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Harvesting your homestead bounty is one of the greatest accomplishments you’ll ever achieve (especially if it involved harvesting meat, like venison). I can remember the first garden I planted—it was a disaster. Not only that, but I had the worst time trying to find a cookbook specifically tailored towards the homestead harvest and garden. It didn’t matter anyway, I was a horrible gardener. But the really hard part was finding a cookbook for our venison bounty. Wild game is never easy to cook when you first start down that journey, and I was determined to master venison.
It helps, however, to have mentors and experts sharing their knowledge and expertise with us. We find these people by reading books and watching videos. Most of them are humble, generous, and kind in nature. And Stacy Lyn Harris is one of my favorite of them all.
I can remember the first time I talked to Stacy on the phone. Her heavy southern accent was enough to capture any heart, and her down to earth attitude and outlook on life was encouraging. Since then, each time I connect and talk to her, I find a new thing to love about her. She’s someone I could talk to for hours about womanhood and motherhood, and she totally “gets it”. So when she published her harvest cookbook, Stacy Lyn’s Harvest Cookbook: The New Recipes and Tips for Sustainable Living, I knew I had to have it on my bookshelf. Not just because she’s a beautiful person inside and out, but because I know she gets this entire homesteading lifestyle, and the beauty that surrounds it.
Through vibrant photos, personal stories, and tips, I can hear that beautiful southern draw come through every page of this book. I was first sucked in by the photography and personal stories, but when the recipes came, my goodness, what a beautiful life we really do share.
This book takes you from garden to field, from woods to creek—Stacy has covered it all. Begin with the basic gardening harvests, how to preserve them, and how to use them. From recipes like common fried green tomatoes, to more unique recipes like strawberry clafouti. Then move on to herbs, more fruits, tree nuts, poultry and eggs, beef, fish, wild game, and more! Every single homesteader that cooks their harvest needs this book on their bookshelf. It has been one of my favorites for quite some time.
I am constantly trying to find new recipes for venison. Since venison is the main meat source on our homestead, after awhile, you can get tired of the same old recipe. This book help me combat that issue and broadened my horizons in new and amazing ways when it came to wild game. Not only that, I had some incredible side dishes and desserts to go along with it! But more than that, hunting for you own meat source is an incredible experience as a family.
I find that preparing for and hunting wild game has contributed to the closeness of our family. . . Each person contributes to the family’s sustenance whether it is to gather or hunt, or whether itis to prepare and cook the venison. It is all an adventure for every age whether male, female, old, or young.
There are no phones, gadgets, or distractions; just you, the kids, and the great outdoors. After the meal is prepared, the stories come to life of the hunt, and all the preparation and hard work together is rewarded with a delicious, succulent meal. — Stacy Lyn Harris, Stacy Lyn’s Harvest Cookbook
Here is this easy and delicious recipe from Stacy’s book!
Venison Scaloppine
Serves 6
1.5 lbs venison loin
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 extra large eggs
2 cups breadcrumbs, dried and seasoned
1 lb large button mushrooms, quartered
1.5 cups sherry or marsala wine
4 tbsp cold unsalted butter
3 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- Slice venison into 1-inch pieces. Pound to 1/4 inch thick.
- On a plate, mix together flour, salt, and pepper. Beat the eggs with 1 tbsp of water on a second separate plate. On a third plate, add the breadcrumbs.
- Lightly dredge venison in the flour mixture, the the eggs, and lastly the breadcrumbs.
- Heat oil and half the butter in a large cast iron skillet or saute pan. Cook venison about 2 minutes over medium heat on each side until brown. Transfer pieces of venison to a cooling rack.
- If necessary, add a little more olive oil and the mushrooms to the pan until juices have been absorbed. Add sherry to mushrooms and reduce by half. Add remaining butter to the pan and bring just to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and cook for about 5 more minutes.
- Stir in the thyme leaves. Pour mushrooms and sauce over the venison and serve.
Here’s what you can find in Stacy Lyn’s Harvest Cookbook:
- The Garden: Heirloom gardening, growing and cooking, types of gardening, preserving, and more!
- Beyond the Garden: Foraging for wild fruits, herbs, and greens; beekeeping and honey; poultry and eggs
- From the Pasture: Beef, pork (and other white meats), and lamb
- Woods and Water: Venison and red meat, sausage making, substitutions, wild game, seafood and fish
- . . . along with personal stories, history, and packed full of over 100 recipes!
I hope that you’ll check out this delicious homestead cookbook from my friend, Stacy Lyn!
Buy Stacy Lyn’s Harvest Cookbook here!
Watch Stacy Lyn make Venison Scaloppini below!
