Elk Stew is a Dutch oven stew of seared elk cubes simmered in beef broth with sweet onions, garlic, balsamic vinegar and tomato paste, thickened with a little flour, then filled out with carrots, potatoes and white mushrooms and seasoned with thyme, oregano and a bay leaf. It takes about 20 minutes of prep and 90 minutes of simmering, plus 10 minutes for the mushrooms, and makes 12 one-cup servings.
How to make it: Season and sear the elk cubes, then set them aside. Cook the onions, garlic and balsamic in the same pot, stir in the tomato paste, meat and flour, and add the broth, vegetables and herbs. Bring it to a boil, then cover and simmer about 90 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and the elk reads at least 160°F. Add the mushrooms for the last 10 minutes with the lid off.
Why You’ll Love It
- One pot: the elk sears, and the stew simmers, in the same Dutch oven.
- A big batch: 12 cups of stew from 3 pounds of elk.
- Better the next day: it’s a great make-ahead dinner.
- Works with other meat: deer, moose, antelope, bison or beef all fit the same method.
Is Elk Good for Stew?
Yes. Elk is a lean meat, and tougher cuts like the neck, front shoulder or shank turn tender after a long, slow simmer as the connective tissue melts. Elk stew meat or a cubed elk roast works well, and so does a cubed steak such as the backstrap.
Ingredient Notes
Elk: 3 pounds of elk stew meat or elk roast, cut into 1-inch cubes. Trim off any visible fat and the silvery sinew.
Oil and seasoning: 2 tablespoons of avocado oil, 2 teaspoons of kosher salt and 1 teaspoon of black pepper.
Onions, garlic and balsamic: 2 sweet onions, chunked (about 2 cups), 5 cloves of garlic, minced, and 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar.
Tomato paste and flour: 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and 1/4 cup of flour, plus 2 more tablespoons of flour if you want a thicker broth.
Broth and herbs: 4 cups of beef broth (chicken broth also works), 1 bay leaf, and 1 teaspoon each of dried thyme and oregano.
Vegetables: 4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks; 1 pound of potatoes in bite-size pieces; and 8 ounces of white mushrooms, sliced.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds elk stew meat or elk roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 2 sweet onions, chunked (about 2 cups)
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/4 cup flour, plus 2 tablespoons to thicken the broth (optional)
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 pound potatoes, bite-size
- 8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced
How to Make Elk Stew
1. Sear the elk. Season the elk with the salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven, sear the meat in the avocado oil for about 10 minutes, just until the sides are browned. Set the meat aside.
2. Cook the onions. Add the onions, garlic and balsamic vinegar to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.
3. Add the tomato paste and meat. Stir in the tomato paste, then return the seared meat to the pot along with its juices.
4. Stir in the flour. Sprinkle the 1/4 cup flour over the mixture and stir for about 2 minutes, until it dissolves.
5. Add the broth and vegetables. Pour in the beef broth and add the carrots, potatoes, bay leaf, thyme and oregano. Bring to a boil.
6. Simmer until tender. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pot and cook for about 90 minutes, until the potatoes and carrots are soft and the meat is cooked through and reads at least 160°F on a food thermometer.
7. Add the mushrooms. Add the sliced mushrooms and simmer with the lid off for about 10 minutes.
8. Thicken if you like. For a thicker broth, dissolve the 2 tablespoons flour in a little water, then stir it into the stew. Make sure the flour is fully dissolved first, or it will clump.
9. Serve. Take out the bay leaf and serve the stew hot.
How to Keep Lean Elk Tender (and Not Gamey)
- Trim it well. Cut away visible fat and silver skin before cubing. A gamey flavor tends to sit in the fat.
- Brown in batches. Don’t crowd the pot; the pieces shouldn’t touch. You’re after browned sides, not a hard crust.
- Simmer gently, lid on. A low, covered simmer in broth keeps the lean meat moist.
- Go by tenderness. If the vegetables are soft but the meat is still tough, keep simmering. Tougher elk cuts can take 3 hours or more to turn fall-apart tender.
- Tough, gristly meat? If your stew meat has a lot of cartilage, simmer the meat for an hour before adding the potatoes and carrots, then cook until they’re soft.
- Optional soak for strong flavor: soak the meat overnight in the refrigerator in cold water with 1 tablespoon of salt or 1 cup of vinegar per quart, enough to cover it completely. Discard the soaking liquid before cooking. Onions and garlic also help soften a strong game flavor.
- Check the temperature. Elk isn’t on the USDA’s temperature chart, but venison roasts and ground meats are listed at 160°F, so cook the elk to at least 160°F.
The Best Seasoning for Elk
Keep it simple: salt, black pepper, garlic and onion, plus herbs like thyme, rosemary, oregano and a bay leaf. Juniper berries are another classic match for elk, and fresh sage or herbes de Provence also work.
Variations
- Other meat: deer, antelope, moose, bison or beef in place of the elk.
- Other broth: chicken broth instead of beef.
- More vegetables: sweet potatoes, parsnips, green beans or corn.
- A little heat: add chopped green chiles or a jalapeño.
- Slow cooker: brown the meat and onions first, thaw the meat before it goes in, put the vegetables in the bottom, and keep the lid on.
Make Ahead & Storage
Make ahead: The flavor gets better as it sits, so it’s a good stew to make a day early. Cool it and refrigerate it within 2 hours, then reheat it the next day.
Refrigerator: Divide the pot into shallow covered containers so it cools quickly, and refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour if it’s above 90°F). It keeps 3 to 4 days.
Freezer: Freeze for 3 to 4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, or reheat from frozen in a saucepan.
Reheating: Reheat covered until the stew comes to a rolling boil (165°F). Don’t reheat leftovers in a slow cooker.
What to Serve With It
Serve it with bread to soak up the broth, cornbread or a fresh salad. Bake butter biscuits or 3-ingredient cheddar biscuit bites alongside. For beef stews, try Instant Pot beef stew, cowboy stew, slow cooker poor man’s stew or 4-ingredient mulligan stew.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is elk good for stew?
Yes. Lean, tougher cuts like the neck, shoulder or shank turn tender after a long, gentle simmer in broth.
What’s the best seasoning for elk?
Salt, pepper, garlic and onion with thyme, rosemary, oregano and a bay leaf. Juniper berries are a good match too.
How do you keep elk stew from tasting gamey?
Trim off visible fat and silver skin, use plenty of onion and garlic, and if the meat is strong, soak it overnight in the refrigerator in salted or vinegar water.
What temperature should elk reach?
Elk isn’t listed separately, but venison roasts and ground meats should reach 160°F, so cook the elk to at least 160°F.
Final Notes
This is a good way to use a package of elk stew meat from the freezer. If you make it with deer or moose, tell me in the comments how it turned out.
Elk Stew
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Ingredients
- 3 pounds elk stew meat or elk roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper ground
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 2 sweet onions chunked, about 2 cups
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/4 cup flour plus 2 tablespoons to thicken the broth, optional
- 4 cups beef broth chicken broth also works
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon thyme dried
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 4 carrots peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 pound potatoes bite-size
- 8 ounces white mushrooms sliced
Instructions
- Season the elk with the salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven, sear the meat in the avocado oil for about 10 minutes, just until the sides are browned. Set the meat aside.
- Add the onions, garlic and balsamic vinegar to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.
- Stir in the tomato paste, then return the seared meat to the pot along with its juices.
- Sprinkle the 1/4 cup flour over the mixture and stir for about 2 minutes, until it dissolves.
- Pour in the beef broth and add the carrots, potatoes, bay leaf, thyme and oregano. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pot and cook for about 90 minutes, until the potatoes and carrots are soft and the meat is cooked through and reads at least 160°F on a food thermometer.
- Add the sliced mushrooms and simmer with the lid off for about 10 minutes.
- For a thicker broth, dissolve the 2 tablespoons flour in a little water, then stir it into the stew. Make sure the flour is fully dissolved first, or it will clump.
- Take out the bay leaf and serve the stew hot.
