Hunting season is here and the Big Sky Canvas Team would like to share a couple of our favorite Elk Recipes with you! Stay safe and shoot straight.

Vegetarian- an old Indian term for bad hunter.

Elk Rump Roast With Chipotle Butter

Ingredients

• 1 Elk Rump Roast (Venison would work too)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Chipotle Butter

In a bowl, mix together softened butter, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, cumin and coriander. Roll out a piece of plastic wrap and place mixed butter in the center. Take one side of your plastic wrap and fold over the butter. Begin to roll the butter to form a round cylinder. Twist the ends and place the butter in the refrigerator to firm back up.

• 1 cube unsalted butter
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons adobo sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon coriander

Directions

Mix all seasonings together and rub all over your elk rump roast. Let meat marinate for 12-24 hours in the refrigerator. Remove the elk rump roast and let sit on the counter for 30 minutes. Heat outdoor grill and barbecue meat turning a few times so not to burn. Remove the roast from heat when the internal temperature reaches 130°. Add a few slices of chipotle butter to the top of the roast and cover loosely with foil. Let the meat rest for 10 minutes. Slice the roast against the grain and serve with a side salad.

Elk Fajitas and Onions

A quick weekday wild game recipe using my garden bell peppers and sweet onions turned out to be simply fantastic. Serve over fresh greens or sliced cabbage with a squeeze of lime.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 -2 lbs elk backstrap, sirloin or roast (thinly sliced)
• 2 large sweet onions (thinly sliced)
• 2 large yellow bell peppers (thinly sliced)
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (optional)
• 1 tablespoon Olive oil
• Flour tortillas

Extras: Chopped cilantro, crumbled Queso Fresco Cheese and sour cream.

DIRECTIONS

Combine dry spices and add to thinly sliced elk meat.  Heat skillet over medium-high heat and add the bell peppers and onions tossed with a tablespoon of olive oil. Saute the mixture for 7 to 8 minutes until the vegetables become limp. Move vegetables to the side of the skillet and add sliced elk. Quickly cook elk meat and then mix together with onions and peppers.

Serve elk fajitas in a warm flour tortilla topped with chopped cilantro, crumbled Queso Fresco and a dollop of sour cream!

Elk Venison

Serve this elk venison backstrap recipe with a side of rosemary smashed potatoes and steamed asparagus. 

Serves: 2
Prep time: 45 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

Elk Venison Ingredients:

• 2 individually cut elk backstrap steaks, each about 4- to 5-inches thick
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 slices of bacon, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped

Potatoes Ingredients:

• 6-8 potatoes
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 ½ tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
• Chopped fresh chives

Directions:

1. Place the steaks on a plate and season with salt, pepper and ground coriander. Cover with plastic wrap and marinade for 30 minutes at room temperature.
2. Over medium high heat add chopped bacon, garlic and butter to cast iron skillet. Raise heat to high and cook elk steaks 3-4 minutes on every side. Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice the steaks across the grain.
3. To make the smashed potatoes, roughly peel and chop the potatoes into quarters. Boil them until tender while the steaks are resting.
4. In a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter. Add the potatoes. Using a wooden spoon or potato masher, smash the potatoes coarsely, adjusting their texture as necessary. Mix in the rosemary and chives. Cook until browned on one side and then flip. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Serve steaks with potatoes and a side of steamed asparagus.

Elk Burgundy 

Elk Burgundy, or better referred to as Bourguignonne, is cubed meat slow cooked with bacon, burgundy wine, brandy, pearl onions, mushrooms and seasonings. Serve over cream style mashed potatoes or polenta. You can substitute venison in place of the elk.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds elk stew meat cut into cubes
• 2 cups red wine (Burgundy, Chianti or Merlot)
• 1 cup Brandy
• 2 1/2 cups beef stock
• 6 thick bacon coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 onion diced
• 1 cup pearl onions
• 16 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 teaspoons thyme
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• salt and pepper
• 4 green onions chopped (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. Heat Dutch oven pot over medium-high heat and cook bacon until lightly browned. Remove and drain on a paper towel. Leave bacon drippings in the pot.

3. Sear cubed elk meat in bacon drippings until browned on all sides. Do this in batches so not to over crowd the pan. Remove and set aside. Add diced onion and chopped garlic and sauté until translucent. Add meat back to Dutch oven. Sprinkle flour over meat and stir to coat. Place in oven for 5 minutes. Stir meat and continue to bake for 5 more minutes. Remove from oven and reduce temperature to 350 degrees.

4. Add wine, brandy, tomato paste and beef stock into meat mixture. Stir gently. Add thyme, salt, pepper and bay leaf. Put back into the oven with the lid on and cook for 3 hours or until meat is tender.

5. An hour before serving, melt butter in a pan over medium-high heat and sauté mushrooms until browned. Add mushrooms and pearl onions to meat mixture and continue to cook in oven for remaining time. Remove from oven. (Optional: To thicken sauce mix cornstarch and cold water together and pour into pot and stir.)

6. Serve Elk Burgundy over cream style mashed potatoes or polenta. Garnish with chopped green onions.