Deer Heart with Dandelion in Elk Stock Stew

The deer heat is very good. I liken it to nicely textured beef. It can easily be used in any dish that calls for beef. Unlike my earlier liver cooking attempt, I was sure to remove as much fat I possibly could. Deer fat is NOT good. The fat sticks to the tongue and coats it, giving it a texture of soap - no no!

Ingredients

1 deer (or beef) heart, cubed, with as much fat removed as possible
1/2 lb pork, cubed (optional)
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
5 carrots, peeled and diced
1-2 c lima beans, washed
1-2 c dandelion flowers, blanched then drained to remove the bitterness
Chicken or beef stock (I had some elk stock in the freezer so I used that). If you don't have any, just use water, use the amount of liquid to produce the amount of stew you want.
1 Tbsp butter
Salt, pepper, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce to taste

Method

In a dutch over, or heavy stock pot, melt butter. Add onions and cook until tender. Add the heart and meat and allow it to brown. Add the carrots and allow to brown slightly on the sides. Add the water or stock. Add beans. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Add the blanched dandelion flowers. Add seasonings to taste. Cover and stew for a few hours. The stew is best if left overnight before serving. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

This is by far the best chicken pot pie recipe I've done! Makes about an 8x8 pan dish.


Ingredients


Filling


1- 1.5 chicken breasts (leftovers work great as well)
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced or 2 tsp garlic powder
1 onion peeled and diced
4-5 carrots, peeled and diced
3 Tbsp butter
4 Tbsp flour
1.5 c chicken stock
1/2 c heavy cream
1-2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp mustard powder
3-4 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese (or to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste


Crust

1 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tbsp. butter
1/8 tsp. salt
1/3 cup milk


Method


If using raw chicken, add the chicken into a pot of water and heat until just before boiling. Simmer for about 20-30 min until just cooked. Dice. If using leftover chicken, you can of course omit this step.
Preheat the oven to 350F. In a pan, melt the butter. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add carrots and garlic and cook until tender. Add flour and mustard and mix well. Reduce heat and add broth, cream and remaining ingredients. Simmer until sauce thickens. Add chicken and mix well.
Transfer into a baking dish.


To make the crust, mix all the ingredients and knead until a dough forms. If it is too dry, add 1-2 Tbsp more water to the dough. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough. 


Place the dough over the pie filling. Bake for 20-30 min. Remove and allow to rest for 5 min before serving.

Bean and Ham Bone Stew

It's a frozen tundra here and this hearty stew is cheap and easy way to warm up an fill up. It requires a bit of pre-planning if you're using dried beans but it is so easy to make.

Ingredients

1 ham bone
1 lb dried lima beans, soaked over night
8c water (approx)
Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, nutmeg, oregano to taste
1 c heavy cream (optional)

Method

In a dutch oven or heavy stock pot, bring water to a boil. Add ham bone and navy beans and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover for a few hours. Add seasonings to taste. You may need to add more water if it boils off. I added heavy cream before serving but it is optional. Tastes even better overnight. This stew should work well in a slow cooker as well.