Have you noticed there has been an explosion of foods that come wrapped in little rectangles? When I was a kid, candy bars were the only “bars” of the grab-and-go variety; convenient, individually packaged sugar rush and cavity accelerators purchased with dimes and quarters at the local Ben Franklin store.
Since then the flood gates opened on commercially produced and individually packaged foods. Granola bars, breakfast bars, and protein bars in every, and any, imaginable combination of ingredients started showing up as snack or meal solutions to our increasingly mobile lifestyles. The popular portability of individually packaged protein foods is undeniable. They are quick and convenient for our busy everyday lives, when we are traveling, or out in the bush and need energy for hunting, fishing, hiking, or paddling.
Recently, there has been a surge in meat bars. This should not surprise me being from the state that invented SPAM, but it does. This isn’t jerky, which to me is the most natural way of carrying un-refrigerated meat in rectangular form. Rather, these pre-cooked meat bars are ground and formed, (often blended with herbs or dried fruits), and remain moist in package. And wow what a package. The artwork can be pretty eye catching.
One young company that is carving out its place in the protein bar niche is EPIC Bar. But get this, they started the company when they became vegetarians. No lie. And their target customers are outdoor athletes with a “strong passion for activity, adventure, training, and optimal nutrition”.
Well, anyone who knows me will tell you I’m no outdoor athlete, but I do have a strong passion for meat! On a recent trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness I bought a few of the EPIC venison and wild boar bars figuring they were transportable meat that needed no refrigeration and would allow me to try a couple recipes beyond packaged tuna fish and run of the mill dehydrated meals. The recipes turned out well, and tasted really good. The precooked, processed, and individually packaged meat protein bars were convenient and flavorful giving extra gumption to a warm meal. In addition, it supplied needed energy to paddle into strong headwinds. So, unleash your wild side and still have room for an afternoon Snickers bar!
VENISON SH!# ON A SHINGLE
Ingredients per serving:
2 slices bread, toasted over the campfire, or griddle grilled
¼ - ½ cup room temperature cream, or milk
½ T chopped shallot
½ teaspoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon chopped rosemary
1-2 T flour
1 T butter
Melt butter in a small cast- iron pan over medium heat. Add shallot, garlic, and rosemary. Cook for about 3 minutes. Add flour ½ T at a time to make a light roux. (The exact amount is usually between 1-2 tablespoons.) Slowly add cream, stirring constantly. Bring to a simmer to thicken. Add salt and pepper to taste.
To serve: Plate the buttered toast, layer on the venison, and pour the gravy over the top. Garnish with a snappy dill pickle and pepper sauce to taste.
Comments