Venison Freezer Cleanout: Ginger and Lemongrass Grilled Venison Skewers

This is a guest Timber2Table blog post by Carrie Nowlen

It's time for the last stray logs of ground meat to make their way out of the deep freeze and onto a plate. Ground game is commonly used for spaghetti, tacos, meatloaf, and burgers, but a few exotic spices and fresh herbs are all it takes to elevate the meat and create something unique and adventurous.

Americanized Chinese food first arrived in the United States with Cantonese immigrants in the mid-1800s and became synonymous with veggie-loaded chow meins and greasy egg rolls. The Roaring '20s brought Indian curries, and by 1972, America had its first Thai grocer. In the later half of that decade, small, family-owned Vietnamese restaurants began popping up all over the country — and Americans slurped down their first bowls of steaming hot pho with fresh, herb-filled spring rolls.

Essential ingredients in an Asian pantry include garlic, ginger, lemongrass, anise, coriander, and clove. Savory sauces like fish sauce and soy are used for seasoning meats and broths, and fresh herbs provide the finishing touch to heaping bowls of rice noodles. Recipes can be complex or simple and work great with ground meat because flavors are distributed evenly throughout.

These ginger and lemongrass grilled venison skewers are inspired by Vietnam's traditional bo la lot, which are popular in restaurants, as street food, or served at home. Make the dish by shaping ground beef or pork into rolls, wrapping them in la lot leaves or basil, then skewer, grill, and serve them up at backyard BBQs. La lot leaves, or wild pepper leaves, have a spicy fragrance and peppery flavor. They grow commonly in Vietnam and can be found in some Asian markets and home gardens here in the states. More accessible alternatives to la lot leaves are Asian perilla, basil, or mint — each infusing the meat with an individual and recognizable flavor.

The finished product is a fun and tasty kebab that works well as an appetizer, finger food, or entrée. Serve them up with peanut and chile sauce on a pile of rice vermicelli — loaded with lettuce and herbs — and top it all with pickled daikon and veggies for a little punch.

(Show your love for wild game: Realtree Pro Staff Short Sleeve Graphic Shirts)