Mmm, venison loins grilled over charcoal

November 19, 2017 - Sunday

19 degrees/snow flurries/windy

Pentoga Road

The deer fairy presented me with a set of venison loins Saturday afternoon, one of the best and most appreciated gifts possible.

Grilling the tender meat over charcoal reminded me of my arctic days where meal selection was divided into thirds.

I enjoyed caribou one out of every three days, usually fixed in a stew. More tender cuts were cubed and cooked with rice and gravy.

The next day it would be moose, often eaten in steaks, roasts, or ground into burgers. Moose was my meat of choice.

The third day was fish, almost always fried, but occasionally boiled in stew and eaten with rice, or  simply dried. 

In the late winter and spring, I'd supplement my diet with ptarmigan, the arctic's answer to the ruffled grouse. Mmm, ptarmigan breasts and beans with a healthy chunk of bacon and dehydrated onions, all simmering in a big pot atop the wood stove.

You can imagine how delightful it was to walk into the camp and smell that heavenly aroma after being outside all day in sub zero temperatures. 

The venison was cooked slowly over smokey charcoal Saturday night. It was some of the best I've ever eaten and as a side benefit, provided a trip down memory lane.

Thanks Venison Loin Fairy!

My first stop in Iron Mountain Friday morning was at Home Depot where I scored a bullseye. They had just put out their cull lumber and if one is careful, he can find some very useable pieces at a 75% discount. 

I purchased seventy dollars worth of milled lumber for twenty dollars. Everything will be used sooner or later, as it seems I always need a piece measuring an odd length for something or the other. I can often cut out the bad section and salvage the good.

The rest of the day was spent in the shop and by days end, I felt as though I actually made some progress.

Cody and Ellie's puzzles were completed.

I now have Josh's munchkins finished and can move onto Emerson, Abigail, Coleman, Ivy, and Grady. I'm almost halfway done.

Progress was made on the turkey where I  carved the beak and the wattle.

I'm beginning to feel a bit more optimistic about the turkey. The finished eyes that were painted yesterday actually gave it some personality and I think by the time the final touches are added, the bird may be passable. We'll see. I'm still not convinced that it won't end up in the wood stove.

After all that sawing, painting, and carving, I was starved.

Having a gift of venison loins is something special and I wasn't about to grill them over gas or worse yet, fry them on the stove. 

Loins are a deer's way of saying, "Thank you for letting me eat all your shrubs, flowers, and bushes."

Last summer, I purchased a small charcoal grill for just this type of occasion, but had yet to assemble the thing.

It took a while, but eventually, the mini grill was ready for its maiden voyage.

It took work and dedication to get a fire going in the cold temperatures and strong winds, but was well worth the effort. A person wouldn't cook the best cut of beef in a frying pan or microwave. Why would anyone prepare deer loins over anything but charcoal?

Baked garden potatoes with sour cream and cottage cheese rounded out the perfect meal. I'm pretty sure all the food groups were covered in some manner or the other.

Sargie was home late last night after working an eleven hour shift. She's back at the Vision Center today from noon until five.

I'm going to try to complete another puzzle today, possibly finish the turkey, then begin work on another using a different design.

Oh wait, this is Sunday, mandatory afternoon grandpa nap day. Very little may be accomplished other than looking at the backside of my eyelids.

If only you had my life, you'd understand.

After all, a man's work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...