Country-Fried Venison Camp Steaks
Pounded venison in a spiced crumb crust, fried in a skillet over the fire.
- calories
- 620
- weight
- 11 oz
- cal / oz
- 56
- protein
- 48 g
- serves
- 6, scales
- prep
- 30 min
- cook
- 20 min
- total time
- 50 min
- water
- none
- cost
- $$
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Dinner
- Campfire coals
- Grill grate
- Liquid fuel
- Car camping
- Basecamp
- Real dishes
- Pre-mix at home
- Needs a cooler
- Actual cooking
Ingredients
| Venison roast or backstrap | 2-3 lb | sliced against the grain into 1/2 inch steaks |
|---|---|---|
| Queso fresco | 10 oz wheel | crumbles cold, keep it in the cooler |
| Bread crumbs | 2 cups | |
| Eggs | 4 | beaten in camp |
| Flour | 1 cup | |
| Cumin, salt, black pepper | 1 tsp each | mixed into the flour at home |
| Garlic powder | 1/2 tsp | |
| Red pepper flakes | 2 tsp | halve it for a milder crust |
| Southwestern seasoning blend | 2 tsp | |
| Cooking oil | 1 cup | enough for a half inch in the skillet |
Method
- Lay the steaks on a board and pound them to a quarter or half inch with a mallet or the flat of a hatchet. Venison is lean and tough; this is the step that fixes both.
- Crumble the queso fresco fine and work it into the bread crumbs with the pepper flakes and Southwestern seasoning.
- Set up three pans: seasoned flour, beaten eggs, crumb mix.
- Build a bed of coals or set the skillet on a grate over a steady flame. Pour in a half inch of oil and let it come up to heat. A pinch of crumbs should sizzle right away.
- Dredge each steak in flour, then egg, then press it into the crumb mix on both sides.
- Fry three or four minutes a side until the crust is dark gold. Do not crowd the pan or the oil temperature drops and the crust goes soggy.
- Rest the steaks on a plate while the next batch goes in.
This is a car-camping dinner, not a pack-in one. It needs a cooler, a deep skillet, and enough oil to shallow-fry, which is three things a backpacker will not have. What it gives back is a way to turn a lean, unforgiving cut into something with a crust.
The queso fresco in the breading is the part worth keeping. It is dry and crumbly rather than melty, so it browns into the crumb layer instead of sliding off. Keep the oil hot between batches and give the meat room; a crowded pan steams the crust rather than frying it.
Packing
Mix the seasoned flour at home in one bag and the crumb-and-spice base in another; the cheese gets folded in at camp so it does not clump. Steaks and cheese ride in the cooler. Carry the oil in a leakproof bottle inside a second bag.
Variations
- Fry eggs in the leftover oil and serve them over the steaks.
- Beef cube steak works the same way if the freezer is empty.
- No queso fresco in the cooler: skip it and add another teaspoon of seasoning to the crumbs.
https://realtree.com/timber-2-table-wild-game-recipes/tex-mex-country-fried-venison-steak-recipe