The Game Show (2023)

One of Elias Cairo’s favorite game meats is wild duck. Water fowl in general have a natural layer of fat to keep them warm, and this translates into meat that practically seasons itself. Duck fat, which is highly prized for its rich flavor, is the secret ingredient in duck confit.

For this episode, all you need is a sharp knife, a hot fire, and a beautiful deer backstrap. Elias Cairo details the beauty of this cut and shows you two of his go-to ways to cook it on an open fire.

Wild rabbit is largely considered an entry level game animal, but the delicate and nuanced meat is a real treat. Elias Cairo demonstrates how to cook the lean cuts without drying them out, while also teasing out the meat’s natural terroir.

Elias Cairo partners with Denver based chef Biju Thomas to cook up a simple meal of glazed and pan-roasted quail, paired with a classic Indian rice dish. If you’re not a hunter, you can pick up quail at a specialty butcher shop or Whole Foods.

If you hunt deer, chances are you have a freezer full of stew meat. Elias Cairo’s hearty recipe is the ultimate, right down to an unexpected garnish: whipped cream. He recommends making a big batch and portioning it out for future use.

Unlike a supermarket Butterball, wild turkey cannot be roasted because the birds are fundamentally different. In this episode, Elias Cairo and chef Nicole Thebault smoke the breasts, braise the legs for gravy, and, in a delicious twist, turn the bird into cabbage rolls.