Elk stew should always be a beautiful work of art. Meat from wild game should never be “gamey” or weird in flavor but always full of simple yet dramatic flavors that honor the life of the animal and showcase its nutrition. There is a simple rule to follow when making meals with game that has always served me well: Cook game with foods that are found in the animal’s natural habitat. You don’t have to be an avid hunter or rancher or even a devoted local in order know an animals terrain. A small amount of research on the internet or time in the wild discovering the animal and their habitat should be plenty for inspiration and knowledge.
Rocky Mountain Elk have some of the most stunning land to live on in the world.
Here in the Rocky Mountains, the elk roam between the wild, grass-filled valleys and the tall, snowy mountains. Elk are some of the most beautiful creatures here. They are majestic, peaceful animals that can be as loud or as quiet as they want to be. It is near impossible to sneak up on an elk without great practice and head-to-toe camouflage, but high in the mountains during the summer the elk will often sneak up on you. My family has the privilege of spending time in the mountains on old homesteading land where we get to be immersed in nature. The elk will often sneak by the small, one-room cabins in the morning or evening.
One late summer day when the tall grasses along the mountains had turned to their golden brown I woke up to a strange yet earnest try at an elk bugle. We were up at the homestead with my parents and I thought my dad had given a try at elk calling. He sounded terrible! With all of the time I’ve spent up in the mountains I’ve learned to identify all of the animals’ calls. So much so that when I am asked a question and I am deep in thought I will often reply with, “yeah,” in which I roll my “ea” into a sound like the mew of a cow elk talking her heard. My husband makes fun of me for this and it’s become a family joke. But that morning, the elk call that I heard sounded like a human failing at the practice of a bull elk bugle. So I rolled out of my sleeping bag and headed up the hill to the “big” cabin where my dad was staying. I thought for sure my father was practicing. But much to my surprise my dad wasn’t calling elk. Instead, two very young bull elk had walked past the cabins practicing their calls. I had no idea that “teenage” bulls had a hard time learning their strong vocal cords much like teenage humans. I had been out of my cabin in a very short period of time and missed seeing the large creatures, when somehow I should have walked right past them. That day, the young elk showed themselves to my parents but not to me. And that is the way elk live. Sometimes you see them and sometimes you don’t. They show themselves when they want to or simply don’t care, and will walk right past you and into the juniper bushes, sage brush, and pine trees without you ever seeing or hearing them if they prefer.
In the fields, Rocky Mountain Elk live amongst wild sage, wild onions and parsnips, wild mustards, and honey. While high in the mountains the elk roam with juniper trees and bushes, bright alpine strawberries, huckleberries and bitterroots. And that rule of cooking game with foods found in the animal’s habitat stand true for elk.
The best elk stews have dried juniper berries, onions, and sage. And the best elk roasts have a sweet paste of berries and herbs rolled into the middle or cooked into a light syrup and drizzled on top. While onion isn’t the best friend of those with SIBO, it can be exchanged for the green part of a leek. This recipe has a rich aroma of juniper berries, leek, fresh sage, and rosemary. I have combined it with vegetables that grow like weeds here in the Rocky Mountain valleys of local carrots, bright cabbage and green zucchini. Because elk is so lean the meat can be tough or chewy if not cooked properly. For elk stews I always braise the meat, and cook for it until it is soft before adding vegetables. With this method, I’ve always ended up with perfect meat.
I hope you enjoy!
Elk Stew
Ingredients
- 1 lb elk roast or steak
- 1 Tbs unsalted butter or rendered duck fat
- 3 cups bone, meat, or vegetable broth
- 1 cup largely chopped carrots
- 2 cups largely chopped zucchini
- 1 cup chopped green cabbage
- 1 cup sliced leek (green part only)
- 8 leaves fresh sage minced
- 10 dried juniper berries
- 2-3 stems fresh rosemary
- salt to taste
Instructions
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Mince the sage. Remove the leaves from the rosemary stems and mince. Set the minced herbs aside.
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Slice the elk into large chunks. Elk should always be removed of extra fat or ligaments as these will cause a "gamey" flavor.
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Place the butter or duck fat into a large skillet and heat on high until it melts.
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Place the meat chunks into the pan making sure each piece is touching the hot surface to brown the meat. You may need to cook the meat in two batches.
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After about 30 seconds or the meat has begun to turn dark brown and beginning to crisp (but not burn) flip each piece over to cook the other side. Ideally, you want to cook each side of the meat. (But I usually cut my pieces too small for all four sides.) See the above picture for reference.
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After the meat is cooked and while it is still hot transfer it to a crockpot or Instant Pot. Fill with bone broth enough to reach about half of the way to two thirds of the way up the meat. Add half of the minced herbs and all of the juniper berries. Add the sliced leek. And two or three pinches of salt.
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For a crockpot, set the temperature to low and cook for 4-6 hours until the meat has softened.
For an Instant Pot, turn the settings to "Meat" or "Stew" and cook for 18-20 minutes.
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Once the meat has softened add the vegetables as well as the remaining broth and herbs to your pot.
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For a crockpot, cook the vegetables until soft- usually 1-3 hours depending how large you cut the pieces.
For an Instant Pot, turn the setting to "Steam" and cook for 2 minutes.
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Add additional salt to taste.
Recipe Notes
I almost always serve Elk Stew with homemade banana bread or nut crackers and butter. Elk is a very lean meat. Serve with a side dish higher in fat for a fuller meal.