Elk Burgundy

Elk Burgundy or better referred to as Bourguignon is cubed meat slow cooked with bacon, burgundy wine, brandy, pearl onions, mushrooms and seasonings.  I just can’t find anything wrong with that statement.

I would recommend making this dish on a weekend and really letting it slow cook. And if you can wait, try cooking it a day prior to serving. The flavor and the richness of the sauce is so intense that you may find yourself licking the bottom of the bowl. Enjoy!

Substitute: Bison, Venison, Antelope or Black Bear meat

Ingredients

• 2 pounds elk stew meat
• 6 slices thick bacon, chopped
• 2 cups dry red wine
• 1 cup brandy
• 2 1/2 cups beef stock
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup white pearl onions
• 16 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 teaspoons thyme
• salt, to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 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. Sear cubed meat in bacon drippings until browned on all sides. Do this in batches so not to over crowd the pan. Remove meat and set aside. Add chopped onion and garlic and sauté until translucent. Add meat back to dutch oven with onions. Sprinkle flour over meat and stir to coat. Place in oven uncovered for 5 minutes. Stir meat and continue to bake for 5 more minutes. Remove from oven and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Add cooked bacon, wine, brandy, tomato paste and beef stock into meat mixture. Add thyme and bay leaf. Put back into the oven with the lid on and cook for 3 hours or until meat is tender. 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 and season with salt and pepper if needed.

Serve Burgundy over mashed potatoes or steamed rice.