I look forward to fall for so many reasons. The leaves change color, football is in full swing, and I get to go climb trees in search of venison. Bow season here starts in mid-September. I’ve owned a bow for years but seemed to always find a reason to keep it in the storage room and just wait for rifle season to open. That is, until two years ago. I’m now officially a bow-hunting fool. I’ve yet to get one with my trusty Proline, but that won’t dampen my spirits. Plus I get to scout out the terrain for rifle season a bit early. Maybe this will be my year for bagging Bambi with a bow. Wish me luck, or compliment my alliteration, your choice.
6 bell peppers, assorted colors
4 strips thick bacon, chopped
½ pound (450 g) ground pork
½ pound (450 g) ground venison
¼ cup (40 g) celery, diced
1 cup (150 g) onion, diced
¼ cup (40 g) garlic, minced
½ cup (75 g) green onion, chopped
¼ cup (6 g) parsley, chopped
2 large eggs, beaten
- Cut tops out of bell peppers and remove inside seeds. Dice tops and save for later. Soak peppers in boiling water for 5 minutes to soften.
- Cook bacon in large skillet until crispy to render fat. Once brown, remove from skillet and set aside for later.
- Add ground deer and pork to skillet. Using a wooden spoon, chop meats well to incorporate.
- Once meat is thoroughly browned (10–12 minutes), add celery, onion, garlic, and reserved peppers from tops. Sauté for another 10–15 minutes until onions are cooked.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Mix green onion and parsley well with the meat filling. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly in bowl.
- Once cooled, fold in the beaten eggs and season to taste with black pepper. Stuff peppers generously with mixture.
- Place in oven and cook until brown on top (about 30 minutes).
Tips & Tricks—Make sure your peppers can stand up on their own. If not, slice a very thin layer off the bottoms to create a flat surface. You can also put them in a Bundt pan to hold them up—great use for that cake pan that probably is not seeing much action.
