Authentic Wild Game Fajitas
As a hunter, I am always looking for creative ways to prepare the meat that comes from a successful hunt. It is very easy to get caught doing the same old things, and when you have a variety of pallets in your home to satisfy, it is nice to change it up and try to find something that everyone loves. In my home this can be challenging. My wife didn’t really grow up on wild game, so naturally I’m usually met with resistance when I offer to cook something that I harvested myself. I can usually get her to at least try my concoctions, but they never result in a full helping or even a second taste for that matter. Until now!
The Friday after Thanksgiving we decided to have an authentic Mexican family cook out. One of my parent’s best friends is from Mexico (Javier (Javi) Torales) and over the last year or so I have gotten to know Javi quite well. I have often times heard my parents and siblings raving about what a good cook he is. Then I got to find out first hand a few weeks before Thanksgiving when I was home on a pheasant hunting outing. Needless to say, I asked him if he would be interested in cooking one of his favorite dishes using wild game. Javi was more than excited to prepare a big family feast for us and the results were phenomenal. My wife even went up for seconds! All in all it was another great night with family, and now I have one more recipe to add to my list of wild game favorites.
The meat was prepared by slicing it into thin strips. Any source of protein can be used, but in this case the meat was antelope backstraps.
The antelope backstraps were then cooked until medium rare. For optimum taste it is very important to not overcook any type of wild game.
The onions and peppers of choice were sliced into thin strips.
The peppers and onions were sauteed in oil with a dash of pepper (optional). Once the peppers were to the desired tenderness, they were added to the venison and allowed to simmer.
The combined fajita filling was kept on low heat until ready to serve.
No authentic Mexican meal is complete without jalapenos. For this recipe the jalapenos were sliced lengthwise. The seeds can be left in or removed depending on the desired heat.
The jalapenos were then sauteed in oil to the desired tenderness.
The long grain white rice was added to a pot and browned in oil.
Once the rice had been browned, Javi added the blended tomato.
The rice and tomato blend was allowed to cook until complete.
Once the rice and tomato blend was finished cooking, it was kept on low heat until ready to serve.
Once everything was complete, the tortillas were heated up in a medium skillet just prior to serving. For extra flavor Queso Fresco cheese was grated and sprinkled over the beans (this can also be added to the rice and fajita filling) followed by the addition of freshly sliced avocados.
Fajita Filling Ingredients
- 2 Green Peppers
- 2 Orange Peppers
- 1 Red Pepper
- 2 Medium Onions
- 2 lbs Wild Game (sliced or cubed)
- 1 Tbsp Drilz Seasoning (Grilz Seasoning Company)
- 1 Tbsp Salt
- 2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
Recipe
To a skillet on medium heat, add 1 Tbsp vegetable oil followed by peppers and onions. Cook until tender. In a separate pan, add 1 Tbsp vegetable oil followed by venison (any protein source can be used, but in this case it was antelope back straps), Drilz seasoning (or any other favorite meat seasoning), and salt. Cook on medium heat until the meat is medium rare (important: Do not overcook). Add peppers and onions to the venison and let simmer until ready (10-15 min). Heat up tortillas in frying pan or skillet and add fajita filling. Sprinkle with grated Queso Fresco cheese and serve.
Rice Ingredients
- 2 Cups Long Grain White Rice
- 2 Cups Water
- 4 Chicken Bouillon Cubes
- 2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 1/2 Tsp Onion Powder
- 1 Tomato (blended)
Recipe
In a medium pot, add 2 Tbsp vegetable oil followed by rice. Cook on medium heat until golden brown. Add in water, chicken bouillon cubes, blended tomato and onion powder and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low for 15 minutes. Once served, sprinkle with with grated Queso Fresco cheese.
Jalapenos Ingredients
- 5 Jalapenos (sliced lengthwise, seeds optional)
- 1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
Recipe
In a medium skillet, add vegetable oil and jalapenos. Cook on low to medium heat until tender.
Bean Ingredients
- 1 Can Refried Beans
- 1/2 Cup Water
- 1/2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
Recipe
To a small pot add vegetable oil, beans, and water. Heat until desired temperature is reached. Once served, sprinkle with grated Queso Fresco cheese.
Total preparation time: about 60 min
Serving size: 6-8 people
Sean, really enjoying reading your posts. My husband is an avid hunter here in western South Dakota. We also enjoy teaching our kids the joy of the outdoors. I hope this finds you doing well. Looking forward to the next one.
Hi Kate! Thank you very much. I love hearing about families getting out and enjoying the outdoors together, especially when kids are involved. After all, they are the future. I hope you had a great hunting season and a wonderful New Year! Thanks for stopping by the site!
Sean