As beautiful as an elk is standing among sparse pine, inhaling the smells of his fellow steeds and flaunting his horns to the ladies in the bunch. It does not compare to the allure he boasts in this tantalizing, wild dish. Your senses could not predict the escapade they are about to embark on and your belly will never again find itself so thoroughly satisfied. I may be exaggerating a little bit but this meal is truly a fine example of the art of blending the flavors, textures and colors of quality ingredients in such a way as to satisfy the palate and make even the vegan reconsider his life choices. I give you the Elk Pot Pie recipe that has the potential to cause all other such recipes to cease to exist. You will need:

2 pounds of elk roast cut into ¾-inch pieces

Salt

Pepper

3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 onion, finely chopped

3 carrots, cut into ½-inch pieces

2 Tablespoons tomato paste

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

½ cup dry red wine

3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups beef broth

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 bay leaf

1 cup frozen peas

3 teaspoons thyme, divided

1 egg, beaten

1 (9-inch) pie crust

Heat your oven to 350F degrees. Salt and pepper your elk cubes to taste. Cook half of the meat and 1.5 T. olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat for about 7 minutes or until the meat is browned.

Remove from the pan and add the remaining oil, onion and carrots. Cook until vegetables are lightly browned, about 5 minutes, scraping the pan often.

Add tomato paste and garlic and mix well. Add wine and flour and stir until combined.

Add broth, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaf and keep stirring, while simmering, until all the flour has been combined and it starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Add the elk.

Cover and place into the oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes. While this is baking you can make your crust and place it in the refrigerator. Check your meat and make sure it is tender. If not, place back in the oven for while longer. Once the elk is tender, remove it from the oven and discard the bay leaf. Turn heat up to 400F degrees. Add 1.5 t thyme and peas to the filling. Set aside.

Roll out half of your pie crust and place into a deep dish pie plate. Add the filling.

Roll out the remaining dough and cover the filling, carefully fluting the edge all the way around. Make slits in the crust. Brush the beaten egg over the top of the pie and sprinkle the remaining thyme on top.

Bake for an additional 25 minutes or until the crust is browned. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes before serving to allow the filling to set up. Enjoy!

Nutrition and Macro Nutrient Information-Per Serving-(serves 8)

Calories- 445
Fat- 21.2g
Carbs-36.9g
Protein- 28.9g