WILD GAME IN MEXICAN CULTURE: We have a lot in 
common with our neighbors to the south when it 
comes to hunting and eating wild game…details 
ahead on Passport to Texas.

This is Passport to Texas Food Week

Before we had domestic livestock, humans on both 
side of what is now the US/Mexico border hunted 
and consumed wild game. Venison ranked high on 
early Mexican menus.

15—Venison is especially important in a ritual sense as well as a 
culinary sense.

Karen Hursh Graber is senior Food Editor for the 
internet magazine Mexico Connect.

17—The word ‘venison’ in English, and the word ‘venado’ in 
Spanish – are both from the Latin word ‘venari’, which is the 
verb ‘hunt.’ So, that’s pretty impressive that the word for deer 
is the same as the word for hunt. It just shows the symbolic 
hunting imagery of deer in both cultures.

Mexicans are well known for their ability to create 
delicious and filling dishes using smaller amounts 
of prized ingredients, such as venison. Take the 
dish Salpicon De Venado, for example.

16—Instead of serving a huge hunk of meat, they’ll serve small 
pieces, and put it in a taco or in a stew. Salpicon is like a cold 
meat salad – it’s a venison salad. It’s dressed with herbs and 
spices and they serve it is tacos.

If eating cold venison doesn’t appeal, you can 
always eat it warm. Meanwhile, find Karen Hursh 
Graber’s recipe for Cold Venison Salad at 
passporttotexas.org.

We receive support from RAM Trucks: Built to Serve.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.



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