WILD GAME (Elk, Venison, Moose) COOKING RECIPES

Living in Idaho brings many outdoor adventures and rewards. One of these is the abundance of Wild Game. Throughout the years family and friends have gathered together some great recipes for cooking Venison, Elk and Moose. There are two types of Deer in the Lemhi Valley, on the banks of the Salmon River, White tail and Mule deer. I prefer White tail to Mule deer, but that is just me. For the most part Elk meat seems to be the most versatile when it comes to cooking.

SMOTHERED ELK STEAK

(Elk, Venison or Moose)

4 servings of elk steak

2 medium onions, chopped

Cooking Oil

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can water

Salt & Pepper

Flour

Trim all fat from steak; dredge in flour. Pound flour into steak with pouder or edge of heavy saucer. Add salt and pepper.

In a deep skillet, on low heat, brown chopped onions in hot cooking oil. Remove onion; brown steak in same skillet, in-creasing heat. Return onion to skillet and add soup and water. Simmer on low for 1 hour.

This makes a lovely brown gravy, elegant on mashed potatoes, boiled rice or hot biscuits.

The video below has great shots of the Lemhi Valley, but it's a hunting video. I would suggest you forego watching this video if you don't care for such things.

ELK-A-BOBS

Prepare meat into 2-inch squares (18), peel 12 small onions, and cut 2 bell peppers into 6 strips (lengthwise, like slender pie wedges).

Marinade: Mix together thoroughly, and let stand to cool.

¾ C. Wesson or Mazola oil

2/3 C. Catsup

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. garlic salt

1/6 tsp. Cayenne pepper

½ C. apple vinegar

1 tsp. sugar

1/3 C. hot water

Thread first items onto skewers in this order: meat, onion, meat, pepper (folding the pepper into a round shape), meat, and onion. Each skewer has 3 pieces of meat, 2 onions, and 1 pepper.

Marinate these for 3 hours, turning occasionally, so that they will be covered. Save the marinade for basting. These may be broiled in foil wrapper, or cooked on an outside barbeque. If prepared for broiler, cover for first 10 minutes, so onions will partially cook, then expose to flame to brown and glaze.

If cooked on outside barbeque, elevate from fire so that onions will have more time to cook. Lower to desired position for browning and cooking the meat.

Cook to desired doneness. Be sure to baste occasionally.

ELK A LA VIZCANYA

4 Elk portions

½ onion, diced,

1 clove garlic

1 red pepper, diced

½ C. water

Take elk or deer meat, sliced to desired portions; bring to a boil in salted water; skim until water is clear. Prepare a simmering kettle by putting in a small amount of cooking oil.

Add onion, garlic and red pepper and cook until brown and tender. Add meat and ½ C.water and simmer for 15 minutes.

Serve with the following sauce:

½ C. ketchup

Dash of A-1 sauce

¼ tsp. dry mustard

¼ tsp. parsley flakes

½ tsp. salt

Add enough water to these ingredients to fill 1 cup. Mix well. Add to meat and simmer for ½ hour (important to simmer slowly). Keep covered at all times.

ELK MEAT LOAF

1 ½ lbs. elk hamburger

¼ lb. sausage

1 small onion, diced

1tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

Dash thyme, crushed

Dash garlic salt

½ tsp. poultry seasoning

2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 egg

Cracker crumbs

Topping

1 can cream of tomato soup

1 bouillon cube dissolved in soup

1 Tbsp. dehydrated onion

¼ can water

Mix first group of ingredients together.

Make into small individual loaves in a baking pan. Cover with sauce. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

MOOSE SWISS STEAK

Wipe with damp cloth 3 lbs. of two-inch thick steak.

Stir Together:

¾ C. flour

1/3 C. Oil

1 tsp. dry mustard

1 C. water or 1 C. tomatoes juice

¼ tsp. seasoned pepper

1 ½ tsp. salt

2 C. diced onion

Beat the flour mixture into steak with mallet until all is abosorbed. Brown steak in 1/3 C. Oil. Rinse pan with 1 C. water and pour over steak and onions in casserole. (If preferred, tomatoes can be used in place or water.) Bake in oven at 325°

When done, arrange on platter and surround with a border or mashed potatoes. This wil keep 4-6 hours in the Keep Warm Oven at 160°. Serves 6.

SWEET AND SOUR MOOSE

2 lbs. moose cut in 2-inch cubes

2 C. water

2 tsp. salt

8 whole cloves

1 tsp. allspice

1 cinnamon stick, broken in small pieces

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 Tbsp. shortening

¼ C. floor

½ C. vinegar

1 medium sized onion, chopped

Simmer meat in water seasoned with salt, spices and sugar until tender, about 1-½ hours. While meat is cooking, spread flour in shallow pan, brown in a 350° oven for 10 minutes.

Melt shortening and blend in flour until smooth. Drain stock from meat; stir it into flour mixture along with vinegar. Stirring, cook until smooth and thick. Pour gravy over meat, add onion, and simmer 30 minutes. Serves 6