I’m tired of butchering. I’m tired of writing about butchering. I’m tired of making you read about it. I’m done. So very, very thankfully, this was the end of the butchering road for 2010. No more. By next fall, I’ll be stoked to get back at it, I’m sure, but for now I’m happy to pack away the knives and … Read More
How to Harvest a Tongue
I recently was invited to attend a culinary competition at NAIT. On the menu were local lake fishes, elk, bison, and pulses [legumes] from our province. Pretty cool to see pickerel starters done 12 ways by 12 teams – reminds me of home. The table I sat at, which happened to be served the menu from the winning team, was … Read More
Calf Moose Hunt 2010
This was my 5th calf moose hunt in as many Novembers – can’t believe it’s been that many as I still feel like a newbie. I’ve been giving some thought to why I started hunting big game and continue to do it, and can condense it into the following: My quest for my regional food culture. I’ve spent far more … Read More
Spaghetti and Elk Meatsauce. Mostly.
Calf elk, fried in beef fat. And rather than canned tomatoes – jellied beef stock with tomato paste. Add a whack of minced char to get green veg into the family. That’s one hearty meaty-meat sauce. High on the QPR scale. I’ve been really reluctant to go the route of beef stocks with game preparations – game stocks for game … Read More
Back-to-back tenderloin posts. Sweet.
This time, calf elk. Having had the reindeer and calf elk back-to-back, I can say with some certainty that calf elk is far more delicately flavored. This time, sauteed rather than pan roasted. I’d thrown in some thyme, chive, and a crushed clove of garlic to fry with the meat. That clove of garlic, all caramelized, was one of the … Read More
Some particularly nice Elk Tenderloin and Bacon
My mourning of my last PC has passed, and its replacement has arrived. New computers feel fresh and clean and fast and a bit like taking a tylenol when you have a bit of a headache. The photo: Monday night’s dinner after a day of yawns-ville seminars. Some pan-roasted marinated cow elk tenderloin with some made-yesterday black pepper smoked bacon … Read More
Aging Moose and Elk
Yesterday’s post brought up an important topic: the aging of big game meats. Someone posted the following in a comment: “Not all meat should be aged. Young game animals are tender by nature. Aging game that has been skinned often results in excessive weight loss, dehydration and surface discoloration of the lean tissue…” I’d had this pang of guilt tucked … Read More
Calf Elk. Finally.
Calf elk neck. In my little world, this is exciting stuff. It’s an achievement. I grew up eating bull moose and deer – moose generally being preferred over deer. Elk were not around the parts my family hunted – so until the past few years, I knew little to nothing about elk. Once introduced to our kitchen, the general preference … Read More
Madras Cow Elk Shoulder in Coconut Milk
This dish was a long time coming. Ever since this post of Gracianne’s, I’d wanted to do a respectable Indian curry dish with some game. I’d intended moose. I’d intended to follow her recipe to the letter. But I only had a good-sized slab of this year’s cow elk shoulder on hand, and was in a hurry. After a crazy-busy … Read More