If one were to distill the entire spirit of the Rocky Mountains into a single pot, it would likely taste exactly like this elk stew from Hunter Angler Gardener Cook. Hank Shaw has crafted a love letter to the high country, pulling in significant regional heavy-hitters like Hatch chiles, Great Northern beans, and even earthy wheat berries. It’s a versatile beast of a meal; while elk is the star, the recipe is just as happy hosting a stray bison, a well-traveled deer, or even a supermarket beef roast. The secret sauce—or rather, secret suds—is a malty Belgian-style beer, which lends a deep, complex backbone to the wild game without the bitter bite of a hoppy IPA.

The beauty of this dish lies in its “slow and low” philosophy, demanding about three hours of patience to turn tough mountain muscle into fork-tender gold. Yum… For those ready to brave the stovetop, the process starts with browning floured meat and onions in butter or oil (Shaw suggests cold-pressed canola if you want to be authentic to Alberta). A blend of stock and roasted chiles gets whirled in a blender and added to the pot along with crushed dried porcini, carrots, and sage. Toward the finish line, you can load it up with parsnips, corn, barley, and greens to create a stew so thick it practically requires a permit to navigate.

Rocky Mountain Elk Stew

By Hank Shaw | Hunter Angler Gardener Cook

The Essentials

• 4 tbsp butter, canola, or sunflower oil
• 2 to 3 lbs elk stew meat (or deer, bison, beef)
• 1/2 cup flour & a pinch of salt
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 oz dried porcini, crushed
• 5 Hatch or Anaheim peppers, roasted, seeded, and chopped
• 1 quart stock (elk, venison, or beef)
• 1 pint malty Belgian beer
• 2 large carrots, chunked
• 1 tbsp fresh sage, minced

Optional Upgrades

• 1 parsnip, chunked
• 1 cup corn kernels
• 1 cup cooked barley or wheat berries
• 1 can (15 oz) Great Northern beans
• 1 cup chopped greens (spinach, nettles, or chard)

The Method

1. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a heavy pot. Salt the meat, dust with flour, and brown in batches. Remove and set aside.
2. Add the remaining oil and brown the onions well. Meanwhile, puree the stock with two of the roasted chiles.
3. Stir in the garlic, return the meat to the pot, and pour in the stock puree, the beer, the crushed mushrooms, and enough water to cover.
4. Simmer gently for about 2 hours. Add carrots, sage, and parsnips.
5. Once the veggies are tender (about 40 minutes later), stir in the remaining chiles and any other optional ingredients. Season to taste and serve to a very hungry crowd.