzarella sliced
Glaze:
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar
- ½ cup honey
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
Directions:
- In a heavy bottom saucepan add balsamic vinegar, honey, and brown sugar. Bring to a low boil, reduce heat and simmer 12 minutes or until it covers the back of a spoon, remove from heat and place in mason jar. Chill 30 minutes before use.
- In small bowl mix garlic powder, pepper, salt, rosemary, onion powder and thyme.
- Pat dry venison steaks, season both side with seasoning mixture, place in fridge for 30 minutes. This will allow the dried seasonings to set
- Heat grill or smoker to 275º, place steaks on grill and cook 8 minutes on one side. Brush on balsamic glaze and flip, brush other side and continue to cook 8 minutes or until desired doneness has been reached.
- A couple minutes before you pull your steaks add a slice of mozzarella cheese, followed by a slice of tomato and a fresh basil leaf. Cook until mozzarella cheese just starts to melt.
- Remove from heat, rest 1-2 minutes, drizzle with more glaze and enjoy.
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SMOKED DEVILED EGGS
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Ingredients:
- 6 eggs
- ½ cup mayo
- 1 tbsp mustard
- 2 jalapenos
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp cracked pepper
- 1 tsp hot sauce
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Directions:
- Preheat smoker or grill to 165º
- Place raw eggs directly on the grill and cook for 30-40 minutes. You could skip this step if you boiled your eggs or already have hard boiled eggs.
- Place whole jalapenos on smoker as well.
- Remove eggs from the smoker and place into an ice bath and chill 5 minutes. Peel and place back on smoker for 20-30 minutes. This is where you’ll be getting your smoked flavor. The outside of the eggs will start to turn brown from the smoke, this is what you want.
- Remove eggs and jalapenos, place in fridge for 30 minutes to chill.
- Slice eggs, remove the yolks and place yolks in a bowl.
- Slice one jalapeno for topping and dice other jalapeno fine for filling
- In bowl with yolks add jalapenos and remaining ingredients. Mix until combined.
- In a piping bag add yolk mixture and pipe into each empty egg, top with smoked paprika and a jalapeno slice.
- Serve imminently or refrigerate until ready to each.
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WILD RASPBERRY HAND PIE ICE CREAM SANDWICHES
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With summer hitting and fresh berries everywhere let’s get into a simple dessert. This dessert can be made with store bought jams and pie crusts for a simpler and easier recipe or see my recipes below if you want to try your hand at making your own. You can really use any berry you have available to you for this recipe, but we have a ton of fresh raspberries so that is what I’m using.
Ingredients Jam:
- 4 cups wild raspberries, (or any berry)
- 1.5 cups white sugar
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
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Directions:
- In medium saucepan add raspberries, lemon vest and juice
- Cook over medium heat mashing the berries as they cook and break down.
- Once berries are completely broken down and mashed you can do two different things. You can strain the jam through a fine mesh strainer removing seeds and zest, or you can leave it. This is solely up to you. I strain mine because I don’t care to crunch of seeds, though others do.
- Whatever you decided about to strain or not, the next step is the same. Add your sugar and reduce to low.
- Cook until jam has thickened and there is a trail behind the spoon when you pull it across. Remove from here and cool.
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(Once cooled you can jar and use later, or enjoy right away)
Ingredients Pie Crust:
- 2.5 cups flour
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp white sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 4-8 tbsp ice water
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Directions:
- In food processor add 5 cups flour, sugar, and salt pulse a couple times to combine ingredients
- Place butter cubes around the flour in the food processor and blend until a paste begins to form, 15-30 seconds
- Scrape the bowl and add remaining flour, pulse 4-6 times until flour has mixed. Dough should be crumbly
- Transfer to large bowl, add 4 tbsp cold water and start to mix with a spatula. Press the dough into itself, creating large clumps. If you pinch the dough and it stays together its ready to work. If the dough falls apart add a tablespoon of water at a time until it starts to form
- Remove dough from bowl and place on a clean working surface and work the dough enough to just form a ball. Cut the ball in half and form into two discs. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.
- Now you can remove and roll out unto desired thickness.
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Ingredients Ice Cream Sandwiches:
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 tbsp raw sugar
- 2 cups ice cream
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Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400º
- Using pie crust cut into 2–3-inch round or squares.
- Place ½ tbsp of jam in the center and place another sheet on top. Using a form press down the edges.
- Brush
- On a lined baking sheet place your hand pies and place in oven and bake until brown and fully cooked 10-13 minutes
- Remove pies from oven and cool
- Once cooled take a scoop of vanilla ice cream and place it between two pie and place back in freezer to chill or serve immediately.
