Grilled Venison Steak Topped With Cowboy Caviar

Summer is a time of garden bounty and busy schedules. Sometimes it’s nice to just make a quick and easy meal that features some of the fresh produce rolling in this time of year.

Take advantage of fresh garden produce for this quick and easy summertime meal.

This simple grilled venison steak, cut from the top round of a nice KY buck my wife killed last November, gets topped with a tasty cowboy caviar.

The cowboy caviar adds a nice touch to a grilled venison steak.

Never heard of cowboy caviar, you say? It’s a warm-weather favorite around here. We make it on the regular. Besides topping a grilled steak or chicken, it is perfect as a dip for tortilla chips. Makes a great alternative to salsa.

This basic recipe is just to get you going. Don’t like cilantro? (About half of my family has the gene that makes it taste awful.) Don’t put it in. You can use black-eyed peas in place of pinto beans if you like. The recipe calls for frozen corn, but it is even better if you cut it straight off the cob from the garden. Same goes for the tomatoes, peppers, etc. If you like yours with a bit more spice, add more jalapeño, or even a fresh, finely diced habanero.

We make a big batch of cowboy caviar, sometimes doubling the recipe, and keep it in the fridge to snack on all week. It’s even better after it has time for the flavors to meld. That also makes it a handy topping for grilled steaks for a quick weeknight meal. The process is simple. Drain and rinse both of the beans before using.

Rinse the beans.

Add everything to a bowl and mix. Cover well and refrigerate.

Add everything to a bowl, toss, then refrigerate until needed.

For the steaks, we stayed simple with a blend of Realtree APX and ground cumin on both sides before a quick grill to medium-rare.

Season the steaks with salt, pepper, and garlic, or use Realtree APX, along with a bit of cumin.

If you don’t have the APX seasoning handy, just season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and ground cumin. Let the steaks rest for a few minutes, then top with a big spoonful of the cowboy caviar.