Elk Roast

This recipe is based off of Dana Carpender's spiced pot roast, from her cookbook 500 Paleo Recipes. I did make a few changes, most notably I used elk instead of beef. The spices aren't very strong, they just add a nice hint of background flavour. What I've learned from making this is: marinate your elk roast, cook it in liquid, and cook it in a slow cooker. Every single time I've tried to cook elk it turned out dry and gamey, but this recipe is delicious! My family polished off the entire roast in one night when I made this! (Granted, it was a small roast, and my brother is a hungry 17-year-old, but still. It was an entire roast!) If you're new to cooking elk meat, NEVER cook it in a moderate oven for less than an hour with just a bit of water. The roast will taste bad. Don't waste that precious, wild meat, slow cook it! This is how it should be done. (Note: this might also work with venison, although I haven't tried it. It will definitely work with beef)

Spiced Tomato Elk Roast

Ingredients

1 elk blade roast

salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp allspice

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (freshly grated is best)

1 can whole tomatoes (size of the can depends on the size on roast. For larger roasts, use a larger can)

1 Tbsp onion powder (or 1 onion, chopped)

2 tsp garlic powder

3 Tbsp olive oil

5 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 ice cubes of concentrated stock (I used pork, beef would probably be better, normal stock could also be used, just increase the amount to a little over 1/2 cup and don't use any water)

1/2 cup water

2 bay leaves

2-3 Tbsp beef tallow or lard, optional

Directions

1. Sprinkle your roast all over with salt, pepper, allspice, and nutmeg, rub into the meat. Stab the roast all over with a fork.

2. Puree the can of tomatoes, along with the onion if using fresh. Add the onion and garlic powder if using, along with the olive oil and vinegar. Mix well.

3. Put the roast in a ziploc bag and pour the marinade over. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.

4. Put the roast in a slow cooker and pour the marinade over it. Add the stock cubes, water, and bay leaves. Cook on low for at least 8 hours, longer is fine. I cooked mine for almost 9 1/2.

5. A few hours (or earlier) before the roast is finished, put a chunk of tallow on top of the roast. When the fat melts, it'll enter the meat through the fork holes and make it moist.

6. Move the finished roast to a plate and cover, and pour the leftover juices into a small pot.

7. Simmer the juices until they cook down and are thickened. Alternately, you could add some arrowroot to thicken the gravy. Make a slurry of arrowroot powder and cold water and add it to the simmering liquid, while constantly whisking. Simmer but do not boil. The arrowroot will clump if overheated or exposed to a prolonged heat source. You do not need as much arrowroot as you would cornstarch.

8. Either cut the roast into slices or pull it apart with a fork, it should be tender enough.

9. Savour your moist, succulent, tender, juicy, flavourful, delicious elk roast!