HELP, there's an elk in my freezer!
January 25, 2022 7:38 AM Subscribe
I am not fond of elk meat. My freezer is full of elk meat. Please share links to recipes that will help me make something with it but also hide its taste as much as possible.
Although I am not great at cooking with meat, I do have an Instant Pot, a reasonably equipped kitchen, and lots of Mexican/Indian spices in the cabinet. I do not grill outdoors. Specific recipes appreciated (the more heavily spiced, the better; anything to make it not taste like elk). Thanks!
Although I am not great at cooking with meat, I do have an Instant Pot, a reasonably equipped kitchen, and lots of Mexican/Indian spices in the cabinet. I do not grill outdoors. Specific recipes appreciated (the more heavily spiced, the better; anything to make it not taste like elk). Thanks!
I found a good short list of ideas for you. I would try a buttermilk bath.
posted by RobinofFrocksley at 8:35 AM on January 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by RobinofFrocksley at 8:35 AM on January 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
I wonder if elk jerky would work? Beef jerky was one of my early pandemic distractions; I used this recipe or one very similar (these photos look familiar).
posted by dywypi at 8:35 AM on January 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by dywypi at 8:35 AM on January 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Been to the butcher, jerky already procured, the buttermilk tip is helpful; I can make both sausage and jerky on my own, but really need dinner recipes as I don't want to do more processing and storing. I want to defrost a package of elk meat and make something to eat that night.
posted by MonkeyToes at 9:05 AM on January 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by MonkeyToes at 9:05 AM on January 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Elk isn't my favorite either, but we always have a freezer full and it's good honest meat. Cooking methods will depend on what kind of cuts you have. I use ground elk in pasta dishes, meatballs, shepherd's pie, etc. and pan-sear steaks with a heavy seasoning crust and lots of butter. In general taking off as much fat as possible and replacing it with butter or oil will help. Don't overcook it! I use various steak seasoning blends from the store while being careful not to use too much salt.
Cookbooks you might find helpful:
Buck, Buck, Moose
The MeatEater Fish and Game Cookbook
More immediately, try treating it like lamb and tossing it with Indian spices in your Instant Pot. This elk vindaloo recipe looks delicious.
posted by scrubjay at 9:10 AM on January 25, 2022 [5 favorites]
Cookbooks you might find helpful:
Buck, Buck, Moose
The MeatEater Fish and Game Cookbook
More immediately, try treating it like lamb and tossing it with Indian spices in your Instant Pot. This elk vindaloo recipe looks delicious.
posted by scrubjay at 9:10 AM on January 25, 2022 [5 favorites]
I made this for Christmas 2 years ago. The mushroom sauce is honestly sooo good, I got the veal demiglaze from William sonoma, a little expensive but adds a wonderful umami flavor to sauces. I make the sauce all the time for pork because I don't normally have elk on hand.
https://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/elk-tenderloin-with-mushroom-sauce-2177316
posted by foxonisland at 9:20 AM on January 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
https://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/elk-tenderloin-with-mushroom-sauce-2177316
posted by foxonisland at 9:20 AM on January 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
A1 sauce? That was a staple in my house growing up. So was jerky. I love me some elk jerky.
But then... we had elk and venison far more than any other meat growing up, and I miss it. I'd take that problem off your hands in a heartbeat. I have no idea how my mother prepared it; she did not permit anyone to do anything in her kitchen other than use the microwave (or, if you were my dad, the coffee pot).
By the time I was old enough to try to learn, the kitchen was so hoarded that it was impossible to do anything else in there, anyway... she'd have to clean off enough of the stove to use a burner or two, or the oven. The few times I tried, on my own, to do things when she was not home were met with anger.
I do remember times she'd use it in goulash/hamburger & macaroni/hamburger helper/beefaroni/whatever your preferred name of this sort of dish is. She'd often cook it separately and chop it smaller after it was cooked, before stirring it in. I think she did that just for variety's sake, though - if she'd cooked extra steaks, they'd go in a ziplock in the fridge, and between dad taking them for lunch, and us kids just eating them, leftover elk and venison weren't a problem.
posted by stormyteal at 10:39 AM on January 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
But then... we had elk and venison far more than any other meat growing up, and I miss it. I'd take that problem off your hands in a heartbeat. I have no idea how my mother prepared it; she did not permit anyone to do anything in her kitchen other than use the microwave (or, if you were my dad, the coffee pot).
By the time I was old enough to try to learn, the kitchen was so hoarded that it was impossible to do anything else in there, anyway... she'd have to clean off enough of the stove to use a burner or two, or the oven. The few times I tried, on my own, to do things when she was not home were met with anger.
I do remember times she'd use it in goulash/hamburger & macaroni/hamburger helper/beefaroni/whatever your preferred name of this sort of dish is. She'd often cook it separately and chop it smaller after it was cooked, before stirring it in. I think she did that just for variety's sake, though - if she'd cooked extra steaks, they'd go in a ziplock in the fridge, and between dad taking them for lunch, and us kids just eating them, leftover elk and venison weren't a problem.
posted by stormyteal at 10:39 AM on January 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
Best answer: I am going to go bold and suggest marinades from Southeast Asia. Lemongrass, chilis, brown/palm sugar and fish sauce marinade with thin sliced moose was amazing. The cooking method is quick stir fry with onions. The fish sauce adds something, something and does not make the meat fishy. Most cervine meat does well with Asiatic flavors, I found.
posted by jadepearl at 12:36 PM on January 25, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by jadepearl at 12:36 PM on January 25, 2022 [4 favorites]
Best answer: I love elk and venison, but I know lots of folks who don't, so I usually make Indian curries like korma that have a cream base with lots spices to sort of hide the gameyness. Memail if you want my recipe. I used to teach Indian cooking classes, so I can include some other recipes as well if you want. Did you know originally black pepper was often used to mask the taste of slightly rotten meat? It works for unspoiled gamey meat too ;)
I've also added ground elk to lasagna, with lots of bechamel and Italian seasonings. Shepherds pie also works if you really lean into the sage/rosemary/thyme/black pepper and also add lardons or chopped thick cut crispy bacon. In general, adding pork seems to mellow the flavor but some people still find it too strong.
Hope that helps!
(I'm slightly jealous tbh. What a nice problem to have!)
posted by ananci at 2:10 PM on January 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
I've also added ground elk to lasagna, with lots of bechamel and Italian seasonings. Shepherds pie also works if you really lean into the sage/rosemary/thyme/black pepper and also add lardons or chopped thick cut crispy bacon. In general, adding pork seems to mellow the flavor but some people still find it too strong.
Hope that helps!
(I'm slightly jealous tbh. What a nice problem to have!)
posted by ananci at 2:10 PM on January 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
How is it cut? Goulash, bolognese, and Vietnamese-style pepper beef all work great with elk if it’s in chunks or steaks, and bolognese of course works ground as well. You’ll need to add some fat but I love elk in chile. Elk substitutes decently (and is IMO better) for lamb in many Indian recipes.
Elk is often poorly butchered/processed and this is a huge contributor to people thinking they don’t like the taste, but you have what you have and that kind of sauce should help.
posted by aspersioncast at 3:41 PM on January 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
Elk is often poorly butchered/processed and this is a huge contributor to people thinking they don’t like the taste, but you have what you have and that kind of sauce should help.
posted by aspersioncast at 3:41 PM on January 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Another good Indian dish to make with ground meat is keema. I have made this recipe more than once with lamb. It is one of my meat-loving partners favorite things I have ever cooked.
posted by zorseshoes at 3:45 PM on January 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by zorseshoes at 3:45 PM on January 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
The best thing I ate in Kalispell, MT was the elk sausage at a barbecue place. But for that you'd not only have to make the sausage, you'd have to smoke it. So that idea fails the "same day" requirement in your update, but I guess if you want two projects …
More practically, have you tried chili? Somebody once served me venison chili and if they hadn't said it was venison I wouldn't have known.
posted by fedward at 4:18 PM on January 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
More practically, have you tried chili? Somebody once served me venison chili and if they hadn't said it was venison I wouldn't have known.
posted by fedward at 4:18 PM on January 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
Hank Shaw has a ton of recipes that are well spiced and designed for game.
Get a copy of "Buck, Buck, Moose", as suggested above.
But also check out his website: https://honest-food.net/wild-game/
Some of my favorites that might fit your bill.
Bobotie
Sonoran Picadillo
Stroganoff
Ethiopian Tibs
Albondigas en chipotle
Bolognese
Potstickers
Jesse Griffith's "Afield" is another great source of recipes for venison. Some on the heavily flavored side to cover that elk taste.
(Or I could come to you and trade it all for some deer, because I would love a bunch of elk meat.)
posted by Seamus at 8:01 AM on January 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
Get a copy of "Buck, Buck, Moose", as suggested above.
But also check out his website: https://honest-food.net/wild-game/
Some of my favorites that might fit your bill.
Bobotie
Sonoran Picadillo
Stroganoff
Ethiopian Tibs
Albondigas en chipotle
Bolognese
Potstickers
Jesse Griffith's "Afield" is another great source of recipes for venison. Some on the heavily flavored side to cover that elk taste.
(Or I could come to you and trade it all for some deer, because I would love a bunch of elk meat.)
posted by Seamus at 8:01 AM on January 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Runzas/Bierocks (made with kimchi or just sauerkraut with lots of pepper) is a great way to use ground elk and cover the taste.
Sauce Piquant is another great recipe with strong flavors. My kid shared his pronghorn (very strong flavored) sauce piquant around at elementary school and his friends loved it.
Every year I make tamales, but for a single meal, I like making a tamal de cazuela (tamale pie) in a skillet. The shredding of the meat and the coating of the strands with the chile allows a lot less of the meat flavor than something cooked rare. I usually use this for neck roasts, but any roast will do.
Tamal de Cazuela
For the Masa:
2 pound (6 cups) masa harina para tamales
6 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock or water
12 ounces (1 1/2 cup) cold lard or Crisco
4 teaspoons kosher salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
For the Filling:
1 venison neck (or large roast of 2-3#)
1 tub red chile (or 6-8 guajillo or NM red chile, cleaned of seeds and rehydrated in 1.5 cups boiling water, let stand 10-20 mins, blended and strained)
1 Tbsp oregano
1 Tbsp granulated garlic
1 Tbsp cumin
3 Tbsp dried onion
1 cup water
Kosher salt
Vegetable oil, for greasing
Hot sauce and salsa verde, for serving
Directions
For the Filling: Put filling ingredients in a crockpot (frozen is okay) and cook until roast is falling apart. This took 8 hours on high for me.
Pull meat from the pot. Pull meat from the bones, cut into one inch chunks and shred. Return shredded meat to pot to coat fibers with chile and broth.
For the Masa: In a large mixing bowl, combine masa harina and broth.
Stir until thoroughly incorporated.
Combine lard, salt, and baking powder and, using an electric mixer, beat at medium-high speed until lightly whipped, about 1 minute.
Add 1/4 of the re-hydrated masa at a time to the lard, beating between additions until thoroughly incorporated. The masa should be soft and spreadable, with a hummus-like texture.
Cover masa with plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Assembly and Baking: Preheat oven to 375°F. Remove masa from refrigerator, discard plastic, and re-whip, adding water 1 tablespoon at a time, if necessary, to return it to original hummus-like texture. Lightly grease two 10-inch cast iron skillets or a large casserole dish with oil, wiping up any excess.
Scrape 1/3 of masa into each skillet and press to form an even thin layer on bottom and up the edges of pans.
Add half of meat filling (or enough to get 1/4-1/2 inch of filling) to each pan, smoothing to an even layer. Save any remaining filling for another use.
Gently form a top crusts with remaining masa, binding it with edge.
Wipe any masa residue from rim of skillet. Bake tamale pie until cooked through and lightly golden on top, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool slightly, then slice and serve.
posted by Seamus at 8:22 AM on January 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
Sauce Piquant is another great recipe with strong flavors. My kid shared his pronghorn (very strong flavored) sauce piquant around at elementary school and his friends loved it.
Every year I make tamales, but for a single meal, I like making a tamal de cazuela (tamale pie) in a skillet. The shredding of the meat and the coating of the strands with the chile allows a lot less of the meat flavor than something cooked rare. I usually use this for neck roasts, but any roast will do.
Tamal de Cazuela
For the Masa:
2 pound (6 cups) masa harina para tamales
6 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock or water
12 ounces (1 1/2 cup) cold lard or Crisco
4 teaspoons kosher salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
For the Filling:
1 venison neck (or large roast of 2-3#)
1 tub red chile (or 6-8 guajillo or NM red chile, cleaned of seeds and rehydrated in 1.5 cups boiling water, let stand 10-20 mins, blended and strained)
1 Tbsp oregano
1 Tbsp granulated garlic
1 Tbsp cumin
3 Tbsp dried onion
1 cup water
Kosher salt
Vegetable oil, for greasing
Hot sauce and salsa verde, for serving
Directions
For the Filling: Put filling ingredients in a crockpot (frozen is okay) and cook until roast is falling apart. This took 8 hours on high for me.
Pull meat from the pot. Pull meat from the bones, cut into one inch chunks and shred. Return shredded meat to pot to coat fibers with chile and broth.
For the Masa: In a large mixing bowl, combine masa harina and broth.
Stir until thoroughly incorporated.
Combine lard, salt, and baking powder and, using an electric mixer, beat at medium-high speed until lightly whipped, about 1 minute.
Add 1/4 of the re-hydrated masa at a time to the lard, beating between additions until thoroughly incorporated. The masa should be soft and spreadable, with a hummus-like texture.
Cover masa with plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Assembly and Baking: Preheat oven to 375°F. Remove masa from refrigerator, discard plastic, and re-whip, adding water 1 tablespoon at a time, if necessary, to return it to original hummus-like texture. Lightly grease two 10-inch cast iron skillets or a large casserole dish with oil, wiping up any excess.
Scrape 1/3 of masa into each skillet and press to form an even thin layer on bottom and up the edges of pans.
Add half of meat filling (or enough to get 1/4-1/2 inch of filling) to each pan, smoothing to an even layer. Save any remaining filling for another use.
Gently form a top crusts with remaining masa, binding it with edge.
Wipe any masa residue from rim of skillet. Bake tamale pie until cooked through and lightly golden on top, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool slightly, then slice and serve.
posted by Seamus at 8:22 AM on January 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
Best answer: If you like red curry, Malaysian Rendang is a dry, red curry, made with stew meat, cooked down and fried in the fat of the coconut cream, crisped after cooking, almost like carnitas.
It is awesome served with rice, lettuce, and sambal, sriracha, or sweet chili sauce.
posted by Seamus at 8:28 AM on January 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
It is awesome served with rice, lettuce, and sambal, sriracha, or sweet chili sauce.
posted by Seamus at 8:28 AM on January 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Okay, I have one more dish that was always a hit with people who didn't like the flavor of venison.
Growing up in the '70s, there was a common American-Chinese dish called Beef and Peas. It sounds weird, but it is tasty.
1# ground meat
1-2 packages of frozen peas (1.5 is good)
1 can smoked oysters, chopped fine
3 inches ginger peeled and chopped fine
2-5 Tbsp chopped garlic
1/4 cup soy sauce (more to taste)
1/2 cup water
1-2 Tbsp cornstarch
Oil.
Mix together water, soy sauce and cornstarch.
Heat a pan. Add oil. Sauté garlic, ginger and oysters for a minute or two. Add the ground meat. Sauté until meat is thoroughly cooked (2-5 minutes).
Add the liquids (with cornstarch dissolved in it) and heat until simmering. Add peas and heat through.
Serve over rice.
posted by Seamus at 8:32 AM on January 26, 2022
Growing up in the '70s, there was a common American-Chinese dish called Beef and Peas. It sounds weird, but it is tasty.
1# ground meat
1-2 packages of frozen peas (1.5 is good)
1 can smoked oysters, chopped fine
3 inches ginger peeled and chopped fine
2-5 Tbsp chopped garlic
1/4 cup soy sauce (more to taste)
1/2 cup water
1-2 Tbsp cornstarch
Oil.
Mix together water, soy sauce and cornstarch.
Heat a pan. Add oil. Sauté garlic, ginger and oysters for a minute or two. Add the ground meat. Sauté until meat is thoroughly cooked (2-5 minutes).
Add the liquids (with cornstarch dissolved in it) and heat until simmering. Add peas and heat through.
Serve over rice.
posted by Seamus at 8:32 AM on January 26, 2022
Best answer: I am a little embarrassed at how much I love this recipe: Wendy's Copycat Chili Recipe . It's easy and tasty. Usually I make a half recipe with turkey, beef or ground venison when I can get it. Bon appetit!
posted by Lookinguppy at 10:17 AM on January 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Lookinguppy at 10:17 AM on January 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Tonight was zorseshoes's IP keema--pretty good! scrubjay's elk vindaloo is up next. ananci, yes, please, on the recipes; would you mind sharing them here? Seamus, thank you for the bierocks reminder (I am also a fan of Hank Shaw, thank you! ). I enjoy making bread, and had forgotten about these; worth an experiment. Lookinguppy, chili is a good idea and the Wendy's copycat version will fit the bill (got some turkey in the freezer as well). Thank you all. I knew you'd come through for me, and I am grateful for your kindness in finding answers on my behalf.
posted by MonkeyToes at 6:13 PM on January 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by MonkeyToes at 6:13 PM on January 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
I recently had some supermarket pre-marinated pork loin that I didn't like the strong flavor of, and I was able to transform it by slow-cooking it into spicy pulled pork for sandwiches. I cut it into large chunks and added a can of chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, lots of sliced onion and peppers, and some brown sugar to the meat in a slow cooker. I may have used either root beer or coffee for additional liquid. You could try making a dish like that in your Instant Pot—something like this Dr. Pepper pulled pork recipe is similar to what I did, and would probably work great with elk. The recipe recommends not including all the chiles in the final dish. But I removed, chopped, and then put all of the chiles back in the pot after a long simmer, and didn't find it too overwhelmingly spicy for a pound or so of meat, and with no trace of the original strong marinade flavor left.
posted by obloquy at 11:24 PM on February 8, 2022
posted by obloquy at 11:24 PM on February 8, 2022
This thread is closed to new comments.
Is there a butcher in your area, or upstate, who could do it?
posted by wenestvedt at 8:26 AM on January 25, 2022 [4 favorites]