Easter Dinner with a Wild Twist: A Full Menu Featuring Wild Game

By Derrick R. Stallings – HuntingOfficer.com

If you’re looking to shake up your Easter dinner with something a little more primal, more flavorful, and definitely more memorable, this wild game menu is for you. Whether you’ve got a freezer full of venison or a friend who gifted you some wild turkey, we’re putting it to good use.

This isn’t a complicated, overly-fancy meal. It’s just damn good food, made with real ingredients and meant to be shared. Let’s get into it.

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🧀 Appetizer: Venison Meatballs with Cranberry Mustard Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:

For the meatballs:

• 1 lb ground venison
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp olive oil for pan-frying

For the sauce:

• 1/2 cup cranberry sauce (the good chunky kind)
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Directions:

1. In a bowl, mix all the meatball ingredients. Don’t overwork the meat or they’ll be tough.
2. Roll into 1-inch balls.
3. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook meatballs in batches, turning until browned and cooked through — about 8-10 minutes total.
4. Meanwhile, mix cranberry sauce, mustard, and vinegar in a small pot. Warm it over low heat, stirring until combined.
5. Serve the meatballs hot with the sauce on the side for dipping.

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🥩 Main Course: Herb-Roasted Wild Turkey with Garlic Butter

Ingredients:

• 1 whole wild turkey, cleaned and patted dry (10–12 lbs)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
• Salt and cracked black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. In a bowl, mix butter, garlic, lemon zest, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper.
3. Gently separate the turkey skin from the breast with your fingers and smear some of the garlic herb butter under the skin. Rub the rest all over the outside.
4. Place the turkey breast side up in a roasting pan. Tent loosely with foil.
5. Roast for about 2.5 to 3 hours, or until internal temp hits 165°F in the thickest part of the breast.
6. Remove foil in the last 30 minutes to brown the skin.
7. Let rest 20 minutes before carving.

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🥕 Vegetables & Sides

Roasted Carrots with Honey and Thyme

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp fresh thyme
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Toss carrots with oil, honey, thyme, salt, and pepper.
2. Roast at 400°F for 25-30 minutes until caramelized and tender.

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Wild Rice Pilaf with Mushrooms and Pecans

Ingredients:

• 1 cup wild rice
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Rinse the rice. Bring broth to a boil, add rice, cover, and simmer for 40–45 minutes.
2. In a skillet, heat oil, sauté onion and mushrooms until golden — about 6–8 minutes.
3. Stir in pecans and cooked rice. Season with salt and pepper.

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Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1 tbsp bacon fat (optional but so good)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Put a cast iron skillet in to heat.
2. Mix dry ingredients in one bowl, wet in another. Combine and stir until just mixed.
3. Remove hot skillet, swirl in bacon fat or a bit of butter, then pour in batter.
4. Bake 20–25 minutes until golden and set.

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🍰 Dessert: Blackberry Cobbler

Ingredients:

For the filling:

• 4 cups blackberries (fresh or frozen)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp cornstarch

For the topping:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 6 tbsp cold butter, cubed
• 1/2 cup milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Mix berries with sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Pour into greased 9×9 dish.
3. In another bowl, whisk dry topping ingredients, then cut in butter until crumbly. Add milk and mix until just combined.
4. Spoon batter over berries in clumps.
5. Bake 35–40 minutes until top is golden and filling is bubbling.

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🥂 Drink: Sparkling Rosemary Citrus Cooler (Non-Alcoholic)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh orange juice
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 cups sparkling water
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• Orange and lemon slices for garnish

Directions:

1. In a pitcher, mix orange juice, lemon juice, and honey until dissolved.
2. Clap rosemary sprigs to release the oils, then drop them in.
3. Add sparkling water and stir gently.
4. Serve over ice with citrus slices.

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Wrap-Up

There you go — a full Easter feast that leans wild, bold, and still comforting. The wild turkey is the centerpiece, but every element on the table pulls its weight. Make one dish or make the whole spread. Either way, you’ll have a table worth sitting down to.

*AI was used in the creation of this post.