Spicy Elk Stew
Serves 10 – 12
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons chili powder
4 teaspoons cumin
3 pounds elk stew meat (I use up all the tough bits and pieces)
3 tablespoons olive oil – split in half
3 cups salsa
1 1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon honey
5 cups sweet potato — peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes (2 – 3 medium)
1 – 11 oz can whole kernel corn
1 – 15 oz can black beans – drained and rinced
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the flour, chili powder and cumin.
Rinse the elk and pat dry. Lay the stew meat on a cutting board. Sprinkle half of the flour mixture over it. Cover with a gallon size plastic bag cut down each side to form a large rectangle. (This keeps the flour from going everywhere as you pound). Pound in the flour seasoning mix. Turn elk over and pound in remaining flour mixture.
Heat half the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook half the elk in oil about 5 minutes, turning several times, until brown on all sides. Remove. Heat rest of oil, add the rest of the elk and brown for about 5 minutes. Remove. Drain any oil left out of pan. Don’t worry about any browned flour/spice mix stuck to the bottom. Put the salsa, water and honey in the pot. Then add the browned elk, sweet potatoes, corn and beans. Heat to boiling; remove from heat. Cover and bake 1 hour or until elk is tender.
Serve with warm, low carb tortillas.
NOTE: You can control the “heat” by how spicy the salsa is. Also you can cut down the amount of chili powder, but I wouldn’t cut it by more than half. It’s not that hot and adds lot of flavor.
ALSO: If you think your elk is real tough, you can add a little Adolf’s tenderizer to the flour mix. I would suggest 1/2 – 1 teaspoon. Don’t over do it. You don’t want the meat to be mushy or the stew to be too salty (tenderizer is salty). The tomato in the salsa will help break the meat down. Especially if you make this a day ahead.
Cooking With Game 