Crispy Venison Chow Mein
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This recipe combines separate classic techniques to make an ultra-crispy delicious meal, reminiscent of your favorite Chinese take-out dishes, but even better. Venison strips get fried until crispy, then dressed in one of my favorite condiments – Lao Gan Ma Chili Crisp. This sauce is basically a not-too-spicy chili oil full of delectable crispy bits. It is insanely tasty and addictive and is magical when paired with venison. Find it in any Asian grocery store, or order it online. The crispy venison then gets piled onto fried chow mein noodles nests, doubling the crisp factor and making it a fun meal for the whole family.
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Crispy Venison Chow Mein
Course: Wild RecipesCuisine: Wild Game, ChineseDifficulty: Medium4
servings30
minutes40
minutesIngredients
- For the Marinade
1lb venison loin, leg, or shoulder, cut into bite-sized stir fry strips or chunks
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons corn starch
- For the Stir Fry
1lb fresh chow mein noodles (or 1/2lb dried and reconstituted)
½ cup vegetable oil (or enough to coat a skillet or pan with ¼” of oil)
12 garlic scapes, cut into bite-sized pieces OR 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, minced
2 tablespoons Lao Gan Ma brand chili crisp
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
½ tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup water
3 scallions (green onions), sliced
Preparation
- Put the venison meat into a bowl and pour over the oil and salt. Mix well. Add the cornstarch and mix again until all the pieces are covered. Let marinate for about 15 minutes.
- If using dried chow mein noodles, follow package directions to reconstitute them. If using fresh, bring a pot of water to the boil, add the noodles and cook for 1 minute. Drain the noodles and rinse with cold water to stop them from cooking.
- Add the ½ cup of vegetable oil to a wok, frying pan, or skillet and bring to MEDIUM-HIGH heat.
- While it is heating up, separate the chow mein noodles into 4 piles. Arrange each pile into a nest shape. Add one of the nests to the hot oil. Cook for about 4 minutes, or until the bottom is crispy. Using two spatulas, carefully flip the nest over and cook it on the other side for another 3 minutes or so, being sure not to let it burn.
- Lift the nest out of the oil and let it drain over the pan for 10 seconds, then set onto paper towels to drain further. Repeat with the other 3 nests.
- Now take the venison pieces and carefully lay half of them into the oil to fry. Watch out as they may spit a bit!
- Fry them 2 minutes per side or until very crispy, then remove them and fry the other half. Drain on paper towels along with the noodles.
- Pour out all but 1 tablespoon of the oil in the pan. You can dispose of it or strain it and re-use.
- Add the garlic scapes and stir fry for 1 minute. Add the cooked venison pieces and the ginger, and cook for 1 more minute. Now add the chili crisp and soy sauce and stir everything together to combine. Take off of the heat.
- In a separate pot (the one you boiled noodles in would work) add the oyster sauce, cornstarch and water. Whisk well, then bring to a simmer, letting it thicken into a relatively thin sauce.
- TO PLATE: Put a noodle nest onto a plate. Drizzle it with a couple spoonfuls of the oyster sauce mixture, then top it with ¼ of the crispy venison. Scatter on some scallions, then drizzle with a little more sauce. Enjoy!
