Cooking your game: A family’s quest to eat locally: elk stew

When Crystal Atamian’s husband was offered a job in Spokane in 2008, she and her husband decided to use the move as an opportunity to break some bad habits and establish some new, positive ones. Upon arrival, it was important to them to eat as locally as possible.

They contacted farmers, started a large garden of their own and did what they could on a limited budget. Suddenly they had a lot less chicken and a lot more pork, lamb, venison and fish in the freezer.

Recipes required modification. Hamburgers were replaced with lamb burgers. Spaghetti tasted a little more gamey. Many culinary experiments ensued, some with better results than others.

Seven years later the Atamians have prepared everything from venison loin with huckleberry sauce and coconut curried venison, to elk roasts marinated in a Jack Daniels and molasses sauce. Their recent favorite is an elk stew. Simple, but hearty, it is best served with warmed sourdough bread.

In a Dutch oven, add the olive oil and braise the elk meat cubes on high heat until brown on all sides. Throw in the onions, carrots and potatoes. Reduce heat to medium low. Cover with the lid and cook until vegetables are tender.

At this point the meat should have generated some juice in the bottom. Crystal likes to take a quart of her own canned tomatoes, puree them in the blender and add to the stew. However, two 14-oz. cans of tomatoes from the store work as well.

Add the kosher salt, ground mustard, cumin, and cayenne. Once things are bubbling, add 1-2 tbsp. minced garlic and the balsamic vinegar. Crystal prefers a fig balsamic vinegar, but any sweet, thick balsamic will do, she says. Simmer for 1-2 hours or longer.

There are plenty of nights when Crystal and her family make this stew and they eat it right away and it tastes fine. But as with all stews and soups, it’s always better when allowed to simmer all day long, or when eaten the next day. If there is any stew left over, this recipe also freezes well.

Call for recipes

I hope you enjoy this recipe and would love to hear what plans you have for the fruits of your harvest from this past hunting season and current fishing season. Send your favorite recipe to johnh@spokesman.com.