VENISON STEAMED BUNS W/ SPICY BRUSSEL SPROUT SLAW

If you grew up eating Wonder Bread and thought it was the best stuff on the planet...Get ready because steamed buns are the grown up version. They are truly just a basic white bread dough for the most part, but are truly from another world once steamed. In this recipe I'm calling for the frozen version. While the scratch version isn't horribly hard to make, I recommend starting off with the frozen buns to see what it's all about. You can find them in almost any Asian grocery. And if you can't? Throw everything into a warm taco shell and you'll still be very happy with the end result! If I get a lot of requests for the scratch version, I will definitely make that recipe happen for you!

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE VENISON

• 2 cups - apple juice (real apple juice is best)

• 1/2 cup - light soy sauce

• 1/2 - red onion, sliced thin

• 4 - garlic cloves, chopped

• 1/4 cup - cilantro

• 1 teaspoon -sesame oil

• 1 tablespoon - lemon grass, chopped (optional)

• 2 pounds - venison loin

FOR THE SLAW

• 2 cups - brussel sprouts, shredded

• 1/3 cup - sour cream

• 2 tablespoons - sriracha

• 3 tablespoons - mayonnaise

• 2 tablespoons - red wine vinegar

• 1/4 cup - scallions, sliced thin

• 1/4 cup - cilantro, chopped

• 4 slices - smoked bacon, cooked and chopped

• salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

FOR THE VENISON

1. Add all of the ingredients except the venison to vessel that you are going to marinate the meat in (A glass pyrex dish or gallon freezer bag works well). Add the meat and marinate in your refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours.

2. Remove the meat from the marinade and dry thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper to your liking. Cook in a medium high heat pan or grill to no more than a medium internal temperature. Let the meat rest 15-30 minutes before slicing in to sliced between 1/4" and 1/2" thick.

FOR THE BRUSSEL SPROUT SLAW

1. Cook the slices of bacon and chop into small pieces.

2. In a small bowl add the all of the wet ingredients and mix. In a separate bowl add all of the dry ingredients, including the bacon. Now pour as much of the wet mixture into the slaw as you would like. Season with salt and pepper.

FOR THE STEAMED BUNS

1. Set up your steamer and bring the water up to a steam. Place the buns inside without overcrowding and steam according to the directions on your package. It should only take around 3 minutes.

2. To assemble the buns.... Lay one flat out on a plate, glaze the inside with a little hoisin sauce, add a little slaw and now the venison.