The Hunter's Wife: Cooking With Elk Meat

For those of you who belong to a hunting family - be it you hunt, your husband hunts or you have an uncle, brother, dad or grandpa that hunts, you probably know what it's like to have a freezer full of meat. Elk, deer, duck you name it, sometimes it's hard to figure what to do with all that stuff. Cooking it can be a tricky task because you want it to taste as non-gamey like as possible. 

I found a recipe a while ago for elk chili that I had been dying to try and yesterday I finally made it. It turned out so well I just had to share it with y'all. Doesn't taste gamey at all which is great great great.

The original comes from here: http://www.familyfreshcooking.com/2011/09/09/elk-chili-with-roasted-sweet-potatoes-recipe/

I modified it a bit so I shall share my version with you. 

Cowgirl Elk Chili

(If elk ain't your cup of tea you can always substitute with ground beef or omit the meat altogether. Anyway let's proceed.) 

Ingredients: 

1 leek

1 zucchini

1 sweet potato

2 cloves garlic

1 bunch cilantro 

1 lb ground elk 

24 oz of canned chopped tomatoes 

1 can kidney beans

1 cup chicken broth 

Cinnamon

Cumin

Salt

Chili powder 

Olive oil

Step 1 

Chop sweet potatoes into squares, toss in olive oil and tsp. of cinnamon. Spread out on baking sheet and roast at 425 degrees for 30 minutes.

Step 2 

While potatoes are cooking chop zucchini, leeks and garlic and brown in a pot with olive oil on medium heat. In other frying pan brown ground elk. Once thoroughly cooked add together in pot. 

Step 3

Add tomatoes (don't drain), chicken broth, kidney beans (drained), and cooked sweet potatoes to pot with other ingredients. 

Step 4 

Add spices, 1/2 tsp. of each and let chili summer for half an hour.

Step 5

Time to eat! Serve with cilantro, sour cream and cheese! Tortilla chips are a good topping as well. 

There are so many flavors in this chili that all come together and create a wonderful harmony of deliciousness. From the sweetness of the potatoes to the slight spiciness from the chili, this dish is one that hunters and non hunters alike are sure to enjoy.