Changing the Game: Your Guide for Transforming Wild Game into Game-Changing Meals

by Craig J. Tomsky

Changing the Game will provide sportsmen with detailed guidance and techniques that will up their food game and the enjoyment of their harvests when taking it directly from field to fork. Author Craig Tomsky has coupled his uncompromising love of great food with his passion for hunting, and has identified key factors that will reduce or eliminate the undesirable "gamey" flavors that result from inadequately processed and prepared game. He has also developed and refined many recipes to complement each game's most desirable flavors that will transform your game meat into delicious finished dishes.

Changing the Game is a complete playbook that takes the reader from caring for the game after the harvest, through Craig's "keys to changing the game"-specific techniques used during the butchering and preservation processes that will positively impact the flavor and tenderness of the meat. It lays out a roadmap and recommends equipment that will expediently and efficiently process various types of game. Explanations that support the reasoning behind the preparation techniques are provided via relatable terminology and anecdotes that are sprinkled throughout the book.

Changing the Game finishes with a multitude of delicious recipes that have been enhanced by game meat and Craig's use of complementary ingredients to achieve complex yet delicate flavor profiles for each dish. It also contains recipes for side dishes and desserts, along with wine pairing recommendations, to provide the reader with a complete game plan for an enjoyable evening that will leave dinner guests asking, "Is this really wild game?"

290 pages, Hardcover

Published April 27, 2021

About the author

Craig J. Tomsky, author of Changing The Game is a degreed, environmental, health and safety professional who is certified in the comprehensive practice of industrial hygiene. He has combined his scientific knowledge with his love of food and his sustainability efforts to create delicious meals at home for more than 30 years. He is sharing the learnings from his experiences in Changing The Game, so those who hunt or want to enjoy wild game can optimize their enjoyment of our natural resources. Craig is married to his high school sweetheart, Susan and they have three grown children. You’ll get to meet Susie when you read Changing The Game.

Reviews

[Liwayway · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I don’t typically review cookbooks, but this one has got a narration element to it that I rather enjoyed. So, for all you hunters, cooks, curious-about-interesting-subjects folk out there, this one might be for you. Or, if you’re an imaginative someone who might need some fuel for their stories, this is a good, in-depth look at the world of game and food that I, for one, have never noticed before.

What got me most about this particular book was the narrative. It’s full of personality and interesting (yet relevant) factoids, and it’s like listening to the author chat about his experiences. It’s broken down into quirky chapters, starting from the wild where we get the food to how to manage and use it with the least waste possible and then to the kitchen where all sorts of creative methods to make delicious meals reside. I must admit, I had to skim over some of the more detailed sections like how to cut the meat and sort it. These sections are told in a respectful, how-to way, but it’s still difficult for me to process the information. However, this might also be the author doing a good job of describing the experience and what to look out for. Also, as someone who knows close to nothing about what makes a meal amazing, some of the tools and techniques were new to me, but I can imagine that for all you food creatives out there, it’s like geeking out over what you love.

The highlight of the book is, of course, the recipes (along with their wine pairings, side dishes, desserts, and some mouth-watering photos), and I think they are much more because of the background and stories leading up to them. Much like a fictional book where the story brings life and interest and might make a reader want to know more about the subject matter, this book does it all in one shot.

Also, now, I’m hungry.

[Laurel English · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me start by saying that I’m not a hunter, have never eaten game, and will absolutely NEVER butcher an animal myself. Nevertheless, I enjoyed Craig Tomsky’s book Changing the Game and would recommend it to anyone who loves good food, good wine, and good recipes. Every meat recipe includes options for game and more traditional store-bought meat.

The stories behind how Tomsky developed each recipe made for an interesting read, and included anecdotes about his Italian/Sicilian family and his friends. Each recipe draws on his family’s culinary heritage and his own scientific background. He explains the importance of each ingredient, and the subtle differences between similar-sounding ones (such as sea salt and table salt). The recipe instructions are clear and easy to follow – a must for any cookbook. It would have been helpful to have the amount of prep and cooking time clearly spelled out along with the ingredients.

In addition to recipes for meat dishes, the book includes recipes for side dishes and fancy drinks. My son is looking forward to trying “Craig’s Key Lime Pie Drink” this summer! Tomsky also includes suggestions for wines to pair with each dish.

The book includes detailed information for hunters about butchering techniques. I did not read this section in depth (there is a helpful “Warning” label for non-hunters), but I did read far enough to learn that proper butchering can make a huge difference in the taste of meat. I never realized this before.

The book is well organized and visually appealing, with high-quality photos, easy-to-read type, and easy-to-follow instructions.

[John Tolochko · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book on butchering, preserving, and cooking should not be this entertaining. Much attention has been paid to the flow, layout, and presentation to the reader, to make for a book that can be read straight through, or used as a reference manual, to quickly become a student of Tomsky’s tried-and-proven expertise. He shares with us his decades of knowledge on butchering, freezing, proper kitchen tools, and of course, cooking and complete meal preparations. He goes further to add recipes for mixed drinks, a lesson on wine, and a thorough discussion on side dishes and desserts. The closer you read, the more likely you are to be entertained, to laugh frequently, and to get to know Craig’s family along the journey. You meet his wife and other family members, but most honor and respect is given to his mother, obviously his biggest influence. We should all have such a great source of traditional old-world cooking. Along with his own creativity, Tomsky brings these traditions to us in this book.

I think it would be fun to follow Craig through the entire process from field to fork, based on nothing more than his passion alone. I’m sure the meal experience would match that of any great restaurant. I look forward to choosing a recipe and putting together my first meal, Craig’s way. And even if you’re a vegetarian and don’t cook, or even if you don’t have a kitchen, the section on mixed drinks is well worth the price of admission. You might want to read that section first.

[Marlene Kosinski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found Changing The Game by Craig Tomsky to be a very different kind of cookbook, not only for its subject matter but how it is presented. It is very obvious that a tremendous amount of research went into writing this book. What I liked most are the specific explanations as to why certain approaches were taken; an example is the section on “Deboning to Eliminate Bone Marrow’s Impact”, which shows how passionate Tomsky is with achieving optimal flavor. As I read the book, I felt like a chef instructor was demonstrating how to prepare the recipes in front of me. The narrative was very interactive. There were numerous suggestions on how recipes could be modified for personal flavor profiles. I found this unique for a cookbook; normally there is no discussion on modifications to a recipe. The book as a whole is an easy read and, with the suggestions of non-game meats given, is a great addition to anyone’s cookbook library!

[BernBoard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cookbook Lovers, Rejoice! Game Hunters, Indulge! Epicureans/Gourmands, Delight! And Vegetarians, Beware!

Craig Tomsky's CHANGING THE GAME is is a game changer for one and all; it just might convert non-meat eaters into carnivores. The author's expertise and passion, his love and respect for family traditions, and his story-telling skill, all shine through every page and photograph.

Though not a hunter in the least, as an avid cookbook collector and chef wanna-be, I was fascinated by the education and enlightenment Tomsky provides of preparation and techniques to 'Change the Game'-iness. Who knew? And the fact that these recipes are adaptable to supermarket cuts, makes this volume a no-brainer.

The easy, explicit instructions, interesting tips, fun anecdotes, delicious side dishes, as well as yummy drink suggestions (like Nutty Muddy) and wine pairings, all add up to an entertaining, highly recommended, must-have read for every food-lover or cook.

[Michael Innamorato · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Changing the Game” has changed the way I prepare and cook wild game. Craig’s many years of butchering and preparing mouth watering dishes kept me wanting to read more. As you read through this book, I’d suggest sticky pad notes to earmark pages of some of the recipes you want to start with. I prepared a batch of “fort courage southwest style rub.” An excellent choice for seasoning almost everything I cook. I liked he added domestic meats into the recipes. Can’t possibly have enough game meat to try all these dishes in a single season. Craig rounded out the recipes with a compliment of side dishes and desserts. “Changing the Game” will allow you to prepare game-changing delicious meals from field to fork.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Changing The Game is a cookbook that has it all. Throughout the journey of harvesting wild game from field to fork, Tomsky gives thoughtful and scientific insights along with self-humiliating humor that makes it a joy to read. Not only is this book informative, but it is also entertaining. A cookbook usually isn't a page turner, but I found myself not being able to put this down because I wanted to hear the next story of how and why a drink or recipe came to be. Tomsky does a great job looping in his personal experience and family culture into this book that makes it relatable to anyone who reads it.

[Patricia D · Rating 5 out of 5]

GAMEY GONE!
This book is just perfect for those who hunt and for those who are delegated to cook the kill.  I have prepared several of these tried and true recipes and they were delicious! The gamey taste is gone!
I always knew that venison was good for you but I didn't care for the "wangy" taste of the meat. The recipes in this book are absolutely delicious and remove all that gamey flavor. What a gold mine this book is! 
How healthy is meat from animals who don't ingest preservatives?  I am so happy I found this collection of recipes and anecdotes reminiscent of Craig Tomsky's life with a Sicilian mother. Kudos to the author. There is not one boring page in this book.

[Gail Petersen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I consider myself an adventurous and good cook. I’ve baked whole salmon and cooked a wild goose. But I definitely received an education on cooking game from Craig Tomsky’s book. No matter how accomplished you are, cooking game meat is not for the faint of heart…or those without experience. This cookbook gave me the confidence and knowledge to prepare, cook and serve delicious wild game meals. From wood to wine to rubs and fires – I have a new comfort and am eager to try many of the recipes.