Why my Wild Game Recipes are Some of the Most Trusted on the Web for 9 Years
Since starting Wild Game Gourmet in 2017, I’ve been headstrong about making sure the recipes I share are crowd pleasers. I make these same recipes for my family dinners, parties, and culinary events. I learned how to test recipes from my years as a professional chef developing menus and under mentors at culinary school. The process is the same; if it doesn’t meet my standards or my testers, the recipe doesn’t make it on the site.
My Recipe Process
I personally develop and test every recipe. Once it’s dialed in, I send the recipes off to family, friends, and hunting buddies.
That means not only does it pass my test, but it must also receive the testers’ approval. They look for the smaller details that I often miss since I already know how a recipe is supposed to work.
Is there a visual cue that would help you recognize when the meat is done? Does a step need a better explanation? Is the stated cooking time realistic? Could the recipe be made simpler without sacrificing the result? Is it too salty?
These are examples of feedback I get from this process.
Charcuterie Gets More Testing
My charcuterie recipes are tested, on average, about twice as much as my standard recipes.
There is less room for improvisation when making sausage, cured meats, and other charcuterie. Salt percentages, curing ingredients, meat-to-fat ratios, temperatures, and processing times all affect the final result.
A small change can be the difference between a sausage that is juicy and one that cumbles apart in your mouth like some weird fake meat.
Because of that, I slow down and take a more exact approach. I check measurements by weight and review the ratios to make sure they are accurate.
When a batch does not turn out the way it should, I make the necessary changes and test it again.
Popular Recipes are Tested on a Regular Basis
I regularly make the fan-favorite recipes throughout the year.
Some of those recipes were first published years ago. So I like to revisit them in case I’ve discovered a new technique or shortcut. Or I may have just thought of a better way of explaining things.
And not only are the recipes tested for my readers’ sake, but many of them are also family favorites I keep in rotation here at the house. And during the holiday season, I make just about every charcuterie recipe on my site for dinner parties.
Why I Remove Recipes
I know what you’re thinking. Why on earth would you remove recipes from your website when some folks might enjoy them?
Every once in a while, I make a recipe I’m really excited about. And just so happens, a lot of other people aren’t so excited about them. So if I receive a high number of complaints, I simply take them down.
However, if I ever removed a recipe that you loved and it’s no longer on the site, just message me. I keep a copy of all of my recipes.
Why my recipe testing makes a difference
- Made with Real Wild Game: Yes, there are some recipes on my site where farmed venison, pork, or duck will work just fine. Farmed animals have more room for error due to their fat content. Every recipe I create uses true free-roaming wild game that I harvested myself. Many come from National Forests in South Carolina.
- Chef Quality: I use the best techniques that I know of to make each and every dish. Proven techniques and rigorously tested recipes give you reliability in the kitchen.
- Transparency: There are no AI-generated recipes on this website. I use it to correct my less-than-stellar spelling or to rewrite two sentences that I just can’t get right. That’s it.
Join the Community
If you’re tired of recipes that don’t work with wild game or have had run-ins with AI-generated food content, you’re in the right place. At Wild Game Gourmet, I’m here to make your cooking experience better one recipe at a time.
