Venison Risotto-Stuffed Squash
working in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley provide her with many opportunities to expand her
culinary horizons and continue to learn and grow through hunting, fishing, foraging, and farming.
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This is a dish that celebrates the season’s bounty in a simple way. The ubiquity of winter squash and versatility of ground game meat, readily made from even trimmings and scraps, make for a hearty crowd pleaser that looks great in the middle of a dinner table. In fact, this was literally my Thanksgiving main dish this year! I made two versions — one with a butterkin and one with a red kuri squash.
I don’t know why, but I find venison and winter squash to be the ultimate meat and vegetable matchup. Perhaps it’s because people have been eating deer and squash for ages. Or maybe because a big, colorful cucurbit — be it a pumpkin or a gourd — is both decorative and functional, much like a nice set of antlers. Venison goes so well with the natural sweetness of the squash, and cheesy, savory rice is a great binder to make a satisfying filling.
I look forward to this pairing all year, and I love being so fortunate to source locally grown produce to enjoy with the meat I work so hard to get myself. It reminds me that eating is always a collaborative effort, and food is made possible by engaging in your community and ecosystem. This is what it’s all about — and whether you’re sharing it with loved ones for the holidays or reheating it for work lunch, this humble dish will keep you going on these cold last days of fall.
Serving Size: 4-6 servings
Time to make: About 1 hour
Special Equipment: Rotary cheese grater
Also works with: Any ground wild game meat
Looking for more ground venison recipes? Try out Derek Towles’ Smoked Venison and Oats Meatloaf recipe!
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Venison Risotto-Stuffed Squash
4-6
servings30
minutes40
minutesThis stuffed squash is great served on its own or as the centerpiece of a holiday meal alongside stuffing, cranberry sauce, and roasted vegetables.
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Ingredients
- For the Venison
1 lb lean ground venison (no fat added)
2 tbs olive oil
1 tbs onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp cracked black pepper
2 tsp ground sage
2 tsp smoked sweet paprika
2 tsp dried parsley
½ tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp allspice
½ tsp celery salt, or to taste
Splash white vinegar
- For the Risotto
1/2 medium onion, diced
4 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 cups venison or beef stock (my brown stock was perfect for this!)
¼ cup dry white wine
1 cup arborio rice
1 wedge of real Parmesan cheese (like Parmigiano Reggiano)
1 tbs fresh thyme leaves
Salt and pepper, to taste
- For the Squash
1 2-3 lb winter squash
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 tbs unsalted butter, for assembling and baking the filling
Preparation
- FOR THE SQUASH
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Slice your squash in half lengthwise, scraping out any seeds.
- Rub squash with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Place squash sliced side down in an oven-safe dish or baking sheet, with a little water added to the vessel.
- Bake squash until it pierces easily with a fork, about 15-20 minutes. Set aside.
- FOR THE VENISON
- Heat olive oil over medium heat.
- Add venison and spices and stir to thoroughly combine.
- Cook meat til browned, adding a splash of the vinegar at the end for brightness. Set aside.
- FOR THE RISOTTO
- Gently heat your stock and keep it warm. You can use low heat in a saucepan or microwave it in a bowl.
- Melt butter and heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
- In a separate, dry pan, lightly toast the rice. This step helps achieve an al dente texture.
- Add the onions to the large pan with the butter/oil and cook til softened, then
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Add the toasted rice and toss to coat in the butter and oil, covering each grain thoroughly.
- Add 1 ladleful (about a cup or so) of the stock and stir until it’s absorbed by the rice.
- Repeat til you’ve incorporated all the stock; about 20 minutes.
- When you add the last bit of stock, add the wine along with it. Let the liquid absorb only halfway before liberally grating the Parmesan cheese into the mixture.
- 10. Let cheese and liquid absorb into the rice. It should be thick and not at all watery, and creamy from the cheese.*
- 11. Add the fresh thyme leaves and additional Parmesan, if desired. I for one always desire more cheese.
- PUTTING IT TOGETHER
- Combine your cooked venison and risotto and mix thoroughly, tasting and adjusting seasoning to taste for the filling.
- Scoop the filling into the cavities of the squash, pressing gently with a spoon until the filling is packed solid/no longer crumbly.
- Tuck a pat of butter into each filled squash half.
- Place on cookie sheet/baking dish and cook for another 10-15 minutes or until browned.
- Notes
- *Because of the rice toasting step, the finished rice grains should still be ever so slightly firm. It’s ok to let a bit more liquid evaporate than is traditional for a risotto, yet it would also work if it was as dry as a pilaf. You could probably use cooked leftover rice. Point being — you have some wiggle room when it comes to the rice texture. It’s getting mixed with meat anyway.
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