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News & Updates
Together We Are Making A Difference
Tricounty Family Ministries posted this article on their Facebook page:
Fourteen years ago a beautiful little boy came to our ministry for lunch with his grandmother. He didn’t want to eat the green vegetables on his plate and started sulking. He was so cute I had to go outside to the picnic table where he was sitting and started teasing him about eating his veggies. He pointed to me and asked me to taste them first. His grandmother, who raised him, brought him to TFM today. Here he is about 6’ tall, with the same beautiful brown eyes, getting ready to graduate with a 3.5 GPA, and going into the Air Force. Congratulations, China.
Thank you for helping us support Tricounty Family Ministries and making a positive difference in the lives of the people they serve!
Rack of Venison with a Caramelized Shallot Blackberry Sauce
By Bobbie Jo Wasilko
He Hunts She Cooks
A perfect pairing: A roasted venison rack and fresh blackberries!
Caramelized Shallots
- 10 Shallots (peeled and sliced)
- 3 Whole cloves garlic (peeled)
- 3 Tbs. Butter
- 2 Tbs. Sugar
- ½ Cup beef or venison stock
- 3 Sprigs of fresh thyme
Blackberry Reduction
- 1 Cup Cabernet Sauvignon wine
- 1/2 Cup Port wine
- 1 1/2 Cups beef or venison stock
- 1 Tbs. Allspice berries
- 1 Tbs. Black peppercorns
- 1/2 Tbs. Juniper berries
- 4 Sprigs fresh thyme
Venison Rack
- 1 Eight rib rack of venison (substitute antelope, elk, boar)
- Grape Seed Oil
- Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
Additional Items
- 2 Pints of fresh blackberries
- 2 Tbs. butter
- 1 Tbs. Sugar
Directions
Generously salt (fresh or defrosted) rack of venison with Kosher or Sea Salt 24 hours ahead and wrap in cling wrap and place in the fridge overnight. Salting the meat 24 hours ahead really brings out the flavor, and makes it juicy!
For the Caramelized Shallots
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In an oven safe sauté pan, add butter, shallots and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes over medium high heat. Add sugar and coat shallots, then add fresh thyme and stock. Place the pan in the oven and roast shallots for 45 minutes. Remove and set aside.
For the Blackberry Reduction
In a small pot, add both wines, and stock. Lightly crush allspice, peppercorns, and juniper berries to release their flavor, and then add to the pot, along with the fresh thyme, and bay leaf. Reduce by half over medium heat (this could take about 1 hour). Once the reduction is reduced by half, pour it into the pan with the shallots and heat the mixture on medium high heat, until it becomes syrupy about 7 minutes. Then place a small strainer over a clean pot, and pour the shallots/liquid over the strainer, and discard the shallots, herbs, and peppercorns ( they have done their job). Reserve the sauce in the fridge overnight, if desired.
For the Venison Rack
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Remove the rack from the fridge an hour before cooking to bring to room temperature. Re-season the meat with a bit more salt and fresh cracked pepper. In an oven safe pan (cast iron), heat 4 tablespoons grape seed oil over medium high heat. Sear the meat on both sides then place in the oven and roast, until desired doneness. I recommend cooking no further than medium rare (about 25 minutes).
To Finish
While the roast is cooking, place the reserved sauce back to the stove and re-heat. In a sauté pan, heat 2 Tbs. butter, and add blackberries and sauté for 2 minutes. Add sugar and sauté 1 minute. Add the berries to the sauce. Carve the venison into servings and pour blackberry sauce over top.
Notes
*To save time, I suggest making the caramelized shallots/reduction 1-2 days ahead, and sauté blackberries just before serving
Over $12,000 Raised in 2019 Hunger Relief Auction!
This was our most successful online auction to date thanks to the many people who placed bids and the generous support of our auction sponsors who are listed below. A complete list of the items that were sold can be found at www.fhfh.org/auction.
FHFH would like to extend a heartfelt “thank you” to the following supporters who provided donated and discounted merchandise for this year’s National Auction including bows, crossbows, firearms, hunting blinds, accessories and more.
- CVA / BPI Outdoors
- Excalibur Crossbow
- Henry Repeating Arms
- Hoyt Archery
- Lyman Products
- Mathews Archery
- Mission Crossbows
- National Rifle Association (NRA)
- Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA)
- Redneck Blinds
- TenPoint Crossbows
Companies and organizations interested in supporting our mission can learn more at www.fhfh.org/partnering-sponsors.
People across America who struggle with food insecurity are often desperate for meat and protein items. FHFH gives nutritious meat to feeding programs and ministries that help those in need by paying local butcher shops to process deer and livestock that are donated by farmers and hunters. The organization welcomes new supporters and volunteers to join the cause. To learn more visit www.fhfh.org, call toll-free 866-438-3434, or email staff@fhfh.org.
Anne Arundel County FHFH in Maryland Receives Donation from the Lothian Ruritan Club
This donation will enable us to provide meat for over 2,500 meals to the hungry of Anne Arundel County this year.
Thank you to Lothian Ruritan Club for your continued support of our mission of feeding the hungry and to everyone who helped with and attended the spaghetti dinner!
Springing Into Action Against Hunger
Spring is here! It’s a time of renewed life and hope. It’s also a time when it’s easy to forget that our neighbors still need our help. When people face hunger, they often struggle to meet other basic needs such as housing, health care and transportation to work.
When children and families are facing hunger it’s not just hard to meet basic needs it’s hard to have hope. Hope can mean a lot to someone going through a difficult time. It can mean the difference between hanging on or giving up.
Hunger is not seasonal and there’s no better time to fight hunger than right now! We all know that giving is a good thing. Doing good for people in need makes us feel good, and provides a sense of accomplishment and pride. When you help someone in need it encourages them to help others. It inspires people to get involved to create a better community. We are asking you to “spring into action” today to help your neighbors who are struggling with hunger and give them hope. Why? Because it’s the right thing to do and it’s the kind thing to do!
Food pantries, food banks and feeding ministries often list protein as their top donation need. FHFH pays the cost to process deer and livestock donated to participating meat processors so there is no cost to the hunter or farmer donating or to the food pantry, food bank or feeding ministry receiving the much needed meat. We can’t do it alone – we need your help!
Please join with FHFH today and help people who are going through tough times. You’ll become part of a group of compassionate people dedicated to ending hunger, changing lives and making better communities! There are many ways you can “spring into action” against hunger:
- Give a financial gift to help pay the meat processing cost for donated deer and livestock.
- Donate deer or livestock to a participating FHFH meat processor.
- Start a new FHFH chapter in your community by becoming an FHFH coordinator.
- Volunteer to help with an existing FHFH chapter.
- Share FHFH with your friends, family, coworkers and on social media (Facebook and Twitter).
- Raise funds:
- Have a Facebook fundraiser.
- Have a yard sale.
- Have a board game, corn hole or ping pong tournament with family and friends and donate the entry fee.
- Get your kids involved. They’ll learn about giving back and helping people in need. Here are a few ideas for kids to get involved in the cause:
- Have a lemonade stand.
- Start a charitable donations jar.
- Babysit.
On behalf of FHFH and all those in our country suffering from hunger, we THANK YOU for your continued interest and support of our mission.
Josh Wilson
Executive Director
Black Fork FHFH in Ohio Awarded funds by Walmart and Sam’s club
The Possum Run Walmart donated $1,000 and Sam’s Club donated $250. The funding will help pay the processing fee for donated deer to feed the hungry in these communities.
Thank you Walmart Foundation, the Possum Run Walmart and Sam’s Club in Ontario for supporting our mission and providing food for people in your community who are hungry.
Great Lisbon Farmers Feeding the Hungry Christmas Horse Parade Gives FHFH $2,500
We appreciate the donation to our ministry and all the hard work that went into this parade.
Venison Bottom Round with Colcannon, Frizzled Leeks & Caraway Seed Carrot Puree
By Bobbie Jo Wasilko
He Hunts She Cooks
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
- 3 pound Venison Bottom Round *(substitute bottom butt, shoulder, or 4 large shanks)
- 2-12 ounce Bottles Guinness or Kaliber (non-alcoholic) beer
- 3 cups Beef Stock (low sodium) or Venison Stock
- 1 Leek (white and light green parts only)
- 1 Large Onion
- 2 Carrots
- 2 Celery Stalks
- 2 Tbs. Tomato Paste
- 1 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper
- 1 Tbs. Onion Powder
- 3 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1 tsp. Caraway Seed (fennel or anise seed)
- 3 Tbs. All Purpose Flour
Instructions:
*The venison can be made 1-2 days ahead and gently re-heated on top of the stove over low heat.
- 1. Bring the venison to room temperature 1 hour before cooking.
- 2. Pre-heat the oven to 300 degrees.
- 3. Season the meat with salt and pepper.
- 4. Coat the venison with flour and shake off the excess, and set meat aside.
- 5. Rinse the leeks to remove all dirt and sand. Then dice the leeks (white and light green parts only), onion, carrots, celery and set aside.
- 6. Mince the garlic and set aside.
- 7. Coat a large frying pan with oil and heat to medium-high.
- 8. Add the venison and brown on both sides, then remove to a large casserole dish, roaster, or dutch oven.
- 9. Turn down the heat to medium and add the chopped vegetables to the frying pan and sauté until caramelized, about 5 minutes.
- 10. Add the minced garlic and tomato paste and sauté a minute.
- 11. Add 1/2 cup Guinness/Kaliber over the vegetables to de-glaze the pan.
- 12. Pour all the vegetables, remaining Guinness/Kaliber, stock, spices, herbs, and all remaining ingredients over the venison and cover.
- 13. Place in the oven to braise 3-5 hours. Check at 3-1/2 hours and return to the oven until the meat is tender, if needed.
- 14. Once the venison is tender when pierced with a fork, remove the venison and discard the bay leaves and thyme stems.
**Serving Suggestion: Serve the venison with traditional Irish Colcannon (mashed potatoes with kale and leeks).
Fourth Annual FHFH Online Auction
CLICK HERE to check it out, place your bids, and share with friends and family!
A special thanks to these companies and organizations who provided donated and discounted merchandise for this auction event: CVA, Excalibur Crossbow, Henry Repeating Arms, Hoyt Archery, Lyman, Mathews, Mission Crossbows, NRA, QDMA, Redneck Blinds, TenPoint Crossbow Technologies and Twigg Cycles.
Helping Those in Need Since 1997
Do you remember when McDonald’s listed how many total hamburgers they had served at the bottom of their signs? The numbers were in the millions. Then the billions. Then just “billions and billions.” Eventually that line disappeared from the signs. I guess we got the message – they’ve sold a LOT of hamburgers!
In the early years of our ministry, a group of volunteers helped serve the evening meal at a local church soup kitchen. As the meal concluded a young girl proclaimed that the spaghetti with venison meat sauce had tasted even better than her meal at McDonald’s the night before. One of the volunteers asked the cook how this family could afford to eat out one night then end up at a soup kitchen the next. She replied, “Oh I know that family. They eat from the dumpster behind the restaurant.”
Now we need to keep going. Food banks list meat among their top needs. And as you know, the hunters who donate their deer know where to find it! We just need to continue raising enough money to pay our participating local butcher shops to process the meat for the food banks and ministries so they can help more families like the one mentioned in my story above.
On behalf of FHFH and all those in our country suffering from hunger, we THANK YOU for your continued interest and support of our mission. Together let’s work to add the next “million served” to our sign this year!
Josh Wilson
Executive Director