Recipes

Moose Meatball Banh Mi

This is how North Idaho does Vietnamese street food—wild moose meatballs loaded up with flavor and stuffed into a crusty baguette with all the fixings.

You’ll Need:

For the Moose Meatballs:

1 lb ground moose
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 egg
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon sugar

For the Pickled Veg:

1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup thinly sliced daikon radish
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt

For the Sandwich:

Crusty baguette (split lengthwise)
Mayo (mixed with a squeeze of sriracha if you’re feelin’ spicy)
Fresh cilantro sprigs
Thinly sliced cucumber
Jalapeño slices (optional)

The How-To:

1. Pickle the Veg:

Mix carrots, daikon, rice vinegar, sugar & salt in a bowl. Let sit 30 min or longer (keeps well in the fridge).

2. Mix & Roll Meatballs:

Combine all meatball ingredients in a bowl. Roll into golf-ball-size meatballs.

3. Cook ‘Em:

Heat a skillet over medium. Brown meatballs all over until cooked through (about 10–12 min).

4. Build the Banh Mi:

Slather baguette with mayo. Line up those moose meatballs, top with pickled veg, cucumber, jalapeño & plenty of cilantro.

5. Eat Up:

Crunchy, spicy, wild, and totally awesome.

Elk Wellington with Juniper Berry Sauce

Fancy enough for a holiday table, tough enough for elk camp. This wild twist on a classic Wellington brings North Idaho style to the next level.

You’ll Need: For the Wellington:

1.5–2 lb elk tenderloin
Salt & black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
8 oz wild mushrooms, finely chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1 small shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
6–8 slices prosciutto
1 sheet puff pastry (thawed)
1 egg (beaten)

For the Juniper Berry Sauce:

1 cup red wine
1 cup beef stock
1 tablespoon crushed juniper berries
1 sprig rosemary
1 tablespoon butter
Salt & pepper to taste

The How-To:

1. Sear the Elk:

Season elk tenderloin with salt & pepper. Sear in olive oil over high heat until browned all around. Let it cool, then slather with Dijon

2. Make Mushroom Duxelles:

Melt butter, sauté shallot & garlic until soft. Add mushrooms & thyme; cook until they lose moisture & become a paste. Cool it down.

3. Wrap it Up:

On plastic wrap, lay out prosciutto slices slightly overlapping. Spread mushroom mix on top. Place elk on it and roll tight using the wrap. Chill 30 min.

4. Wrap in Puff Pastry:

Roll out puff pastry, unwrap elk roll & place it on the pastry. Seal it up tight. Brush with egg wash. Chill 15 min.

5. Bake:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake for 25–30 min till golden. Let it rest 10 min before slicing.

6. Make the Sauce:

In a saucepan, combine wine, stock, juniper berries & rosemary. Simmer till reduced by half. Strain, whisk in butter, salt & pepper.

7. Plate it Up:

Slice that beauty & drizzle with sauce. Wild game royalty, served up rugged.

Bear Sausage & Wild Mushroom Risotto

Rustic, rich, and worth every stir—this stick-to-your-ribs risotto brings the woods right to your plate.

You’ll Need:

1 lb bear sausage (casings removed)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine (or your favorite local brew)
4 cups chicken or wild game stock (keep it warm)
1 cup wild mushrooms, cleaned & sliced
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Salt & black pepper to taste
Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

The How-To:

1. Brown the Bear:

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a big ol’ skillet. Toss in your bear sausage and cook it down until browned and crumbly. Set aside.

2. Sauté the Base:

In the same pan, add the rest of the olive oil. Sauté onions until they soften up nice, then throw in garlic for another minute—get those smells going.

3. Toast the Rice:

Add Arborio rice, stirring until each grain gets that glossy look—about 2 minutes.

4. Deglaze Pour:

Pour in your wine (or beer!) and stir until it's mostly soaked up.

5. Slow Steady:

Add the stock one ladle at a time, stirring like you mean it. Let each scoop soak in before the next. This part ain’t fast—good things take time. About 20 minutes and it'll be creamy and perfect.

6. Mushroom Magic:

In a side skillet, melt butter and cook the wild mushrooms till golden and tender. Salt and pepper to taste.

7. Bring it Together:

Add the bear sausage and mushrooms back into the risotto. Stir in Parmesan. Taste and adjust seasoning.

8. Finish Strong:

Dish it up hot, sprinkle with parsley if you’re feeling fancy, and dig in.

Smoked Venison Pastrami Sandwich

This ain’t your city-slicker pastrami—this is wild, smoky, and built for folks who know their way around a meat pole and a smoker.

You’ll Need: For the Brine Bucket:

1 venison roast (2–3 lbs)
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon pink curing salt (Prague Powder #1)
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 tablespoon crushed juniper berries
2 bay leaves
4 cloves garlic, smashed
Plenty of cold water to cover

For the Crusty Spice Rub:

2 tablespoons coarse ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder

For Buildin' the Sandwich:

Thick-sliced rye bread
Spicy brown mustard (the stronger, the better)
Swiss cheese, sliced
Dill pickles (don’t skimp)

The How-To:

1. Soak That Meat:

Mix up the brine with all the salts, spices, and water. Get it good and cold. Drop that venison in, slap a lid on it, and let it soak in the fridge for 5–7 days. Flip it over once a day—show it some love.

2. Rinse Freshen Up:

Pull it out, rinse it well, and soak in fresh cold water for about 2 hours to tame the salt. Pat it dry like it just came outta the river.

3. Lay on the Rub:

Mix up that peppery rub and pack it onto your venison like you mean it—get every side.

4. Smoke Time:

Fire up the smoker to 225°F. Let that venison soak up the smoke until it hits 150°F inside—figure about 3–4 hours. Take in that sweet smoky air while you wait.

5. Steam Tenderize:

Wrap the meat in foil with a splash of broth or water and steam it in the oven at 275°F for about 1.5 hours. It’ll come out tender and juicy—worth the wait.

6. Slice Stack:

Let it rest 20 minutes, then slice thin across the grain. Slap it on rye with mustard, Swiss, and crunchy dill pickles. Stack it high—no one’s judging.

Pork Liver & Onion Pate

5 kg pork bellies, preferably with the skin
1.4 kg liver
10 tbsp salt (might need more)
2 tbsp ground black pepper
1.6 kg onions

Sautee onions until caramelized, in the meantime cook pork bellies and liver thoroughly. Let them cool, then grind pork bellies, liver and onions together. Season. Fill into sausage casing, cold smoke (not necessary).

Cold-Smoked Headcheese Sausage

1 head
2 kg meaty bacon with skin
4-4.5 kg heart, tongue, ears
3-3.5 tbsp paprika
0.5 tbsp ground caraway
1 tbsp ground black pepper
4 tbsp salt
1 garlic, or more

Cook all the meat, then cut into small pieces. Season, stuff into casing, cook in the same liquid you cooked the meats in. Cold smoke.

Page 2 of 3