Spicy Ginger Upland Stir Fry
‘The easiest, quickest, most delicious wild stir fry you will ever make’
If this recipe had a subhead it’d be this: ‘The easiest, quickest, most delicious wild stir fry you will ever make.’
Actually, that is what this recipe’s subhead is.
Yes, that is a substantial string of potentially hyperbolic culinary speak, but I can confirm this one is easy and very tasty, and it works for all the upland birds in your freezer. Truth be told, it works for any wild game. You do want breast meat, though, since leg meat would require different techniques to tenderize those cuts.
The main difference to consider between different proteins is you’ll want to cook your white-flesh meat, like pheasant, more thoroughly before adding vegetables to mix. With red-flesh bird meat, like prairie grouse, the goal is medium-rare meat so you will add vegetables and meat at the same time for a hot and fast sear.
Note: the vegetables listed below are a recommendation. If you don’t like something or prefer something else, that is your call. The star here is the simple sauce of Sambal chili paste and honey with hints of ginger and garlic and a smidge of sesame oil. This one is indeed slightly spicy, so potentially not for children.
You can use either a wok or a large cast-iron skillet for cooking. From my end, I cooked each serving individually because my cast-iron skillet isn’t super large and you do not want to crowd the pan. Crowding the pan (more than half full) will release steam and won’t provide an adequate sear on meat and vegetables. Keep this in mind when cooking.
Enjoy! Reach out to me on Instagram (@WildGameJack) with any questions or comments.
Spicy Ginger Upland Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 24 oz upland game breasts cut into thin strips
- 2 tsp fresh garlic minced
- 2 tsp fresh ginger minced
- 1 medium red onion julienned
- 1 red bell pepper julienned
- 1 green bell pepper julienned
- 6 oz baby corn drained
- 4 oz water chestnuts drained
- 4 oz broccoli florets
- 4 oz snow or sugar snap peas
- 8 oz baby portobello mushrooms
- 1 carrot minced
- 4 tbsp sambal chili paste
- 4 tbsp honey
- 1/2 tsp sesame seed oil
- Peanut oil
- kosher salt
- fresh cracked black pepper
- 2 cups jasmine rice
- 2 3/4 cups cold water
- chives minced, for garnish
Instructions
- Slice your bell peppers and red onion julienne, then cut your upland breasts into long strips. Keep vegetables and meat in separate bowls. Mince carrots and finely mince garlic and ginger. Cut broccoli into florets, slice baby portabellas (if not already sliced).
- Heat a large skillet or wok on high heat with a thin layer of peanut oil.
- To make rice, add 2 cups jasmine rice to medium saucepan with 2 3/4 cups cold water. Cover and bring to boil. Once boiling, turn to low and then off once water is absorbed. This will likely take 10-15 minutes.
- If cooking white-flesh meat like pheasant, add to hot skillet or wok first without vegetables. Dust with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Cook bird to almost done then add vegetables. Dust with a little more salt and pepper and stir to sear all evenly and adequately.
- If cooking red-flesh bird protein, like prairie grouse, add meat and vegetables simultaneously and dust with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Stir to evenly sear with the goal of medium-rare for red meat.
- When vegetables are seared, add 1/4 tsp each of freshly minced ginger and garlic. (If cooking all together, add 2 teaspoons of each.) Add just a drop of sesame seed oil per serving. Stir in for 1 minute, until garlic and ginger are aromatic.
- Add, per serving, 1 tbsp each of chili paste and honey.
- Once vegetables and meat are evenly coated, plate rice and top with vegetables and meat. Garnish with freshly minced chives.
Nutrition
The red onion isn’t included in the list of ingredients. How much?
1 medium red onion, cut julienne. Sorry about that. I’ll ask editor to add.