Savory Braised Elk

I use a Dutch oven for this recipe, but you can easily make it in a slow cooker. You can also use this recipe for beef–it still tastes amazing. I just happen to have fine tuned it for elk roast (of which I still have thirty pounds in my freezer).

Rub the meat with salt and pepper on all sides, then sear all sides of it on medium-high heat in the butter and oil. Once all sides are nicely browned, remove the meat from the pot and de-glaze pan with the red wine – just pour the wine in and stir so that all the wonderful browned bits are picked up into the liquid. Add garlic powder, apple cider vinegar and broth/stock. The liquid should come up halfway up your roast so add more stock and vinegar in equal parts to obtain the appropriate level.

Place the meat back into the pot and cover with the lid, let it simmer (low, medium-low heat) either on your stove or in your oven (around 300 degrees F). Check on it occasionaly to make sure it’s kept a low boil. Simmer for at least six hours–the longer the better. Internal temperature should get into the 200’s for a soft meat.

Side note: your liquid should have a STRONG aroma of vinegar and should kind of sting your eyes when you open the lid. The amount of vinegar can be increased but it cannot be reduced, it’s needed for both the flavor and for dissolving the tougher parts of the meat.

When finished cooking, let the meat rest for at least 30 minutes prior to cutting.

Add about a tablespoon of cornstarch to the leftover liquid and heat on medium heat until thickened, to make a thin gravy.

My favorite way to eat this is layered over a bed of buttered and salted polenta with the gravy drizzled on top but you can also used mashed potatoes, or a thick slice of crusty bread. It’s amazing. (It pairs well with a great unsweetened applesauce).