Elk & Stout Stew

I'm so excited to be posting this, because this is the recipe that inspired Alpine Dining! Growing up in Ontario, I wasn't exposed to much game meat (and when I was it was pretty tough and flavourless). In Alberta - we've got all kinds of it. And after a day of skiing, nothing tastes better than this stew. If you can't find elk, you can substitute venison, bison, or beef.

Ingredients

6 slices of thick cut bacon, roughly chopped

2 lbs. elk stewing meat

salt & pepper

4 medium carrots, chopped

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, smashed

2 tbsp. flour

1 450ml can of your favourite stout (such as Guinness)

2 C. chicken stock

5 sprigs of thym

2 bay leaves

6-8 fresh sage leaves

0.5 lbs mini red potatoes

0.25 lbs roasted chesnuts (optional)

Directions

Preheat a dutch oven over medium high heat. Add your bacon and fry until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan, leaving the drippings.

Season your elk with salt and pepper. Add it to the bacon fat, and let it sear for a good five minutes. You want it to get brown. Give it a stir and let the moisture from the meat burn off (another five minutes), and let the other side get brown.

Add your onion, carrots, garlic and flour. Stir and let soften for another five minutes.

Deglaze the pan with the stout. Add chicken stock and stir, making sure you scrape all the brown bits off the bottom.

Add your herbs. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 2 hours.

Add your potatoes and chestnuts, if using. Let simmer for another half hour, until potatoes are completely cooked.

Dish up and serve with a dry, full-bodied red wine, or of course, stout!