The Cowboy Elk Pizza

The Cowboy Pizza, from Papa Murphy’s, is my all time favorite take-n-bake bought pizza topped with sausage, mushrooms, black olives, Italian spices and cheese. So this Friday evening I decided to make my own Wild Game Elk Cowboy Pizza with a home grown and homemade tomato sauce featuring a little topping of elk instead of sausage and a whole lot of cheese.

I’ve made pizza before using elk sausage, venison burger and antelope. There’s nothing better. Enjoy!!

The Best Elk Pizza

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Pillsbury Pizza Crust Classic (or your favorite pizza crust)
• 1 cup Tomato Sauce (see homemade recipe below)
• 1/2 lb Ground Elk Burger
• 1/2 cup Mushrooms (chopped)
• 1/2 cup Black Olives (chopped)
• 1 small white onion (chopped)
• 16 oz Ricotta Cheese
• 1 – 8oz Fresh Mozzarella (sliced)
• Romano Cheese (grated)
• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 tablespoons Melted Butter
• Sliced Jalapenos (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a skillet over medium-high heat add olive oil and cook onion and mushrooms until onion becomes soft. 5-7 minutes. Add elk burger to skillet and cook until done.
3. Spray a little non-stick cooking spray on a large cookie sheet or pizza stone. Remove Pillsbury Pizza Crust and place on cookie sheet or stone. Spread the dough to the shape that you want your pizza to be: round or square.
4. Add your tomato sauce, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, elk burger and olives. Add freshly grated Romano Cheese. Brush the edges of the pizza crust with a little melted butter.
5. Place in oven for 18-20 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is hot. (NOTE: I turned mine every 5-7 minutes only because I have a hotter spot in the oven that tends to cook faster and I didn’t want my crust to burn.)
6. Remove from oven and enjoy! Serve with homemade tomato sauce, ranch dressing or nothing at all!

Homemade Tomato Sauce

I like this recipe only because the carrots sweetened the sauce without having to add honey or sugar. If you like your tomato sauce to be more red than orange, don’t add both carrots. Either way, you can always add more seasonings to create the best outcome for your homemade tomato sauce. (Makes 4 Cups)

INGREDIENTS

• 15 medium sized tomatoes
• 1 medium white onion (chopped)
• 4 cloves of garlic (chopped)
• 2 large carrots (peeled and chopped)
• 1 stalk celery
• 1/2 large red bell pepper (chopped)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 cup red wine (Cabernet or Merlot)
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. In another bowl fill will ice water. Make an ‘X’ in the top of each tomato and add whole tomatoes to boiling water until skin starts to peel. Remove tomatoes and place in ice bath.
2. When tomatoes cool, remove peel and squeeze out the seeds with your hand. Chop tomatoes and puree in blender or food processor.
3. Over medium heat in a large pot, cook onion, carrot and garlic in oil and butter until onion starts to soften. Add tomatoes, red wine and Italian seasoning. Place bay leaf and whole celery stalk in pot.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 2 hours. Stir in tomato paste and simmer an additional 2 hours. If you like a thinner sauce, add more wine.
5. Remove your celery and bay leaf and use for your favorite tomato sauce dishes.