Forest and Farm

Every time Nick harvests an elk, we are usually left with a lot of meat that is hard to clean and prepare because of all the sinew. We set it aside and label it “stew” or “shank” and it sits in the freezer. I have been so fed up with this waste of good meat, so Nick and I decided it was time to step out of our comfort zone and do SOMETHING with the lower leg meat. We were given some advice from our friend and New Mexico Senator, Martin Heinrich, who claims this is his favorite cut of meat. He told us to cover it in red chile and cook it overnight. So I took that advice and ran with it! The result was absolutely fantastic! I will definitely be experimenting with more ways to use this cut of meat from now on!  Shredded Elk Shank Carne Adovada About 2 pounds elk shank ( Lower leg) Salt and pepper to taste  1 tablespoon garlic powder  3 tablespoons red chili powder  1 teaspoon cumin  1 teaspoon coriander  half a teaspoon paprika  About 1 teaspoon pepper About 1 tea

Following my hubby through the woods. I bought a hunting license this year. That statement may not be shocking to most of you, but it is if you’ve known me in my younger years.  I grew up in a family of ranchers, although we stopped ranching when I was a little girl, and beef was always on the menu.  Hunting, however, was a foreign concept.  There were certainly members of my extended family who hunted, but it was not something I was ever exposed to.  In high school I became very attached to one of the steers we were raising for meat, and I swore off red meat.  Several family members love to tell the story of Chrissy the Vegetarian, but I was far from it.  I never gave up chicken or pork.  Especially not bacon, because, it's bacon.  Enough said. When I met my husband I had no understanding of why someone would hunt, and although I didn't really think it was wrong, I didn't think it was something I would ever really support, let alone participate in.  But I started to