The Wild Harvest Table started as a celebration of the culinary bounty represented by wild game and fish in the Finger Lakes region of New York State. Cornell Cooperative Extension Nutrition Educator, Moira Tidball, from Seneca County started the website in January of 2009 as a resource for game and fish recipes, nutrition information, and preparation techniques. Her partner, Dr. Keith G. Tidball, Senior Extension Associate in the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) at Cornell, helped with the inception of the website and recognized potential research questions evolving from the project. With the help of Dr. Paul Curtis from DNR, the team secured USDA funding for “Leveraging the Locavore Movement: Exploring Family and Community Food Decision-making” to examine how the “locavore” movement presents an opportunity to study and influence citizen’s decision-making about procuring, preparing, and consuming wild fish and game.
All of the recipes on the website have been tested to be delicious and relatively simple to prepare. Nutrition facts are included, though some species do not have nutrition information available. Part of their research is investigating this gap in nutrition information for wild game and fish species. The website provides information and links to resources about hunting and fishing, and many recipes for large and small game, fish and fowl, including Venison Pot Roast, Duck Pizza, Goose Jerky, and Squirrel Derby Pie.
‘Game from Farm to Table’ – this PDF from the USDA’s Food Safety & Inspection Service includes information on various wild game species and how they taste, how some game is farmed, whether game is inspected by the USDA, foodborne bacteria that may be associated with game, how game differs from domestic meat, how to handle game safely, removing the “gamey” flavor, suggested cooking methods and temperatures, and how long you can store game in your refrigerator or freezer.
‘Proper Processing of Wild Game and Fish‘ – this free 20-page booklet from Penn State University Cooperative Extension covers the importance of temperature control, methods of processing (aging, cutting/processing, curing, smoking, canning, jerky, and the importance of cooking with a meat thermometer), nutritional information, and 5 pages of recipes.
Penn State University Cooperative Extension publications. These publications contain guidelines and helpful hints to help you make sure that the food you’re providing is safe:
Proper Care and Handling of Fish from Stream to Table
Proper Care and Handling of Game Birds from Field to Table
Proper Care and Handling of Venison from Field to Table
Field Dressing Deer Pocket Guide
New York State Health Advice on Eating Fish You Catch – To help people make healthier choices about which fish to eat, the New York State Department of Health (NYS DOH) issues advice about eating sportfish (the fish you catch). Fishing is fun, and fish are an important part of a healthy diet. Fish contain high quality protein, essential nutrients, healthy fish oils, and are low in saturated fat. However, some fish contain chemicals at levels that may be harmful to health.
North Dakota State University Extension – find many free publications to download on how to handle game meats and fish, plus drying, freezing and canning wild meats.
Big Game from Hunt to Home – from the Pacific Northwest Extension
Camp Cooking Wild Game and Fish Cook Book (See Print Version here)
