Wild Game Blog

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation held their National Convention in Reno Nevada 2/22 – 2/25/07

Even the threat of a heavy winter storm baring down on “The Biggest Little Town in the West” couldn’t dampen the spirit and passion of all those who traveled to the 23rd annual “ELK CAMP” at the Reno/Sparks Convention Center and the Silver Legacy Hotel. This annual event has historically drawn conservation-minded outdoor and wildlife enthusiasts, volunteers and members to celebrate their achievements and plan for the future. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has been around since 1984, and has put over 25 million dollars on the ground for wildlife habitat – A track record that is very impressive.

RMEF President J. Peter Dart told Chef John McGannon, that “he’s never seen a more passionate group of self-motivated people…anywhere”. And that was very evident by the size of the crowds that over flowed into the isles for the Wild Game Cooking Seminars presented by Wildeats Enterprises’ Chef John McGannon.

The hour and a half seminars enlightened the crowds to “The Links of Success” for getting the most out of your wild game meats. Chef McGannon covered Marksmanship, Cleanliness/Cross Contamination, Temperature Awareness (danger zone), Dry Aging, Proper Wrapping/Freezing/ Defrosting, Muscle Identification/cooking methods (Hunters Meat Map) and how they effect the quality of your game meat. The attentive crowds looked on with great appreciation and there was more than one nodding head that acknowledged their own personal shortcomings. Based on the crowds that gathered around the WildEats Booth, sampling our famous Controlled Burn Elk Chili, I would say the seminars were a smashing success.

In fact, rumor has it that these seminars were recorded for an instructional dvd…stay tuned!

HERE IS ONE OF OUR FAVORITE SIMPLE ELK RECIPES
Dedicated to all those passionate people who help make The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation such a success. Our children will be grateful!

Bourbon Mustard ELK Steaks
(This dish can also be prepared with any other wild game meat)

4 – 6 oz. ELK steaks, preferably from the loin or ribeye
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp Juniperberry & Peppercorn Rub
Salt, optional, there is a small amount of salt already in the rub
2 oz. bourbon, Jack Daniels
1 tbsp strong Dijon Mustard
1 small onion cut into strips
1 tbsp chopped parsley

Pre-heat a skillet to very hot, add half the butter and the oil. Season the steaks with the rub and add them to the skillet a few at a time, don’t over-crowd the pan! This should be done over very high heat. After a minute or two turn the steaks, I recommend under cooking your meat (rare), remove them from the pan and hold on the side. They will continue to cook a bit while they rest. This resting period s very important when dealing with lean cuts of meat. It allows all the juices to redistribute throughout the meat leaving it very tender and juicy.

To the pan add the onions and sauté until wilted. Add the bourbon, be careful it may flame. Stir in the butter and parsley. Finish the sauce, off the fire, with the Dijon Mustard, adjust the seasoning. Top the steaks with the onions and serve with a hearty cabernet or micro-brewed beer.

<—8acd4bde243152c74309b3b99cc4b0f8—><—8acd4bde243152c74309b3b99cc4b0f8—><—8acd4bde243152c74309b3b99cc4b0f8—><—8acd4bde243152c74309b3b99cc4b0f8—>

This entry was posted on Saturday, March 3rd, 2007 at 12:59 am and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.