Taste it, smell it, prod it and otherwise determine it worthy of honor. As long as it was something recognizable, I agreed to do those things as a judge at last week’s Wild Game Cook-off staged by the Mississippi Association of Building Contractors.

My dedication to the task rose when I scanned the menu and realized it consisted of deer, smoked turkey, duck, speckled trout and elk, all prepared a variety of creative ways. I breathed a sigh of relief when I reached the bottom of the list. Wild boar was about as exotic as it got.

Sitting alongside Billy Joe Cross, former director of the Mississippi Game and Fish Commission and author of seven wildlife cookbooks as well as long-time Jackson restaurateur Nick Apostle, I anxiously awaited the first dish.

Loaded with duck kabobs and deer tenderloin nestled on wild rice, the plate leaned perilously to one side with the weight of more meat than I’d ever seen in one sitting.  I actually enjoyed the bites of wild bird circled around dollops of a cream cheese mixture on a stick.

 Other memorable dishes included a Mexican-style burrito and sausage bites made from elk and fried speckled trout topped with picante sauce.

My favorite dish was a tender piece of venison that had been marinated, coated in a tasty flour mixture, fried to perfection and covered with creamy homemade gravy. If I hadn’t known better, I would have thought it was a blue plate special of country fried steak at any diner in Mississippi.

I enjoyed my walk on the wild side and as a result, will probably try some of the dishes again, especially the duck.

In the meantime, here’s a recipe for chicken fried steak that will due justice to a nice piece of steak. If you’re feeling adventuresome, substitute a piece of venison. Either one will create a comforting meal that will chase away any hunger pains.

“Take Your Pick” Beef or Venison Steak with Creamy Gravy

 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 sleeve saltine crackers, crushed