BilletHead

Yes they are and one of my favorites. Usually we get them here about the first week of October. I checked all my trees, nada and figured as dry as it was early it wasn't going to happen. Later on a friend let me know they were late, real late and another guy had found some in Southern Illinois. I rechecked my places and found six up but it was after that cold snap and all had froze. Bummer City! BilletHead

Way to go friend! Happiness is a full freezer of good eats, BilletHead

Squirrel Confit-Stuffed Bánh Mì, Yep used the sous vide for squirrel. https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/squirrel-confit-stuffed-banh-mi-with-wild-game-expert-david-draper Marinated squirrel for four hours and then vac sealed and cooked for sixteen hours in goose fat. Meat then pulled off the bones and browned a bit in a skillet, Built sammich and had a bowl of hen of the woods soup as a side. Boy howdy I say that is a twelve inch plate and yes I ate the whole thing , BilletHead

That's a fact and one to take into consideration. Good advice. Mrs. BilletHead and I were in unit 4 Tuesday morning. There was a wind switch and we knew it was coming. Got in in good shape and hunted. One green wing just before the wind switch. We picked up quickly but the whitecaps had started. We hugged the levy until we reached the road. I jumped the road with the boat and we were then on the North side of the road. Had a hard time pushing off the shore. We crept slowly with waves hitting the side. A little pucker factor going on. We have a little 1232 with a ten horse mud motor. I was relieved to get back to the ramp. I hunted the same place last week and got three drakes and one hen mallard. BilletHead

Wily, When you check in the non draw areas there are pamphlets with maps. They show the deeper water with blue lines. The flooded areas vary in depth from four foot to nothing but you can putter across most of those places too with small outboards. Pat and I don't have layouts so we just sit in brush, get close to willows etc. BilletHead

I am so excited to see what is for dinner! Is there any sweet potatoes left? BilletHead

Wily, There are two areas where you draw for spots. Unit 1 and 2. Only one blind and that is an ADA spot. Boat or walk in and then set up how ever you want out of boat or not. Then there is unit 3 and 4. Open areas just go for it boat or no boat. http://mdc7.mdc.mo.gov/applications/moatlas/AreaSummaryPage.aspx?txtAreaID=8238 BilletHead

The BilletHead Feast, First of all I am thankful for my God, Family and Friends. My OAF Friends and Frienemies . I like you all even the ones who don't like me . We had our official Thanksgiving meal last Saturday. The same traditional stuff you all have. Darned good eats. Today we started off with a waterfowl hunt. Depending on what we got would determine what we ate today. Hoping for ducks in the South zone opener it did not happen for us. We could of limited out on ringneck divers but passed on them. A bunch. We did end up with two big canadas one for each of us. We are wanting to sous vide fresh duck today. Was not really sure about the giant canadas from today for this. When we got home as I was cleaning the big birds Pat got out a package that had a cackler Canada from last season and thawed it out. This little guy is not much bigger than a mallard duck. A nice fat layer on the breast halves. I dried it well and cross hatched the skin exposing the fat so it will render some in the sous vide bath as it cooked. S&P, some thin sliced wild garlic and a sprig of rosemary from the garden, then vacuum sealed. Into the hot water bath of 133 degrees for 2.5 hours, When about ready to come out I started the charcoal and when coals ready some white oak pieces on them. Began to sear the meat , After the sear a short rest and plated up with a big baked sweet potato and green beans. Meat tender, juicy and so tasty. I am amazed, totally. I will be trying a full sized giant Canada too, Mrs. BilletHead did a native pecan pie and that will be dessert, BilletHead

Wow Buck, I don't know if it is good mojo, a spell or hex but there is something supernatural going on with you, The BilletHead's

Gosh Glenn this sounds like someone is describing you to a tee . Happy Thanksgiving buddy from the BilletHead's !

Dang! I think my invitation got lost in the mail . BilletHead .

Wonder if it could be like humans get. Bells Palsy ? I had a friend many years back who get that and his face and eye drooped like that. The best to Orion from the BilletHead's and Sadie, BilletHead

Good deal John and great step by step process. I have done a couple just to hang in the shop but did not do the whitening process. Many moons ago when I could talk the Mrs. into doing anything I asked her to do a bobcat skull. She did a good job and I talked he into doing another for my dad. She did it too . BilletHead

Lancer, We gave 99 bucks for the one we got at macys on sale. Then they marked it down again to 71 bucks. We went back and got the adjusted price and money back. I think it is still on sale for a couple more days. BilletHead

John, I ended up with a half gallon dried Thai peppers. Made some infused oil too, BilletHead

There are many guides to this Ness. This is one I have been looking at. Depending on meat cut, thickness and type. https://www.sousvidesupreme.com/en-us/learn/sousvide_cookingtemperatures.htm The deer backstrap I figured approx. two inches thick. Minimum of three hours to a max recommended six hours. I went four and I actually think you could of cut it with a fork it was so tender. I have grilled the same piece of meat to rare to med rare and it was pretty chewy , BilletHead

Yes me likes my flavored java. Not all the time but like it. # Guilty pleasure , BilletHead

Yep, remembered when you got yours Gavin. I see so much potential with this thing. I am in the process of saving duck legs and when the Canada geese start showing up will be doing the same. Confit in the future and using the Sous Vide I can use less goose fat in the process . BilletHead

Sous Vide Rocks!, The new cooking item gets it's first use. I did a test run yesterday with just a pot of water to familiarize myself with the unit. Then thawed out a section of venison loin from my archery buck. This morning did some S&P and thin sliced wild garlic , some cumin seed and sealed it into a bag, Into the hot water bath it went. 134 degrees. We were going to be gone today for a spell so I set it for six hours but wanted it to go for four. Got back in time to pull it at four hours. Patted it dry and seared it in a real hot cast iron skillet in some goose fat. Top, bottom and sides, Put it on a plate and just stared at it wondering what it would look like with the first slice ...... Are you ready for this?, Took a taste test. Oh my gosh it was super tender, juicy and real tasty. I will never cook back strap any other way. Adjust spices maybe. Made a compound butter with hazelnut coffee and maple syrup. If everyone cooked deer this way we would have less deer in the woods. Fresh lettuce from the garden as a side, BilletHead is planning the next dish .

No truer words have been said. Tails fried crispy and a dash of salt. Mighty fine! BilletHead

Maybe MOCarp, He can work from home while he is recuperating ?

My bad fixed it, thanks Chief , BilletHead

Be careful Quillback when the conversation turns to peas be very careful how you respond! BilletHead

I am just so glad you are hiding cider in your closet . Relieved you are not coming out and telling us you have a skeleton in there . BilletHead

Or end up in my cage, happens alot in BilletHeadVille, BilletHead