On a frigid January morning in the early 2000s, nestled deep in the woods on his family’s property in Perry County, 8-year-old Matthew Brady sat at his father’s feet on a single-man ladder stand. In Perry County, January is the best time to follow the rut, the deer’s annual mating season. During this time, male deer, known as bucks, increase their movements and activity to pursue and attract mates in heat. It is the primary time to be out in the woods if a hunter seeks a mature buck, which was exactly what Brady and his father were hoping to find that morning.
Darkness blanketed the sky while the two waited, patient and eager. At last, his father’s voice broke the quiet: “There’s a buck coming out, and I’m about to shoot it.” Indeed, a majestic deer stepped from the underbrush, its head held high to show off its crown of antlers. Brady pressed his palms over his ears, anticipating the gunshot’s earth-shattering crack, and looked up just in time to witness his father pulling the trigger. A blinding flame emerged from the barrel and cut through the darkness while the smell of gun smoke filled Brady’s nostrils. The startled, injured buck sprinted away into the woods. Guided by his father’s expertise, Brady trailed the buck; at last, they found it, felled by a precise shot. Delighted and in awe, Brady accompanied his father back to the family farm and to the shed. There, Brady remained inside the truck with the headlights shining into the shed, providing light for his father to complete his task. While Brady enjoyed the warmth of the heater, his father processed their beautiful, newly harvested buck, whose meat they would use for cooking.
Although Brady has since grown up and moved to Baldwin County with his wife, he cites that hunt as one of his most memorable. “It was a way of life. It’s what everybody did and it’s all I knew,” he explains. “I saw my dad and all his friends enjoying it and talking about their hunts, game, what they’re eating for dinner and going to cookouts with folks around the area. That’s where my love and passion started for being out in the woods, and for venison cuisine.”
Brady is the fourth generation to grow up on the family land in the Black Belt, and he still travels to Perry County every hunting season. Although his great-granddad primarily hunted quail, over the years, deer and other animals began to occupy the land. Now, Brady enjoys hunting deer, turkeys and doves.
Much of his knowledge has come from the generations before him, but Brady has also taught himself new techniques and methods of hunting. He first learned to hunt with a gun, but as both his curiosity and technology have expanded, he’s found new ways to make the most of a hunt. He uses cellular data to collect information about deer movements and studies weather patterns to determine the best times to go into the woods. He keeps his gear in a scent-free tote, since deer have a keen sense of smell, and he hunts in a stand or in a tree saddle. If using the saddle, he employs a rope and stick method to position himself accordingly. But the most important part of the process? Keeping his father informed. “My first call is to my dad. We’re always texting back and forth about what we’re seeing,” he says. “Then there’s the camaraderie of getting together after. We’ll always meet at my granddad’s house and talk about our hunts.”
Turkey hunting came about when the birds found their way to the family land. “I knew we had turkey on the property and wanted to figure out how to get one,” he says simply. “It’s a big thing in South Alabama and something all my friends were doing, and I wanted to be a part of it.” Although he had previously harvested a turkey with help from a friend, it was not something he had ever done on his own. Since he’d been told that Easter morning was always a good day for turkey hunt, one year, he decided to try his luck. Using turkey calls, he attracted one; from there, the hunt was almost too easy. “He did everything except fly into my lap,” Brady says with a laugh. “He gave me the perfect shot.”
After every hunt, his first stop is his parents’ house or his granddad’s. Then, after showing them the results of his efforts, he takes the game to the shed for processing. This shared passion has bonded Brady and his sister — also a hunter — with the generations before them. From their family, they learned to hunt, then to prepare the meat they harvested. His father was always on the grill, and his mother and grandmother were always in the kitchen cooking meals. Drawing inspiration from them, Brady developed an interest in cooking. Now, he enjoys using social media to find inspiration from others, then makes the dishes his own.
This interest led him to participate in the Alabama Wildlife Federation’s Wild Game Cook Off, an annual event for teams of participants to compete and, hopefully, place among the best in fowl, game or fish. Brady is a land and farm lender with Alabama Ag Credit, so last year he headed their cook team and made Over-the-Top Venison Chili. “It was called that because I smoked it on a smoker with a top rack,” he explains. “I made these huge meatloaf-looking things, put them on the top rack and let them smoke all day. All the drippings dripped into my chili pan. Once the venison was done, I got the venison meatloaf off the top rack and crumbled it into the chili that was smoking under the bottom of it. It was perfect for October — a little coolness in the air and deer season upon us. It was great.”
Last year was Brady’s first time participating in the event, but he looks forward to doing so again this year. The cook-off is an opportunity to connect with fellow hunters and cooks, and he appreciates the opportunity to mingle with those who have similar interests. “My favorite part is seeing everybody set up and what they’re cooking,” he says. “I like seeing people make their own dish and tasting it, the camaraderie of meeting everyone and seeing where and how they hunt.”
He also enjoys the opportunity to mingle with those who may not be as familiar with hunting and wild game, because it’s a chance to educate them and share his passion. Last year, he brought a shoulder mount of a 13-point deer and some turkeys, so he was able to showcase them. These were certainly conversation starters. “A lot of people don’t know what a deer looks or feels like on a mount,” he says. “By having one to show, they can touch and feel it, and what they’re eating might have even come off this animal.”
Someday, Brady hopes to place in the Wild Game Cook Off, but his passion for hunting and preparing wild game goes far beyond a cooking competition. Being outdoors, surrounded by wildlife, appreciating the world’s beauty and harvesting what nature has to offer is, and always will be, a part of his heritage, his family and his life.
Southern Over-The-Top Venison Chili
SERVES 8 – 10
For the meatloaf:
1 1/2 pounds ground venison
1/2 pound Italian sausage
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons bourbon
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup crushed crackers or bread crumbs
1 egg
For the chili:
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 12-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained
1 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained
1 cup beef broth
2 1/2 ounces beer (Brady prefers Yuengling)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon butter
Optional: 1 small can chipotles in adobo, chopped
Directions
1. Prepare a grill with seasoned pecan splits until it reaches 250 degrees. Combine the ingredients for the meatloaf and form into a large loaf. Set aside.
2. Combine all the ingredients except the butter for the chili. Place the pan on the grill, then place the meatloaf on a rack over the chili pan so the juices drip into the chili. Maintain the grill at 250 degrees while smoking until the meatloaf reaches 155 degrees internal temperature.
3. Remove the meatloaf and chop or crumble it into large pieces. Stir the meatloaf pieces into the chili pan. Simmer 30-45 minutes on the smoker or stovetop to thicken and meld the flavors. Stir in 1 tablespoon butter before serving. To serve, top with jalapeno cornbread, sour cream, cheese and your favorite hot sauce.
