Thanksgiving venison dish honoring patron of hunting

I come from a long and storied line of outdoorsmen. My dad always taught me and my siblings that whatever we harvested from the swamps was to be food for the table. Every bit of the animal – who gave its life for our sustenance – was meant to feed the family.
 
While my brothers were (and are) great marksmen, my preference has been cooking wild game. The complexity of game meat complemented with the nuanced flavors of wild fruits make incredible eating.

As my repertoire of wild game recipes grew over the years, so did my faith. But it was not until I was working on my wild game cookbook, After the Hunt, that I discovered St. Hubert, the patron saint of hunters and hunting.
 
Hubert, born in about 658, served in the court of the passionate hunter, Pépin of Héristal. According to legend, Hubert – a passionate hunter himself – got lost in the forests of the Ardennes while hunting on November 3. As he tramped through the underbrush, he happened upon a beautiful stag with a radiant crucifix between its antlers. Stunned by his beauty, Hubert heard a voice telling him to cease from unrestricted hunting and to proclaim his Christian faith. Realizing the particular cruelties of hunting prevalent in the Middle Ages, Hubert denied worldly affairs, became a monk, and later served as Bishop of Liège.
 
Today, St. Hubert is known as the “Apostle of the Ardennes.” When he was canonized, his remains were taken to the Benedictine monastery in the Ardennes. Saint Hubert Basilica was built on the foundations of the old monastery church, and the Abbey of St. Hubert became a popular pilgrim destination. Interestingly, it was at the Abbey of St. Hubert that the famous monastery “gun dogs” (or “bird dogs”) were consecrated and branded with the golden St. Hubert key. The abbot was required to provide the French king with six trained guide dogs annually from the monastery pack.

Saint Hubert became the patron saint of hunters in the 10th century, and his feast day is celebrated every November 3. While the day remains a festival of the huntsman in Western Europe, the observance commences with the celebration of Mass. In Eastern Europe, there are hunts and shooting parties that usually conclude with a splendid dinner.

For Thanksgiving this year, I am serving loin of venison with blackberries over mixed greens. It seems a fitting tribute to St. Hubert’s faith and to the stag that inspired the stewardship of wildlife conservation.

CHEF JOHN D. FOLSE is an entrepreneur with interests ranging from restaurant development to food manufacturing catering to culinary education. A cradle Catholic, he supports many Catholic organizations including the Sister Duke Ministry at Cypress Springs Mercedarian Prayer Center in Baton Rouge, LA.

MICHAELA D. YORK is vice president of communications for Chef John Folse & Company.