Chipotle Elk Stuffed Enchiladas

Ingredients

• 1lb ground elk burger
• 12 oz can enchilada sauce
• 2 chipotle peppers diced plus 1 teaspoon of sauce
• 6oz can diced black olives
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 medium white onion diced
• 1 red bell pepper diced
• 2 cloves garlic chopped
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
• 1/2 cup Cotija cheese
• 10 Soft Flour Tortillas

If you like Spicy, you will ENJOY this elk chipotle enchilada recipe. It’s another simple and easy to make wild game dinner recipe that works well with either ground elk or ground venison burger.

Just a quick side note: If you or a family member has a low tolerance for Spicy Foods, I would only add one chipotle pepper and very little sauce.   :)


Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Add oil to a pan and saute onions, bell pepper and garlic over medium heat. Cook until onions are translucent about 5 minutes. Add chopped chipotle peppers, sauce, cumin, garlic powder, chili powder and salt. Stir together and continue to cook for another 4-5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
3. Add ground elk to pan and brown. Then add pepper mixture and olives to elk meat and stir together. Remove from heat. Add 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese and cotija cheese to meat mixture and stir.
4. With a large spoon fill elk mixture in the center of each flour tortilla. Roll up the tortilla and place seam side down in a baking dish.
5. Pour Enchilada sauce over the tortillas and top with remaining Monterey Jack cheese. Cover loosely with tinfoil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until all cheese is 100% melted.
6. Enjoy with sour cream, avocado, cojita cheese and cilantro….

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Elk Stuffed Mushrooms

The perfect appetizer 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup cooked ground elk
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 25-30 mushrooms
• 1 sweet onion
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 cup shredded smoked mozzarella cheese
• ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar
• fresh thyme
• salt
• olive oil

Preparation
1) Slice sweet onion in large pieces about ¼ inch thick. Brush with olive oil, season with salt and cook direct on barbeque. Turn every 2-3 minutes for roughly 10 minutes or until the onion becomes soft.

2) In a food processor add the pre-cooked elk meat, grilled onion and garlic powder. Pulse ingredients together for approximately 5-10 seconds. Remove and put into a bowl combining the meat mixture and both  cheeses. Gently stir together and set aside.

3) Melt 2 tablespoons butter in skillet over medium heat. Add all mushrooms top side down, and cook for 1-2 minutes. Flip all mushrooms and cook for another minute. Remove from skillet and place top side down on a cookie sheet.

4) Spoon roughly 1 tablespoon of stuffing into each mushroom cap and top off with some fresh thyme. Bake mushrooms in pre-heated oven at 375 for 10-12 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven and enjoy!

Elk Fajitas

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 Stew

Hearty and meaty stew with a savory spicing, perfect for warming you from the inside out on a cold winter day

 Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 2 pounds elk stew meat
  
• 1/4 cup flour
  
• Creole seasoning - recipe follows
  
• 2 cups chopped onions
  
• 3 large potatoes chopped
  
• 1 cup chopped celery
  
• 1 cup chopped carrots
  
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
  
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes, peeled and seeded
  
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
  
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
  
• 2 bay leaves
  
• 1 cup red wine
  
• 4 cups brown stock
  
• Salt and black pepper
  
• Crusty bread
  
•  Creole Seasoning):
  
• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
  
• 2 tablespoons salt
  
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
  
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
  
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
  
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
  
• 1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
  
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
  

Directions
In a large pot, over high heat, add the olive oil. In a mixing bowl, toss the elk with flour and creole seasoning. When the oil is hot, sear the meat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the onions and saute for 2 minutes. Add the celery and carrots. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for 2 minutes. Add the garlic, tomatoes, basil, thyme, and bay leaves to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Deglaze the pan with the red wine. Add the brown stock. Bring the liquid up to a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer. Simmer the stew for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the meat is very tender. If the liquid evaporates too much add a little more stock.

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Elk Burger Quiche

INGREDIENTS

• 1 ½ cup Elk Italian Sausage
• Fresh oregano
• 2 cups brown mushrooms
• ½ red onion
• 20 cherry tomatoes
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 6 eggs
• ½ cup milk
• 1 cup Cheddar cheese
• ½ cup parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS
1) Cook elk sausage on medium high heat until browned. Remove from heat and set aside.

2) Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced mushrooms, chopped onion and a few fresh oregano leaves. Sauté for about 10 minutes or until mushrooms and onion become caramelized. Add cherry tomatoes and continue to cook for another five minutes or until tomatoes become soft. Remove from heat and let cool.

3) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

4) Add 6 whole eggs to a large bowl. Beat eggs until blended. Add milk, cheeses, sausage, mushrooms and stir together.

5) Spray 9×13 pan with Non Stick cooking spray. Add quiche mixture to pan and cook in oven for 25-30 minutes.

6) Remove from oven and serve. I like to serve with salsa, fresh avocado, pickled jalapenos and sour cream.

Elk Zip Dip

An easy crock pot dish, a stand out at any get together

• 2 lbs. ground Elk  browned 
  
• 1 can refried beans
  
• 1 pkg taco seasoning
  
• 1/2 cup milk
  
• 1 jar salsa
  
• 1 2-lb.cheddar cheese, cubed
  
• 2 level T. ranch dressing (for zip), optional
  

Directions
Brown & drain meat; add can of beans & taco seasoning.  Add enough water to mix with beans & elk.  Cut cheese into cubes & add to crock pot with milk.  Set pot to high to melt cheese.  While cheese is melting, add all other ingredients.  Stir frequently.  Simmer on low.  Serve with Frito Scoops/Tortilla Chips or your favorite dipping chips.  

Elk Sausage Pizza

Here is a not so boring pizza recipe with elk Italian sausage, ricotta cheese, tomato sauce, sautéed mushrooms and onions, fresh oregano, basil and cherry tomatoes.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb Italian elk sausage
• 7.5 oz ricotta cheese
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 large shallot (chopped)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• ½ white onion (sliced)
• 1 cup brown or shitake mushrooms (chopped)
• Basil
• Fresh oregano
• Tomato
• Parmesan cheese
• 1 large pizza crust (example Boboli)

DIRECTIONS
1) Heat iron skillet on medium-high heat and cook elk Italian sausage until brown. Remove from heat and set aside.

2) Add 3 tablespoons of grape seed oil to the skillet. Sauté minced garlic cloves and diced shallot in pan until they begin to soften and brown. Add sliced ½ onion, sliced mushrooms and fresh oregano leaves to garlic and shallot mixture. Stir and continue to sauté until onions become translucent and soft. Generally about 10-12 minutes. Remove from heat when ready.

3) Heat oven to 400 degrees.

4) I like to take the left over oil from the pan and brush the top and bottom of my pizza crust. Place pizza crust upside down on cookie sheet and place in oven for about 5-6 minutes or until the top of the pizza crust begins to brown. Remove from oven.

5) Turn pizza crust right side up and cover the top of the crust with the ricotta cheese. Add tomato sauce, top with elk Italian sausage, and add mushroom and onion mixture and then top off with chopped basil and fresh grated parmesan cheese.

6) Place in oven and bake approximately 12-14 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven and enjoy.