Hunting, Masterchef

MasterChef Season Premier Night One – Elk Sliders!

MasterChef Season 3 – What a great ride that ended way too soon!  Thanks to everyone for showing support!  We’ll get’em next year!! 

We started the adventure back in December with an open casting call in Seattle, leading to a series of interviews, including on camera interviews where I may have mentioned I “school the young pups” when referring to my young competitors.  Too bad I didn’t get a chance to show my stuff – but when Gordon Ramsay says the parsnip purees’ like “elasticbands in my mouth” – you pack it up and head out of town!   When my signature dish works, it looks something like this:

I’ll post the complete recipe to this dish including the Elk Rub,  Red Currant Sauce, Anazazi Bean Succotash and of course non-elasticband version of parsnip puree with buttermilk and horseradish soon – Stay Tuned!!
For the MasterChef Season 3 premier party, we held a two night event.  This is night one’s Elk sliders – tomorrrow will be the Smoked Trout Tacos.  Kudos to everyone who chipped in with an appetizer – so many in-fact I couldn’t pick a winner!  Let’s just say it was a 75 person tie – with one notable exception trying to pass off store bought food – she will remain nameless (you know who you are!).   We’re compiling a list of great recipes to put forward in a future Bear Blog!
For the first night we had Elk Sliders with my Poblano Green Chili Relish (check it out or watch me make this online on FOX).  This is a simple recipe guaranteed to light up a party!   How do you get Elk?  You have two options – first you buy a Colorado Elk hunting license, hike into the wilderness, harvest 3 Elk, spend 4 days cleaning and packing them out with your hunting partner. 

Not your first choice?  You can find elk online or check with your local butcher as they sometimes will carry elk.  Couple great spots in Colorado, Steve’s  Meat Market in Arvada or Edwards Meats in Wheat Ridge. 

Bear’s Chili Elk Sliders

Ground Elk – 1 to 2  lbs
1 Egg
3 Tbs Chili Powder
2 Tbs Garlic Powder
1 Tbs Smoked or Spicy Paprika
Pinch of Cinnamon!
Pinch of Cayenne!
Salt & Pepper
Dash or four of your favorite hot sauce.

Whisk the egg and mix well with the elk, then add all your spices.  Make 8 – 2 oz burgers and lay them out on wax paper; press your thumb into the center to make a small indentation – this keeps ’em flat while cooking!  Heat the grill; cook ’em on aluminum foil (or over direct heat – but watch ’em close!).    They will cook quick – just a couple of minutes a side should give you medium rare.  Remember when cooking game, especially elk, it’s very lean so the aluminum foil reduces the drying out and quick cooking is key!

We like to cheese ’em with Monterrey Jack!  Slider buns (check back for a great recipe on buns!) , a bit of red currant ketchup ( Bear’s Red Currant Ketchup – a few tablespoons of red current jam, tsps of garlic powder & paprika to a cup of organic ketchup), and finally smother them in Poblano Green Chili Relish.  Done!

Please share this recipe, follow me on FaceBook, Twitter, and share this with all your friends!  Good Eatin!