ELK HEART STEW

Credit: oldgunkie WY

This is a twist on a recipe my grandmother taught me before going off to College as a way to ‘eat healthy on a budget’.  I like to eat organ meats because I enjoy their flavor and texture. Since starting to hunt I have learned or applied existing recipes to ensure I’m utilizing as much as I can of my harvest. Nose-to-tail ethics I’ve heard this called. This recipe is so simple and there are minimal dishes to wash up – perfect when you’re camping.

Ingredients

Elk heart: You can substitute beef hearts found in supermarkets or at your local butcher.

Stock: Make your own or store-bought.  I like to camp with cartons of stock, it doesn’t need to be refrigerated so I keep a few cartons in my HQ19s pantry.

Salt:  The larger the grain the better. If using fine salt, you should reduce the amount you use, or the stew could end up too salty.

Spices: I use garlic powder, cumin, paprika, and oregano.

Butter: I use it to thicken the cooking juices into rich gravy.

Cornstarch or flour: A small amount to help thicken the cooking liquids. If using flour add through a sieve, adding small amounts at a time.

Chopped parsley: Used purely for garnish. But it does make this brownish dish look prettier.

Instructions

I use a slow cooker that I plug in and leave to cook on the camper’s kitchen counter, it makes the camper smell amazing and the bears can’t get at it!

First, you cut the heart into 1-inch cubes and place them in your slow cooker or heavy close-lid pan. Then you add broth and those spices.

Cover and cook on high for 4 hours. Boom done…..however an extra step is.

Strain the cooking liquids into a saucepan and place the meat back in the slow cooker, cover it, and set it to warm.

The final step is to cook the liquids with some butter (optional) until they reduce into a rich gravy. If it’s not the consistency you want when you get back to your camper, add cornstarch to speed things up.

Serve the stew with the gravy, garnished with parsley. I like to add starch, so add some quartered red potatoes 15 minutes before serving, or make mashed potatoes if you like.

That’s it!!! A hearty meal for the winter months. (see what I did there) Enjoy!!!