Oct 11, 2026
Originally released January 25, 2014 | Big Buck Registry
Episode 031
You’ve spent countless hours scouting, hunting, and finally
putting a deer on the ground. But what happens after the harvest?
Are you getting everything you can out of that venison?
In this Big Buck Registry Evergreen Redux episode, we’re heading
back to 2014 for one of our favorite conversations about wild-game
cooking, featuring New Hampshire executive chef, culinary
instructor, and fellow deer hunter Corey
Fletcher.
At the time of the original recording, Corey was the executive
chef at Granite Restaurant and Bar in Concord, New Hampshire, and a
culinary instructor at Southern New Hampshire University. Unlike
chefs who simply prepare wild game, Corey understood venison from
both sides of the equation—as a professional cook and as a
hunter.
Alongside Jay Scott Ammann and Dusty Phillips, Corey takes us
through the deer, cut by cut, sharing professional kitchen
techniques that hunters can put to work at home.
In this episode:
Why great venison begins in the field, long before it reaches
the kitchen.The three fundamentals of excellent venison: meat quality,
cooking technique, and seasoning.How to prepare tenderloins, backstraps, steaks, and roasts.
Why different cuts demand different cooking techniques.
What actually makes venison taste “gamey”—and how handling and
preparation influence flavor.Dry rubs, marinades, spices, and the secret to properly
seasoning venison.Making better venison burgers, chili, stews, and country-fried
steaks.Turning overlooked neck meat into a stuffed roulade.
Why you should save those shanks for braising.
Making rich venison stock from bones that might otherwise be
discarded.Cooking heart, liver, marrow, and other underutilized parts of
the deer.Jay’s adventures in homemade venison jerky and Dusty’s
Kentucky-style country-fried venison.
This isn’t just a cooking lesson. It’s a conversation about
respecting the animal, preserving hunting traditions, and making
the most of every harvest.
Where Is Corey Fletcher Today?
A lot has happened since we recorded this conversation.
Corey went on to establish Revival Kitchen and
Bar in downtown Concord, New Hampshire, opening in 2017.
The restaurant focuses on locally sourced, seasonal ingredients and
creative interpretations of traditional New England cuisine.
Revival has weathered the challenges of restaurant ownership,
including the pandemic and major building damage, while developing
a strong reputation in New Hampshire’s dining community.
In 2025, Revival received Concord’s Top Cap award for Best
Dining, and Corey was recognized as the New Hampshire Lodging and
Restaurant Association’s Restaurateur of the Year.
More than a decade after this interview, Corey remains connected
to the outdoors through deer hunting, bird hunting, fishing, and
foraging.
Revival Kitchen and Bar
11 Depot Street, Concord, NH
https://www.revivalkitchennh.com
Original Companion Music: From Field to Flame
We’re continuing to bring original companion music to the Big
Buck Registry, creating songs inspired by the people, stories, and
traditions featured on the podcast.
This episode closes with “From Field to Flame,”
a Big Buck Registry original song inspired by our conversation with
Chef Corey Fletcher.
It’s a tribute to the hunt, the harvest, and the journey from
the deer woods to the dinner table.
Be sure to listen through the end of the episode to hear the
song.
A Note About This Archival Episode
This interview was originally recorded in 2014. Some of the
cooking temperatures and food-handling practices discussed reflect
the recommendations or culinary preferences of that time.
For current guidance on preparing venison safely, consult
university-extension food-safety recommendations. Hunters should
also follow their state’s chronic wasting disease testing and
handling recommendations. Never consume meat from a CWD-positive
animal.
Venison preparation and food safety:
https://extension.psu.edu/proper-care-and-handling-of-venison-from-field-to-table
CDC chronic wasting disease information:
https://www.cdc.gov/chronic-wasting/about/index.html
Connect with Big Buck Registry
Website: https://www.bigbuckregistry.com
Original 2014 episode:
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Stay safe, shoot straight, and see you next time in the
deer woods.
