A gift of moose is great, but a dinner of moose is even better!

I recently acquired a little stockpile of my old friend “Big Horn” and have been cooking up a storm. I’ve done open-face kimchi, mayo, shaved moose and cheddar broiled goodness, to classic jerky, and everything in between.

Growing up, I remember hanging out in Dawson Creek, B.C., visiting my granny and watching her baking this macaroni and ground meat casserole. She called it “goulash”.

Although my granny’s was delicious and unique, it wasn’t until I was cheffing in Mexico that I tried a real Austrian-style goulash. A fellow staying with us at the resort was an Austrian chef. I could not believe how amazing and exotic the flavour was, and how easy it was to prepare.

He used equal parts onions and meat-of-choice, toasted caraway seeds in some pork fat, fired everything into the pot with a generous scoop of sweet paprika, added a dash of salt, and cooked it nice and low for three hours.

Then he boiled egg noodles, tossed them in butter, topped the noodles with the goulash and a huge spoonful of sour cream, and finished the dish with freshly chopped parsley on top.

I’ve been cooking goulash in this style ever since. I’ve made it with pork, venison, lamb, beef, and the like, but never with moose. One more dish to add to the game repertoire!


Jeffery’s Moose Goulash


Serves 3 to 4

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 lb slab bacon, cubed
  • 2 tsp caraway seeds, freshly ground
  • 5 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1.5 lbs moose, cut for stew
  • 2 large onions, sliced
  • 1/3 cup sweet paprika (use Spanish or Hungarian)
  • 1 cup dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in water for half an hour
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

METHOD

Ø Preheat oven to 275F.

Ø On the stove, preheat a five-litre, or equivalent, Dutch oven.

Ø Add cubed bacon and cook until most of the fat has came out.

Ø Add the crushed caraway seeds and stir for 10 seconds.

Ø Add the garlic and cook for 10 more seconds.

Ø Add the moose, onions and paprika.

Ø Cook on high for five to 10 minutes, stirring every once in a while to prevent burning.

Ø Add mushrooms, with their soaking liquid.

Ø Remove the Dutch oven from heat, cover with lid, and place in preheated oven. Cook for about three hours, or until meat is tender. Stir the pot every 30 to 45 minutes and lower heat if necessary.

Ø Serve with boiled egg noodles or fried spaetzle, top with sour cream and chopped parsley.

Leave a Comment

Scroll to Top