How to cook a moose roast recipe

Warning: This post contains pictures of raw meat.  hee hee

I've had some ask me how I cook all this moose meat God blessed us with this fall.  Basically, I just cook it!  This is hands down the best meat we have ever had...beef is now a poor 3rd to the moose and mule deer.  Our girls love the "wild" meat rather than basic beef.

There are some important things to know:  the moose and mule deer were fed in natural meadows, as organic as it comes.  They were "harvested" with very little stress (if they run, the adrenaline gets into their meat and you will taste it).  We cleaned them immediately and took them to hang in a cooler, they were not just chucked around and bruised, they bled out nicely.  They were free from a bunch of dirt, etc.  All these things make your meat very natural tasting and almost "sweet".

A good facility that is cool and clean is so important.

We learned that using water to wash it can also make it tough, so having little dirt/hair from the start is a real bonus.  Little tricks from others that have been doing this for their livelihood! Mom says not to "wash" meat, as it makes it tough.  So if you're careful when you're skinning the meat, you shouldn't have to wash hardly any of it. Don't leave dirt or hair on your meat though either ~ it will taste worse that a rubber boot!

A happy constitution is also important

Can't say enough about good packaging.  Good wrapping keeps air out.
No freezer burnt meat.  Use a paper based tape/masking tape or the plastic taste
may get into your meat.

When we were doing up the meat, we would take a few trays of meat to the freezer at one time...lie it out as flat as possible, let it freeze, then add more.  Make sure the blood is drained out, as blood leaking out of your wrapping is never appealing . We let our meat hang in a cooler for a few days, so blood was not an issue for us....I don't think I could have stomached that when we were cutting it up. It also makes it easier to remove one package at a time, and your freezer doesn't have to work so hard to freeze it all at once.

Take your time cutting meat.  The nicer it is going into the freezer,
the better it will be coming out.  We tried to trim everything off, but this
 little bit of white was not noticeable once cooked.

This roast I added French Onion Soup mix, some seasoning salt, onions and
some rosemary.  I put a little water in the roaster as I was adding potatoes later.

I cooked it at 350F for about 1 hour (from frozen) and then added the potatoes, onions, carrots.

I did use my covered roaster for this.

All finished, it was so tender!  

I used an electric knife to slice.  Our company is always amazed that it doesn't
taste "wild" and they all go for second helpings.

 I cook moose and deer the same way I do beef.  Onion soup mix is a wonderful addition.  Don't under cook wild meat, but don't cook it to death either...then it is jerky!  It took us a few days (and some help from some Alberta cousins) to cut up all the moose...we were getting better at it in the end.  It's all about learning!

 THRIFTY NOTE:  The moose/deer all said and done, hunting license, 2 bullets, gas, packing paper and tape, cost about $75 for 400 lbs of meat. There is still tape and packing left over.

I shared this on Frugally Sustainable Blog Hop Wedsnesdays Click Here

Black Bottom Cheesecake Cupcakes Recipe!

These are famous.  Famous for never having any left over.  Famous for their disappearing act.  Famous for sticking to your teeth and your ribs.  They are remarkably easy to make and soooo yummy.  I have made them much smaller for parties, etc.

I tried a different version today and will post it in brackets on the recipe.

Black Bottom Cupcakes

 Filling Mixture: Mix together and set aside

1 pkg cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup white sugar (1/4 cup)

1 egg (omitted egg)

1/8 tsp salt

1 cup chocolate chips

Cream cheese mixture

Cupcake Batter:  Mix dry ingredients, make a well in center and then pour in the wet ingredients.  Use the same beater and whip up the batter.  Saves time and washing.

1 1/2 cup flour (1 3/4 cup)

1/4 cup cocoa

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup white sugar (1/2 brown sugar, 1/2 white)

1 tsp baking soda

1 egg

1 cup water

1 tbsp vinegar (lemon juice also works)

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla

Cupcake batter

Pour or spoon batter into greased muffin tins, this is my stoneware.  I used to use the paper muffin cups, but don't have to with the stoneware.

Use a teaspoon and small spatula to scoop a good size amount of cream cheese mixture in the center of the batter.

 Bake 350F for approx. 20 minutes.  This recipe made 12 large cupcakes, other times I make 18 smaller ones and they don't take 20 minutes to cook.

Cool on a rack and then gently remove from your pan.  They are great when enjoyed HOT, but refrigerate the rest because of the cream cheese. 

NOTE:  Sprinkle some slivered almonds on top before cooking, but I forgot!

Black Bottom Cupcakes ~ Cheese Cake Cupcakes

Now to experiment with how to make these Gluten Free!

Our girls cook for us

The girls get cooking!

Well, our girls are trying to cook a meal at least once a week for us.  Last August they went all out and did a wonderful evening meal for us.  I was picking saskatoons and Gregg had been at work, so the girls did this all together! We were so happy, thrilled, proud...you name it! It truly felt like we had gone out for supper.  So relaxed and so yummy ~ I didn't have to use my compliments wisely.  It was yum yum in the tum.

Our greeting

One of our lovely waitresses/cooks

Gregg added a slice of rye toast to his, just to be difficult  ha ha

A beautifully set table set the mood

Taking his order

Frying the Gnocchi

 

What is under the lid?

Lookin good

Fresh strawberry water with a minty ice cube

Meatloaf, fresh snap peas and gnocchi

We got to eat with the not-hired help girl...what a cutie!

Finally the cook got to enjoy the fruits of her labors

Head cook was last to eat

Gnocchi (recipe to follow)

We are trying to add more beauty to our home and life..
tasty old fashioned oat cookies

Giggles came with the ice cream

Made my heart shaped cookies into an ice cream sandwich with saskatoons

Wonderful cookbook with out of the ordinary teenage cuisine.  Highly recommend looking in your library for it and give some of the recipes a whirl.

Herb Gnocchi Recipe

Gnocchi (with sage and lemon sauce)

1 3/4 lbs baking potatoes (russet, yukon gold)

2 egg yolks

1 cup flour

pinch of salt

1 tbsp finely diced parsley or sage

1 tbsp snipped chives

1. Preheat oven to 425.  Scrub spuds and pierce with fork.  Bake 1 hour or till soft.

2. Scoop out potato insides and mash until smooth.  Add egg yolks, flour, salt, and herbs.  Knead briefly into a ball of elastic dough.  Divide into 4 logs.  Cover with a cloth.

3. Put one log on a board and roll into until it is about as thick as your thumb.  Cut into 1 inch pieces.  Press each lightly with a fork (our girls liked them better without this step).  Store side by side on a cloth.  Repeat.

4. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook gnocchi in batches very gently for 10 minutes.  When they swell a bit, remove with a slotted spoon.

5. To make sauce, melt the butter in a small pan, then add the lemon juice, herbs, and salt.  Pour over the gnocchi.  Or top with tomato sauce or a creamy sauce.  Sprinkle with parmesan.

A little involved at first, but so much cheaper than in the store!  One batch feed our family of 5, but they were not huge servings.  We were satisfied, but loved them so much, we wanted to keep eating.  Girls made no sauce, just used salt and pepper.

Amazon Cookbook Link

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If I can't figure out the Amazon Link...it is on my Amazon Favorites list on the Right Hand Side of my Blog.  You can click on it :)  Thanks!