By: Dominic Trimboli
It’s time to dig deep into that meat freezer and clean out the ice-covered forgotten food from the rest of the year. Now don’t worry, we know the reason those cuts are at the bottom of the freezer is likely because they’re not your favorite.
That’s why MEAT! has put together this quick guide to help you put those leftover cuts to use before next year’s elk hits the freezer. We’ve got a few recipes, tips and a handful of suggestions you might not have thought of otherwise.
Sausage Making
If you want to go into the year with a clean freezer and stock up on quick and easy lunch food, then the best way to use those leftover cuts of meat is to make sausage. Break out your MEAT! Grinder, set your leftover cuts on the counter and make a batch from whatever you have on hand.
Stew meat, leftover venison and even organs like heart or liver can be ground together with a little extra fat content and seasonings for phenomenal flavor. Here’s a handful of sausage recipes that have tons of flavor that you can follow to make your sausage.
Remember to keep your fat content as close to 25% as you can, leaner cuts and organs don’t usually have much fat content, which can make them dry or less flavorful.
Donate Wild Game to Hunters for the Hungry
Over 2-million pounds of meat are harvested every year by hunters in the U.S., but tons will go uneaten at the bottom of freezers across the nation. Hunters for the Hungry is a national initiative that takes the extra cuts of meat from your harvests you won’t eat and distributes it to families in need in your area.
Through this program over 8-million meals have been served to families in need, all because hunter like you wanted to give back to their community.
Click the link above to see more information about how you can donate in your state. If you don’t have meat to donate, they accept monetary donations as well.
Make Jerky from Leftover Lean Meat
If you have lean cuts of meat leftover in the bottom of the freezer the simplest way to preserve them is to make delicious jerky. One of our favorite ways to make use of the stew meat at the bottom of the freezer every year is to make Smoked Jerky Chunks.
Click this link to learn everything you need to know about making jerky, and you’ll be able to turn nearly anything in your freezer into a batch of snacks. If you want to make smoked jerky chunks from stew meat, follow all the normal steps you would, but know you’ll need to dehydrate the jerky for longer than you usually would with strips.
Cookout for First Responders or Veterans
If you’re not a hunter, but you still want to be able to give back to your community for the New Year, then there’s no better way than to cookout for first responders, seniors and veterans. Whether you want to help support the nurses at a local hospital with a delicious homecooked meal, host a bbq for the VFW hall down the street or donate protein and sides to Meals on Wheels they’re all outstanding ways to give back and clean out the freezer.
Click any of these links for more information on how to give back throughout the New Year.
- Meals on Wheels – Serving Seniors in need homecooked hot meals across the country.
- Veterans of Foreign Wars – The VFW is a national organization meant to help organize and provide support and community for our veterans. Use the link to find your local branch and ask them how you can host a BBQ.
- Fraternal Order of Police – The FOP is the worlds largest organization of law enforcement officers. Use the link to find your local branch and ask them how you can host a BBQ.