Do you like the taste of venison? Many, like my sweet husband, like hunting game but don’t care much for the taste of wild organic meats. Here is a fool-proof recipe for delicious tasting venison or elk roast. A Sweedish hunter cooked the best game I have ever eaten. A local church had invited our group of teenagers who had spent the summer remodeling a building for a mission at an outpost in Sweden to a hunting lodge out in the lush forest. He assured me that my team would love the meal. I couldn’t get him to tell me how he made that elk taste like prime rib but wow! The roast was amazing! The Swedish people have a saying “as long as you have reindeer in the smokehouse, you are not poor.” I think that is fitting sentiment for our hunters here in the states too!
So let’s start cooking! For me, the secret to this recipe lies in the enameled cast iron Dutch oven I am using to cook the roast. Buchheit carries cast iron and a set that includes a very affordable enameled Dutch oven. I love mine!
Herbed Venison or Elk Roast
One roast (can be put into the Dutch oven frozen)
Two teaspoons garlic powder or juice from fresh cloves
Two teaspoons onion powder
Two tablespoons soy sauce (I use the low sodium version)
Oregano (fresh or dried)
Sage (fresh or dried)
Rosemary (fresh or dried)
Lemon balm (fresh or dried) this herb is harder to find and is optional
Chives (small fistful) cut up using herb or kitchen scissors
Two tablespoons liquid smoke (no more or it will overpower the herbs)
Two teaspoons finely ground black pepper
2-3 cups of water (or cover with water which gives plenty of broth for gravy)
Now don’t panic because there are no measurements for some of the herbs, this is cooking at its best! Add the sage to your discretion. You really can’t mess this up as none of the herbal ingredients contain salt. Have fun, relax, and experiment! Just remember that dried herbs are more concentrated, so use less than if you were adding fresh herbs. Make sure to bruise the herbs to release their oils if using fresh.
Bake at 290 degrees Fahrenheit for 4 hours or about an hour per pound. You can do it at a higher temperature for less time, but the roast may not be as tender. Jim never guessed it was venison because this roast is so tender and delicious! Shred with a fork and cover with your favorite barbecue sauce or make a gravy from the broth. Your family won’t know what hit them, but they will love it!
Hope you find this helpful! Annie
