From Texas Field to D.C. Table
As you’ve probably noticed on BF, it’s not always about sitting down and enjoying a meal. Sometimes you gotta work for your dinner. That’s when you look to the folks at Broken Arrow Ranch– an artisanal producer free-range venison, antelope, and wild boar meat. The family-owned business out of Texas Hill Country is serious about their meat, field harvesting only truly wild animals. I was thrilled to hit the field with these guys, hoping to track a deer.
After a full day of hunting, I ended up getting the beautiful sika deer (pictured above)– an Asian species that they’re raising on the ranch.
Within minutes of shooting the animal, the deer was hit with electrical stimulation. This causes a contraction of muscles which ensures a thorough bleed out, guaranteeing a mild-tasting meat and longer shelf life sans funky preservatives. It also tenderizes the meat (typically 40 percent to 60 percent more tender than non-stimulated meat).
The carcass is then hauled to a mobile processor, which is right out in the field with us. Broken Arrow has one of their meat cutters (guy in blue hat), as well as a USDA inspector (guy in white hat) onsite. The animal is expertly broken down, then the cuts are placed into a mobile cooler.
I’ve hunted my entire life and have never seen anyone do this– ever. The process isn’t an easy one, but it’s worth it. This is hands down some of the best meat I’ve ever tried. So incredibly fresh and tender. It’s quality is unparalleled.
Chef Rene Ortiz of La Condesa whipped up this fantastic deer heart escabeche. That’s some fresh pluck.
Chef Ortiz also did these amazing tortilla cooked with bacon fat, stuffed with seared deer loin, cumin yogurt, and habanero harissa.
I got in on the culinary action, putting these jalapeños stuffed with deer liver, heart and kidney wrapped in cherry smoked bacon onto the grill for some slow roasting chile goodness.
On Bizarre Foods America, this is where my deer story will end. But wait! There’s more for you blog readers. The deer I shot was purchased by Chef Robert Wiedmaier of Brabo in Old Town Alexandria (outside of DC), and is currently available on their menu.
Chef de Cuisine, Chris Watson said they’re running these two dishes (created by Chef de Cuisine, Chris Watson) made from my sika as a weekend special. He expects them to sell out quickly, so you gotta get there today or tomorrow. How good do these look?!:
Pan seared venison loin with tagliatelle pasta, venison ragout, Brussels sprouts and venison sausage, natural jus.
Pappardelle with venison ragout chanterelle mushrooms and mustard greens.
If you’re in the DC area, try to get to Brabo this weekend. Trust me, these dishes are going to be insanely good.
all looks good…..yum!!!!
Glad you had a great hunting experience! That meat looked so good, there are more ranches and hunting outfits that are having mobile meat prep in the field. Great way to learn about butchering, which is feel is becoming a lost art. Love your show KEEP EATING!
now i'm definitely jealous of that meal…i don't think my thanksgiving will surpass that spread B)
when are your new shows coming out??? Need More Please!!!
I live in the area where Broken Arrow does their stuff. They're a great outfit. I was able to take a Sika on a local ranch and will tell you it also makes a fantastic curry dish.
It is too cruel, and I do not want to see this article.
I sooooooooo want to hang with you for a day…..please!!!!!!! I want to so bad…I am one of your biggest fans
i'm a big fan and you are a cool guy to every one to meet and i love your show its a cool show i like when you went to NY and i wish to meet you some day and i like it one you eat bugs and animals and strange thangs so i wish to meet you some day ok
I’d should test with you here. Which isn’t something I usually do! I get pleasure from studying a submit that will make folks think. Additionally, thanks for allowing me to remark!
I love your show watch it every chance I get I have lived in Kuwait visited Thailand,Hungary,U.A.E.,Bahrain etc have tried foods from all of these places.I just wanted to know if you could do a show on deep south black American foods thanks.
I can't believe people are delving into your personal life!!!! Geez!… LOL.. but that seems to be just what I'm going to do. Not sex, sweety but hair. I just saw you with a little natural fringe and I have to say that, in my opinion, as a woman, you look sooooo good without the shaved head. You look good anyway but that fringe is so sexy. You should wear your hair the way you wish but know that being naturally bald on top is HOT!
I like how you have plated up! well done!
Marina @ Dubai Beach Apartments
I love your show dude. You have no idea. I watch it, I laugh, I enjoy the scenery, the cultures and the people you interact with. You are genuine xenophile. However, there's always gotta be one right? And it's me:
"My refusing to eat flesh occasioned an inconveniency, and I was frequently chided for my singularity, but, with this lighter repast, I made the greater progress, for greater clearness of head and quicker comprehension. Flesh eating is unprovoked murder." – Benjamin Franklin
Poor animals! How jealously they guard their pathetic bodies . . . that which to us is merely an evening's meal, but to them is life itself. – T. Casey Brennan
Wow good topic but i need more explaination and photos cause i wanna to translate it to french can I ?? and can i get ur yahoo mail?
Hey Pirate DVR,
The fact that you can't stomach watching an animal die, but want to get to eating part makes me want to vomit. How can you feel something for a slaughtered animal, and then turn around immediately and order the death of one with your meal? That kind of hypocrisy makes me sick. You are just as guilty of an animals suffering by ordering and eating them as the person who kills them. To say otherwise would be to invoke the "Manson Defense". Last I checked he's still in jail. Should we release him since he simply ordered off the menu and didn't slit the LaBiancas and Polanskis himself?
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Andrew, thanks to you and the other food shows on the Travel Channel, my husband is becoming less of a "chicken lips" (afraid to try new foods). We are planning weekends that cover the different restaurants you mention on your various shows. I'm jealous that I can't find "Bizarre Foods" in my hometown.
I create a leave a response whenever I especially enjoy a article on a website or I have something to add to the conversation. It’s a result of the passion communicated inside the article I looked at. And after this post From Texas Field to D.C. Table Bizarre Foods. I was excited enough to post a thought
I actually do have a couple of questions for you if you usually do not mind. Could it be only me or do some of the responses appear as if they are written by brain dead folks? 
And, if you are writing at additional sites, I’d like to keep up with you. Would you list the complete urls of your public sites like your linkedin profile, Facebook page or twitter feed?
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