The Best Smoked Deer Trotter Broth
This Smoked Deer Trotter (Deer Feet) Broth is one more way to use the whole animal and add to your offal cookery repertoire.A broth is the easiest way to dip your feet (or deer trotters) in the water. When trying a new offal recipe idea, it's always a good idea to move slowly and carefully because you are never quite sure if you will like it or if it will even work! However, there is a long list of cow and pig trotter recipes available on the world wide web. So it wasn't a big stretch for me to try and come up with something that might be interesting for all of you to try with the deer feet most of us leave in the field for the coyotes to munch on.BEEF TROTTERS AND PIG TROTTERSBeef feet and pig trotters are a common addition to stocks, soups, and bone broths, adding depth, flavor, and body to a vast array of recipes. One of my favorites is this Hog's Trotters and Ear Recipe from Robert Irvine. If you are planning a wild pig hunt anytime soon, you should check out the 10 Best Pork Trotters Recipes from Yummly.CLEANING DEER TROTTERSThe first thing you need to do is clean the deer feet before immersing them in the same liquid you plan to consume. There are plenty of different methods of preparing animal feet for cooking, such as using a propane torch to remove all the hair after skinning out the leg and foot with a good knife. Once all the hide and hair was removed, I used a scrub brush and running water to clean all the dirt from the hooves. Then I placed the legs and feet in a large stockpot, covered them with water, added 1/4 cup of kosher salt, and boiled them for 20 minutes. Carefully remove them from the water, rinse them off under running water, and place them on a rimmed baking sheet and pat dry with paper towels before placing them in the smoker.SMOKING DEER TROTTERSThe best wood to use when smoking deer trotters is all about personal preference – if you’re looking for a strong smokey taste, then something like mesquite or hickory wood would give a great flavor. If you want a milder taste, you could try a fruit wood such as cherry or apple. Smoke the trotters for 1 to 2 hours at 250F. The bones should turn a dark amber color.MAKING SMOKED DEER TROTTER BROTHMaking stocks and bone broths are time consuming and a labor of love – but well worth it. If you don't have a smoker, you can always salt, oil, and roast the venison trotters in a 425 degree F oven for about 30 minutes. But the smoker method adds a great depth of flavor to this recipe that makes it absolutely delicious and perfect for slurping down on cold days like we are experiencing here in North Dakota right now.Cram the trotters and lower leg bones into the stockpot and cover with cold water by several inches. I used about 14 cups of water to get them completely covered. Bring the broth to a boil and skim off any scum that floats to the surface. After the surface is clear, reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook for about 4 hours.ADDING VEGETABLES TO YOUR BROTHAfter you have cooked the bones in the water for about 2 hours, place your vegetables on a rimmed baking sheet, toss with some olive oil and kosher salt, and roast them at 425 degrees F for about 30 minutes. Add the roasted vegetables and remaining ingredients to the stockpot with the broth, stir everything together well, and let it cook for another 90 minutes. No more.After this, strain everything out, separating the liquid from the vegetables and trotters. Once your broth is strained, clean the stockpot and pour just the liquid back into it. Return it to the stovetop over low heat, simmer again to reduce for about another hour, and add kosher salt to taste.SERVING THE BROTH AND SERVING LEFTOVERSTo serve the broth, ladle about 2 cups in each serving bowl. If you want to raise some eyebrows, you can place one of the deer hooves in each bowl before placing it in front of your dinner guests. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Freeze for up to 2 months.MORE GROUND VENISON RECIPESI hope you try Smoke Deer Trotter Broth recipe. If you are looking for more dinner inspiration for that venison in your freezer, check out some of our family favorites:Venison Pot RoastSloppy Joe Mac and CheeseBest Ever Venison CheeseburgerJalapeno Popper Venison FlautasSloppy Doe (Venison Sloppy Joes)Venison Pinchos MorunosIf you are headed our way for North Dakota deer season, check out the North Dakota Game & Fish Department website. And if you want me to come along with you as your camp cook, photographer, or butcher, you can find out more details here.If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #wildgameandfishDid you enjoy this Smoked Deer Trotter Broth Recipe? Be sure to leave a 5-star rating RIGHT HERE!
Ingredients
- 4 Legs of one deer (see above for skinning and cleaning directions)
- kosher salt
- 8 ounces carrots
- 3 stalks celery
- 2 medium yellow onions
- 2 heads garlic
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon crushed juniper berries
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
Deer Trotter Brine
- Pace the skinned and cleaned legs and feet in a large stockpot, cover them with water, add 1/4 cup of kosher salt, and boil them for 20 minutes. Carefully remove them from the water, rinse them off under running water, and place them on a rimmed baking sheet and pat dry with paper towels before placing them in the smoker.
- Wash the stockpot well with soap and water before using again to make the broth!
Smoker Directions
- Smoke the deer trotters for 1 to 2 hours at 250F. The bones should turn a dark amber color.
Trotter Bone Broth
- Place the trotters and lower leg bones into a large stockpot and cover with cold water by several inches. I used about 14 cups of water to get them completely covered. Bring the broth to a boil and skim off any scum that floats to the surface. After the surface is clear, reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook for about 4 hours.
- After you have cooked the bones in the water for about 2 hours, place the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic on a rimmed baking sheet, toss with some olive oil and kosher salt, and roast them at 425 degrees F for about 30 minutes. Add the roasted vegetables and remaining ingredients (except for the parsley) to the stockpot with the broth, stir everything together well, and let it cook for another 90 minutes. No more.
- After this, strain everything out, separating the liquid from the vegetables and trotters. Once your broth is strained, clean the stockpot and pour just the liquid back into it. Return it to the stovetop over low heat, simmer again to reduce for about another hour, and add kosher salt to taste.
- To serve the broth, ladle about 2 cups in each serving bowl. If you want to raise some eyebrows, you can place one of the deer hooves in each bowl before placing it in front of your dinner guests. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Freeze for up to 2 months.
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