As I write this article, it's the end of September and I am preparing some elk rouladen for my upcoming hunting trips. This hearty old school dish is a perfect camp food for those long, sometimes chilly, wet days to come. They're filled with richness and nutrition that'll get you over "that next ridge."
For those frequenters of Carnivore's Kitchen, you'll know this is a typical dish of "love" that derived from Grandma's comfort food and as was always the case - a little labor involved but so worth the effort. It's also a terrific way of utilizing those remaining pieces of bottom and eye rounds that are usually the last to leave your frozen cache.
The general rule of thumb about cooking the tougher cuts of meat is the slower the better. This is very important with the lean cuts of wild game meats because they don't have the additional internal fat to keep them moist. Slower cooking will also reduce shrinkage and produce a greater yield of your hard earned harvests.
Sierra Nevada Braised Elk Rouladen Recipe
Elk Rouladen Meat Filling
- Meat - 2 lb ground elk meat, drained of blood
- 1 1/2 lbs. ground pork
- Veggies- 1/2 cup of each of the following - onions, carrots, cabbage, celery, finely diced and sautéed in a little olive oil - cool
- 2 tbsp fresh garlic
- 1 cup chopped pickles
- 4 tbsp Juniperberry & Peppercorn Steak Rub or chopped juniper berries
- 4 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups dried breadcrumbs
- 3 tbsp ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp kosher or sea salt
Mix all of the above ingredients in a large mixing bowl and hold in the refrigerator until needed.
Elk Meat Wrappers
- 12 - 5-6 oz pieces of bottom or eye round butterfly cut (insert picture)
- 1/2 cup of your favorite mustard
- Flour for dusting
- Butchers twine
- Oil for browning
Lay the meat on a cutting board and cover with food wrap. Using a mallet gently pound the meat until just under a 1/4 of an inch thick. Try and keep the pieces uniform.
Once all the meat in pounded brush each piece with some mustard. Get the meat filling and place about 1/2 cup of the filling in the center of the meat flaps. Roll each of the meat flaps around the filling. You want to form a cylinder. Finish the rest of the pieces of meat. Once your done with stuffing/rolling take a piece of butchers twine and secure each roll (see the picture).
Per heat a large heavy gauge braising pot with some oil. Lightly dust each rouladen with salt, pepper and flour. Brown each piece until they are all golden brown, hold on the side. In the same pan sauté the following until browned.
Braising Sauce
- 1 cup of onions, carrots, celery (mire poix)
- 2 tbsp fresh garlic
To this add
- 3 Sierra Nevada Pale Ale or your own favorite brew
- 1 small can of tomato paste
- 1 qt of beef or game stock (or bouillon)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 large sprig of fresh rosemary
Bring this to boil, add the browned elk rouladens. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover and gently cook until the rouladens are tender to the touch (2 1/2 - 3 hours).
Remove the meat when tender. Continue to slowly reduce the sauce by half to concentrate the flavors, cleaning the scum that forms on top. Strain the sauce adjust the seasoning and serve with the rouladens Or cover the rouladens, cool and freeze to serve at a later time... like when your at elk camp!
These tough cuts of meat usually don't get the same respect than their loin or sirloin cousins... but to me, they're even more important because it is they who energize me to refill next years cache. Hope you were able to use these cuts last fall to help refill yours.
This dish really doesn't need any more flavor but just for fun here's a great recipe to compliment these rouladens.
Dried Cherry & Onion Jam
- 1 large yellow onion small dice
- 1/2 cup dried cherries
- 2 tbsp fresh garlic
- Pinch ground allspice or clove
- 1 cup good quality zinfandel wine
- Salt & pepper to taste
Place the ingredients in a saucepan, cover and slowly simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and continue to cook until all the liquid has evaporated. Adjust with salt and pepper. Serve hot or cold and stores very well for weeks in the refrigerator.
