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Danielle Prewett, Wild + Whole

Danielle Prewett is the founder of Wild + Whole and a wild foods contributing editor for MeatEater. Texas is home for Danielle, but her love for the outdoors developed while chasing birds across the grasslands of North Dakota. She has been living off the land for the last several years and is fascinated by the richness of wild game. Danielle strives to portray this beauty by teaching others how to cook and enjoy their harvest.

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Cooking Techniques

What to Do With Wild Game Fat

Danielle Prewett, Wild + Whole

May 21, 2019

One of my favorite things about acquiring my own wild meat is that it comes with an added bonus: fat. Many hunters overlook wild game fat and dismiss it as they would most stuff from the gut pile. Wild game fat has great value, though.
Duck fat, for example, is treasured by foodies and some folks pay serious money for dishes that include this ingredient. But the value of wild game fat extends beyond birds, and if you’re lucky enough to...

Butchering & Processing

Is a Turkey Sponge Edible?

Danielle Prewett, Wild + Whole

Apr 26, 2019

When I began to remove the breast from my first tom, I was dumbfounded to find handfuls of a yellow, jellyfish-like substance in front of the crop cavity. I wasn’t sure what it was at the time, so it stayed in the woods.
With a little research, I learned that this gelatinous tissue is called the breast sponge. The sponge of a gobbler is undoubtedly a curious trait. Nature provided turkeys with this useful mass of tissue with the sole purpose of...

Butchering & Processing

Can You Refreeze Thawed Meat?

Danielle Prewett, Wild + Whole

Mar 27, 2019

The topic of refreezing meat is one that hunters discuss often. Most experts in the culinary industry strongly advise against this practice, but sometimes things happen that are out of our control. This leaves many to wonder if it’s safe to refreeze meat, or if this damages the quality so much that it’s not worth eating.
If frozen meat has been properly thawed out in the refrigerator or in cold water, it is safe to refreeze. However, if you...

Cooking Techniques

Tips for Better Ground Venison

Danielle Prewett, Wild + Whole

Mar 21, 2019

There are a lot of benefits to grinding your wild game at home rather than taking it to a processor. The obvious reason is having control over the entire process, knowing that only your hands touched your food. You also get to make decisions about how much fat you want to add and what seasonings you want to use in your sausage. Plus, if done correctly, home-ground meat will have a better texture, which makes a huge difference at the dinner table...

Butchering & Processing

How to Clean a Venison Heart

Danielle Prewett, Wild + Whole

Feb 20, 2019

At MeatEater, we get more questions about venison hearts than almost any other wild game cookery. And truthfully, the heart is perhaps the tastiest piece of an animal and not at all difficult to clean or cook.
There is more than one way to cook a heart, which means there is more than one way to clean a heart. One way is to cut out the connective tissues while keeping it whole. Another way is to cut the heart crosswise into rings. However, this...

Butchering & Processing

How to Determine the Age of Snow Geese

Danielle Prewett, Wild + Whole

Feb 12, 2019

There are loads of misconceptions around cooking snow geese, which can make using them in the kitchen feel like a daunting and confusing task.
Numerous variables play a role in defining their palatability, but one of the most helpful tips I can give for cooking geese is to make sure you determine the age first. This information will help you decide which cooking method is best for your bird.
It’s a shame that snow geese get such a bad rap. I...

Cooking Techniques

What Is Koji Aging and Does It Work?

Danielle Prewett, Wild + Whole

Jan 22, 2019

If you keep up with the trends in culinary culture, there is a good chance you’ve come across some mention of koji-aged meat. The widespread claim is that in three days you can recreate the flavors of meat that has been dry-aged for 45 days.
I wanted to challenge that statement by testing it on wild game. I took some venison backstrap and rubbed it with koji for 72 hours to determine if this aging hack lives up to the hype.
In English, koji is...

Butchering & Processing

The Why and How of Wet Aging Big Game

Danielle Prewett, Wild + Whole

Oct 4, 2018

Aging wild game is a growing trend in the hunting industry. I’m seeing more and more people trying it out or wanting to learn about the process.  There are two main types of aging each with their own pros and cons. Dry aging is considered to be the pure, traditional form of aging because the meat develops intense flavors but requires a strictly controlled environment.  For those who aren’t set up with the right equipment, wet aging is a great way...