Game Changers

Cooking wild game is no easy task to master. Anova is partnering with Derek Wolf to introduce our communities to cooking sous vide and finishing with fire. Here you will find Derek's recipes, tips and gear that will be a game changer.

Over the Fire Cooking

Derek first fell in love with fire cooking on his couch watching TV while procrastinating school work in college. While scrolling through the endless list of shows, he found a documentary following a South American chef and his adventures cooking with fire. It was love at first sight. He had to try it himself.

When he and his wife got a fire pit as a wedding present, they decided to put it to good use. The first meal they cooked was a nice skirt steak with some homemade chimichurri sauce. It must have been beginner’s luck because it tasted delicious. From that moment on, he decided that if he was grilling, then he was grilling over a live fire.

They started the Instagram, Over the Fire Cooking, to document their fire cooking adventures. They wanted to share with the world this wonderful style of grilling. Soon enough, they had fellow fire enthusiasts sending us photos and videos of them cooking crazy creations & inventions. What started as a personal page, became a community of influencers working together to promote fire cooking.

Derek's Coffee Crusted Venison Rack

This recipe is for culinary adventurers seeking to elevate their wild game experience.

Venison is a lean meat which requires careful attention to prevent it from becoming overcooked and dry. That's why I love using the Anova Precision® Cooker Pro. The meat is cooked at a low, consistent temperature, allowing it to retain its natural juices and tenderness.

Finishing over fire with the robust and earthy flavors in the coffee crust provides a wonderful complement to the natural flavor of venison.

View Recipe

  • Step 1

    Vacuum Seal

  • Step 2

    Start Derek's recipe on the app and add venison in a sealed bag

  • Step 3

    Finish over fire

  • Step 4

    Serve

Derek's Game Changing Tips

  1. Make sure to have quality ingredients from meat to the wood as it will all be reflected in the food.
  2. Time is your best friend. Leave ample amounts of time for cooking over fire.
  3. Use your sous vide for delicate or precise cooking meats like wild game as they can easily become tough when overcooked.
  4. Let your meat rest when pulling out of the sous vide if you need a sear. This will prevent it from overcooking as well.
  5. When searing meat over the fire, get the grill ripping hot so you can develop an amazing crust!

Derek Wolf's Gear Guide

  • Charcoal

    Cowboy Charcoal American Oak and Hickory Blend

  • Grill

    Oklahoma Joe's Judge Charcoal Grill or the Breeyo Y Series

  • Knife

    Whatever is sharpest

  • 6 Pack Beer Rub

    My custom Spiceology 6 pack Beer Rub blends
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