Great Outdoors: Wild game cooking tips

Greg Wagner gives cooking tips for wild game on this week’s Great Outdoors

TODAY WE ARE TALKING ABOUT WILD GAME COOKING AND DELICIOUS. YES, FISH MAY NOT BE THE STAPLE FOR THANKSGIVING. OKAY, WITH HUNTERS, THERE’S A LOT TO TALK ABOUT WITH WILD GAME AND PEOPLE COOKING IT UP. AND GREG WAGNER WITH NEBRASKA GAME AND PARKS IS HERE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFT. RIGHT. WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS GIFT. YEAH. YOU CAN GIFT THE GIFT OF VENISON. MAYBE IF YOU’VE HARVESTED A DEER. OH, NICE. THERE YOU GO. OKAY. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS TO REMEMBER AS YOU ARE PREPARING AND COOKING THIS GAME? MEAT FOR A MEAL. WELL, DON’T USE DOMESTIC MEAT RECIPES, OKAY? WILD GAME IS LEAN. IT IS EASY TO DRY OUT. SO YOU NEED TO USE WILD GAME RECIPES. KEEP IN MIND MOIST HEAT, MOIST HEAT, AND MEDIUM RARE. NOW YOUR ETERNAL MEAT TEMPERATURES NEED TO BE FOR GROUND. PROBABLY ONE 6165 WITH A THERMOMETER. AND FOR BIRDS AS WELL. EVERYTHING ELSE PROBABLY GOING TO BE ABOUT 140 TO 145, BUT MEDIUM RARE. MOST PEOPLE OVERCOOK. YEAH, AND THEN WILD GAME AND THEN IT’S GOING TO TASTE GAMEY AND SHOE LEATHER LIKE. YEAH. EXACTLY. TO HELP WITH THAT, THERE ARE SOME MARINADES AND BRINES AS WELL. DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS TO SIMPLIFY THAT FOR US. MARINADES AND BRINES ARE GREAT. VERY SIMPLY FOR GAME MAMMALS LIKE DEER. USE A COLA, USE COCA-COLA, OR USE A COLA PRODUCT. SERIOUSLY. AND IF IT’S BIRDS, IF IT’S PHEASANTS, OR IF IT’S WATERFOWL, MAYBE YOU’RE GOING TO USE SOMETHING LIKE GINGER ALE OR CLUB SODA AND CHANGE THEM OUT A COUPLE TIMES. IT’S GOING TO BE IN THE FRIDGE. YEAH. TRY THOSE. HOW LONG DO YOU MARINATE IT GOING TO BE OVERNIGHT OKAY. YEAH, ABOUT 12 HOURS OR SO OKAY. SO WE TALKED ABOUT THAT. THE TEMPERATURES MAKE SURE YOU GOT THE MARINADE. WE WANT TO YOU KNOW SAVOR THAT FLAVOR BECAUSE IT IS SO LEAN. AND IT QUICKLY CAN GO WRONG. ABSOLUTELY. YES. AND AGAIN THE BIG THING IS WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT JUST SUBSTITUTE RANDOMLY RECIPES. RIGHT. YOU CAN’T DO THAT FOR DOMESTIC MEATS. IT’S NOT FOR WILD GAME. YOU CAN’T DO THAT BECAUSE WILD GAME IS EXTREMELY LEAN IN FREE RANGING. IT’S ABOUT AS ORGANIC AS YOU CAN GET. YEAH. OKAY. SO IF YOU’RE IF YOU’RE LIKE, OKAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, I WENT THROUGH ALL THIS WORK. WE FINALLY GOT A DEER. WANT TO DO THIS? I DON’T EVEN WANT TO RISK IT. THERE ARE PLACES THAT YOU CAN GO. THERE ARE MEAT PROCESSORS HERE IN TOWN, AND I HAVE SOME JALAPENO VENISON STICKS. YOU’RE GOING TO TRY SOME WHEN WE’RE DONE HERE? YES. AND I LIKE TO PUT THESE ON A SAMPLER PLATTER FOR THANKSGIVING OR FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON. MAYBE CUT THEM UP A LITTLE BIT. HAVE SOMEBODY TRY A LITTLE BIT OF WILD GAME AND THEY’LL GO, OH, IS THE CREW HERE DID OH WOW. WOW. GOOD STUFF. YEAH. YOU DON’T HAVE JALAPENO. WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITES TO GET? I LIKE THE SUMMER SAUSAGE A LOT OKAY I DO. I LOVE THE OBVIOUSLY THE DEER TENDERLOINS. WE SERVE THOSE AND WHAT WE’RE CALLED THE BACK STRAPS OF THE DEER. VERY TASTY. BUT ANYTHING YOU CAN MAKE OUT OF BEEF, YOU CAN PRETTY MUCH CAN MAKE OUT OF DEER. OKAY, JUST REMEMBERING HOW TO DO IT. THAT’S RIGHT. DON’T OVERCOOK IT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. NEBRASKA GAME AND PARKS FOR MORE IN

Great Outdoors: Wild game cooking tips

Greg Wagner gives cooking tips for wild game on this week’s Great Outdoors

Updated: 12:16 PM CST Nov 29, 2025

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Greg Wagner with Nebraska Game and Parks joins KETV in studio for this week’s Great Outdoors to discuss the best cooking tips for wild game. For mor information and all the tips you can watch the interview on this article and head to outdoornebraska.gov.

OMAHA, Neb. —

Greg Wagner with Nebraska Game and Parks joins KETV in studio for this week’s Great Outdoors to discuss the best cooking tips for wild game.

For mor information and all the tips you can watch the interview on this article and head to outdoornebraska.gov.