According to the Illinois State Museum:

The state animal was selected by a vote of Illinois schoolchildren in 1980. Candidates were nominated by the General Assembly and the Illinois State Museum. The children selected the White-tailed Deer, and a bill, effective January 1, 1982, was passed by the General Assembly and signed into law by Governor James R. Thompson.

Ingredients for Deer Barbeque

• 1- 16 oz bottle barbeque sauce
• 3 deer ham steaks
• 3 tablespoons honey
• barbeque seasoning

Directions for Deer Barbeque

1. Coat deer steaks with barbeque seasoning.
2. Place deer steaks in crock pot.
3. Pour in the remainder of the sauce and honey.
4. Cook on low heat for 10 hours.

Recipe courtesy of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources

Tasty Treats for You

Venison Tenderloin - 4/Pack - List Price: Sale Price: $179.99 See details»

Buffalo Bills 10oz 100% Farm Raised 7" Venison Jerky Strips (20 venison jerky strips per bag) List Price: $25.80 Sale Price: $18.99 See details»

Venison New York Strip (short loin) List Price: Sale Price: $84.99 See details»

Venison Summer Sausage - 3 pack, 3 Original Flavor List Price: Sale Price: $39.00 See details»

ZiwiPeak Real Meat Grain-Free Jerky Treats for Dogs - Venison - 1 lb List Price: $22.99 Sale Price: $13.87 See details»

Zuke's Z-Filets High Protein Dog Treats, Venison, 3.25 Ounce List Price: $6.99 Sale Price: $3.30 See details»

Venison Denver Leg - Boneless - List Price: Sale Price: $179.99 See details»

Buffalo Bills 100% Farm Raised Venison Jerky Strips (25 individually wrapped 7" venison jerky strips per bag) List Price: $34.75 Sale Price: $23.99 See details»

Venison Osso Bucco - Frozen List Price: Sale Price: $39.00 See details»

Real Meat Venison Jerky Dog Treats List Price: Sale Price: $11.70 See details»

It is important to note that white-tailed deer meat can and is easily substituted for beef in recipes using tomatoes or tomato juice. Ground white-tailed deer meat makes for a tasty burger, but most people in our area like white-tailed deer meat either in a sausage form or in a stew.

White-tailed deer meat is lean and tends to be a chewier, tougher red meat than a finely fat-marbled red meat such as beef or pork. To tenderize white-tailed deer meat (also known as venison) tomato sauce or tomato juice is often used.

Slow cooking white-tailed deer meat (venison) in a slow cooker is an ideal solution for tenderizing and cooking this meat at the same time. The process of slow cooking breaks down the toughness of meat; thus a slow cooker recipe using tomatoes, salsa or tomato juice are ideal!

People who are “meat and potato” eaters tend to especially like this soup. The tomatoes in the salsa helps to tenderize the deer meat.

Ingredients for Venison & Potato Soup

• 4 cups water
• 1 (16-ounce) bag frozen, Southern style hash browns
• 1 cup frozen chopped onion or 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 pound ground white-tailed deer, cut into bite-size pieces (Or extra-lean ground beef)
• 2 (4-ounce) cans mushroom stems and pieces, not drained
• 1 (2 1/2-ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix
• 1 (16-ounce) jar chunky salsa

Directions

1. Spray a slow cooker with nonfat cooking spray.
2. Put into the slow cooker the water, hash browns, onion, deer meat, mushrooms, onion soup mix, and salsa and stir until well mixed.
3. Cover and cook in the slow cooker on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 to 9 hours.
4. If desired, salt and pepper to taste.

Tasty Venison Treats for You

Venison Tenderloin - 4/Pack - List Price: Sale Price: $179.99 See details»

Venison (Cervena) Tenderloin 2 lb. Avg. (3 count) 6 lb. Package List Price: Sale Price: See details»

Wild Boar Tenderloin - 2 pcs List Price: Sale Price: See details»

This comfort soup satisfies the soul. Slow cooking and the tomatoes both help to tenderize the white-tailed deer meat.

Ingredients for Venison Barley Soup

• 1 (48-ounce) can beef broth
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1-1/2 pounds lean, cooked white-tailed deer steaks, cut into small, bite-size pieces (or grilled eye of round can be substituted.)
• 1 cup frozen chopped onion
• 2 cups frozen sliced carrots
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup quick-cooking barley, not cooked

Directions

1. Spray a slow cooker with nonfat cooking spray.
2. In the slow cooker mix together the broth, tomatoes, venison, onion, carrots, and celery.
3. Cover and cook on high for 5 hours or on low for 8 to 10 hours.
4. Stir in the barley.
5. Cover and cook for an additional 10 to 12 minutes or until the barley is tender.

Note: This is also a great way to use leftover beef. I especially like using steak that’s been cooked on the grill. You can also substitute 1 1/2 pounds ground eye-of-round beef that has been browned in a skillet and drained.

Delicious Venison for You

Venison New York Strip (short loin) List Price: Sale Price: $84.99 See details»

10-8oz Boneless Venison Strip Loins List Price: Sale Price: $81.00 See details»

Venison, Red Deer Loin - Boneless - List Price: Sale Price: See details»

White-tailed deer meat is lean and tends to be a chewier, tougher red meat than a finely fat-marbled red meat such as beef or pork. To tenderize white-tailed deer meat (also known as venison) tomato sauce or tomato juice is often used.

Slow cooking white-tailed deer meat (venison) in a slow cooker is an ideal solution for tenderizing and cooking this meat at the same time. The process of slow cooking breaks down the toughness of meat; thus a slow cooker recipe using tomatoes, salsa or tomato juice are ideal!

If you like stuffed cabbage rolls, you’ll like this. It’s a lot faster and easier to prepare than Cabbage Rolls.

Ingredients for Unstuffed Cabbage Soup

• 1 pound ground white-tailed deer meat or eye-of-round beef
• 6 cups beef broth (made with bouillon is okay)
• 4 cups low-sodium vegetable juice
• 2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
• 2 cups frozen chopped onion, or 2 cups fresh
• 1 (1-pound) bag coleslaw mix, or 10 cups shredded fresh green cabbage
• 2 cups instant rice

Directions

1. Spray a slow cooker with nonfat cooking spray.
2. In the slow cooker mix together the deer meat ( or beef), broth, vegetable juice, tomatoes, onion, and coleslaw.
3. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours.
4. Before serving stir in the rice.
5. Cover and let the soup sit for 5 minutes.
6. Serve hot.

Delicious Venison for You

Venison Steak 10/8oz List Price: Sale Price: $75.95 See details»

Venison Steaks List Price: Sale Price: See details»

Venison BC Flank 1.8 lb. Steak (Cervena), 5.4 lb. Package List Price: Sale Price: See details»

Paw Naturaw Organic Beef Diet for Dogs, Patties, Two-Count Pack, 80 Ounce Bags (Pack of 2) List Price: $98.58 Sale Price: $89.87 See details»

White-tailed deer meat is lean and tends to be a chewier, tougher red meat than a finely fat-marbled red meat such as beef or pork. To tenderize white-tailed deer meat (also known as venison) tomato sauce or tomato juice is often used.

Slow cooking white-tailed deer meat (venison) in a slow cooker is an ideal solution for tenderizing and cooking this meat at the same time. The process of slow cooking breaks down the toughness of meat; thus a slow cooker recipe using tomatoes, salsa or tomato juice are ideal!

From Busy People’s Slow Cooker Cookbook, By Dawn Hall from Swanton, Ohio

If you like stuffed green peppers, give this a try. You’ll love it, and it’s so much quicker and easier to prepare than Stuffed Green Peppers.

Ingredients for Unstuffed Green Pepper Soup

• 1/2 pound ground white-tailed deer meat or eye of round beef
• 3 cups beef broth (made with bouillon is okay)
• 2 cups or 3 (5 1/2-ounce) cans low-sodium vegetable juice
• 2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
• 1 cup frozen chopped green peppers or 1 cup fresh
• 1 cup frozen chopped onion or 1 cup fresh
• 1 cup instant rice

Ingredients

1. Spray a large slow cooker with nonfat cooking spray.
2. In the slow cooker mix together the white-tailed deer meat (or beef), broth, vegetable juice, tomatoes, green peppers, and onion.
3. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours.
4. Before serving stir in the rice. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes.
5. Serve hot.

Yield: 8 (1-cup) servings

Calories: 151

Fat: 3 grams (19% fat)

Cholesterol: 10mg

Carbohydrate: 21g

Dietary Fiber: 2g

Protein: 9g

Sodium: 593mg

By naming an official cookie made largely of Michigan products, the bill supports the state’s agricultural industry.  While there would be no official state recipe for the cookie, the recipe provided by Defer Elementary School utilizes products from several Michigan-based businesses, including Diamond Crystal Brand Kosher salt from St. Clair County, Graceland Fruit in Benzie County, and Pioneer Brand Sugar, a product of the Michigan Sugar Company

Chocolate Chip Cookies with Cherries

Ingredients

• 1 ¾ cups of all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal brand kosher salt
• 1 cup softened butter or margarine
• 1 cup Pioneer brand granulated sugar
• ½ cup packed Pioneer brand brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chunks
• 1 ½ cups Graceland Fruit brand dried cherries
• Additional granulated sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit
2. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl; set aside. Beat butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl at medium speed of electric mixer until light and fluffy (about two minutes).
3. Beat in egg and vanilla until well blended.
4. On low speed of mixer, gradually beat in 1/3 of flour mixture at a time, until all is used. Scrape sides of bowl between additions of flour mixture.
5. Stir in chocolate chunks and cherries.
6. Refrigerate covered dough for at least one hour.
7. Roll chilled dough into golf-ball-sized balls.
8. Roll the balls in the additional granulated sugar.
9. Space three inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Gently press with bottom of glass to flatten. Return remaining dough to the refrigerator until ready to use.
10. Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until cookies are set.
11. Cool cookies about five minutes on cookie sheets; transfer to wire racks. Cool completely.

Delicious Chocolate Chip Cookie Mixes

Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix, 22-Ounce Packages (Pack of 4) List Price: $22.72 Sale Price: $9.95 See details»

Kinnikinnick Foods Gluten-Free Cookies, Montana's Chocolate Chip, 8-Ounce Bags (Pack of 6) List Price: $29.98 Sale Price: $23.06 See details»

Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies Cookie Mixes (1 Large Mix) List Price: Sale Price: $7.95 See details»

Betty Crocker Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix, 17.5 oz List Price: Sale Price: $5.49 See details»

Organic Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix List Price: Sale Price: $4.75 See details»

Stonewall Kitchen White Mountain Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix, 13.3-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 3) List Price: $24.00 Sale Price: $23.97 See details»

Women's Bean Project Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix List Price: $5.00 Sale Price: $5.00 See details»

Spiked Apple with White Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix (A Large Premium Mix) List Price: $6.95 Sale Price: $8.34 See details»

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Mixes (1 Large Mix) List Price: Sale Price: $7.95 See details»

GLUTEN-FREE Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix List Price: Sale Price: $6.35 See details»