I Ate Moose – Once

The summer of 1995 was my first season of commercial salmon fishing with Gary in Bristol Bay. (It was also my last, but that’s another story!)  I decided it would be my first summer as a carnivore as well. I set out with great gusto, a bite of baked salmon here, a couple bites of barbequed salmon – ok so mostly I just tried salmon.

Midsummer, I had conquered the mighty salmon and I set out to broaden my carnivorous horizons.  I came to this decision upon finding my mother-in-law hard at work on some moose burgers. Already fried, they looked nearly like the veggie burgers I was craving so badly. I convinced myself they couldn’t possibly taste much different.

I was wrong. The moose meat had no more than touched my tongue when my stomach decided it would revolt. I had barely enough time to drop my plate and run outside our little cabin before everything I’d eaten that day – and what seemed like every thing I’d eaten that week – came spewing out.

I decided right then and there I was resigned to vegetarianism!

So why then, am I cooking a moose pot roast tomorrow? You see, we have some lovely friends coming over for dinner and I became inspired to prepare something Alaskan in nature. This poor creature, whose sirloin tip will be roasted in my crock pot tomorrow, came from the banks of lake Nerka to our freezer with the love and sweat of my husband and father-in-law and IT WILL BE RELISHED! Not by me, or Colton and probably not Grant; realistically Ella probably won’t eat any either, but Gary and our guests will RELISH IT!

Hence I have a recipw to share with you. Perhaps you will be inspired!

Moose Pot Roast
2 Onions;medium
1 lb Alaskan sweet carrots
4 lb Moose rump roast
2 Cloves garlic
2 c Water
1 pk Onion soup mix
Salt
Pepper
2 tb Cornstarch
2 Beef bouillon cubes


Preheat oven broiler to high. Make small slits in roast and insert slices of garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Broil for about 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven.
Use a large slow cooker on high temperature setting. Dice onions and carrots, put half in the bottom of the slow cooker. Add moose roast. Put remaining onions and carrots on top. Add water onion soup. Salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook for 4 hours.
Drain juice from meat into saucepan. Add bouillon cubes. Bring juice to boil. Add cornstarch and stir until juice turns thick and clear.
Pour gravy (juice) back into the slow cooker with the moose and carrots/onions. Cook for another hour.
When done, slice moose in thin slices. Place in center of serving platter, garnish with carrots and onions. Pour a small amount of gravy over moose and serve. Mashed potatoes, rice or baked potatoes are fantastic with the remaining gravy.