By David Draper

I’ve never met deputy editor Colin Kearns’s brother Brian, but I can tell he’s my kind of guy. If his Facebook photos are any indication, he spends his time roasting whole hogs, going on BBQ-fueled road trips and otherwise leading a damn fine life. In short, I want to be him, especially after seeing his submission for this week’s Food Fight, which I’m predicting will slaughter my simple pot roast. But then, Brian’s a chef, so I don’t mind losing to a pro.

David’s Caribou Pot Roast

I don’t eat a lot of roasts. Generally shoulder meat and the tougher cuts from the hindquarters either get ground for sausage or sliced for jerky. Still, a long-simmered chunk of meat does sound good from time to time, especially this time of year. Luckily, I had a netted roast still in the freezer from my last caribou hunt (which was longer ago than I care to admit). I rubbed the roast with salt, pepper, and a selection of spices, browned it on all sides, and braised the meat along with potatoes, carrots and corn for a few hours in antelope stock.

Brian’s Elk Tenderloin

I’m the chef at a country club in Arkansas, and this tenderloin came from an elk shot in Montana by the son of one the club’s members. I marinated the elk in soy sauce, mushroom stock, garlic, shallots, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Then I vacuumed sealed the loin with some of the marinade and cooked it in a water bath at 122 degrees for about two hours. I pulled the meat out of the water, cut open the bag, and seared the loin over medium high heat until caramelized. I sliced the tenderloin and served it with sweet potato purée, braised turnip greens, and a Cabernet and red currant sauce.

Comments (12)

from BackRoad600 wrote 33 weeks 2 days ago

Mmm...they both look awful tasty...

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from Dbetzner wrote 33 weeks 2 days ago

Im not going to lie its hard to judge food by a picture... perhaps samples need sent out.... you know for scientific taste testing

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from 2Poppa wrote 33 weeks 2 days ago

Got to go with the Pro!
Brian's Elk Tenderloin, due to his presentation and comments.

Brian had me @ Cabernet Sauvignon as it rolled off his finger tips.

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from rock rat wrote 33 weeks 2 days ago

Like said, impossible to tell without tasting. A lot has to do with how the meat is handled after harvest, also how long it is frozen. A good pot roast would beat an undercooked salty vinegary ruined tenderloin from a gut shot elk. Assuming all the meat is good quality I'd take the tenderloin any day, even if over flavored at least it's rare.

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from ALJoe wrote 33 weeks 1 day ago

I have never had caribou but I know elk tenderloin is great. I give the nod to the elk but just give me some fried or mashed potatoes. All the other stuff just isn't necessary. Saying that, I would love to try both.

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from Half-of-two wrote 33 weeks 1 day ago

Call me old fashioned, but I love a good pot roast...especially on a chilly autumn evening. Nothing beats coming home from a long day (ideally spent in the field!), opening the door and being greeted by the aroma of a slow-cooked roast. It always puts a smile on my face.

Not to discount Brian's elk dish, it looks great, too! I'm just more of a traditionalist.

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from MaxPower wrote 33 weeks 1 day ago

Pot roast for me, substance over form.

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from smccardell wrote 33 weeks 1 day ago

My initial nod was for the elk loin, just from appearances sake. Then I started to read the discriptions. Not too much on all the fu-fu food. More in to an honest mans meal. So I voted for the pot roast. Also after I read the description I sure hope this was a meal he fixed for himself at his home. Me thinks it would not be looked upon very well to be serving said wild shot elk at a country club while charging a price for it...

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from Arthur L. Brown Sr. wrote 33 weeks 17 hours ago

My location has Caribou in the wild, the only elk are on a private ranch. I'm cheap, I hunt with good equipment but balk at extra expenses. that said to say I know Caribou taste and a good roast is great, most of my larger game meat is in the form of roasts due to number of servings at a meal for the family.

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from Bernie wrote 32 weeks 5 days ago

Brian, I don't understand how you could seal that elk loin in marinate, cook it for two hours at 112 degrees, then take it out and sear it, and still have rare meat! It looks great though!

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from thequam wrote 32 weeks 5 days ago

While I give massive props to the high end culinary minds. I was raised on pot roast!! I may be in the minority here, but I for one enjoy seeing my vegetables in a relatively whole state. I am not a fan of puree's. As I said I love and respect the creativity of a great chef, but I thoroughly enjoy and appreciate the simplicity of a hunk of meat cooked in broth with some vegetables!!!

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from kaanimal wrote 32 weeks 5 days ago

If only the tenderloin was served with the potatoes, carrots, & corn... gotta go with the roast for the full meal.

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from Dbetzner wrote 33 weeks 2 days ago

Im not going to lie its hard to judge food by a picture... perhaps samples need sent out.... you know for scientific taste testing

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Half-of-two wrote 33 weeks 1 day ago

Call me old fashioned, but I love a good pot roast...especially on a chilly autumn evening. Nothing beats coming home from a long day (ideally spent in the field!), opening the door and being greeted by the aroma of a slow-cooked roast. It always puts a smile on my face.

Not to discount Brian's elk dish, it looks great, too! I'm just more of a traditionalist.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from BackRoad600 wrote 33 weeks 2 days ago

Mmm...they both look awful tasty...

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from 2Poppa wrote 33 weeks 2 days ago

Got to go with the Pro!
Brian's Elk Tenderloin, due to his presentation and comments.

Brian had me @ Cabernet Sauvignon as it rolled off his finger tips.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from rock rat wrote 33 weeks 2 days ago

Like said, impossible to tell without tasting. A lot has to do with how the meat is handled after harvest, also how long it is frozen. A good pot roast would beat an undercooked salty vinegary ruined tenderloin from a gut shot elk. Assuming all the meat is good quality I'd take the tenderloin any day, even if over flavored at least it's rare.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from ALJoe wrote 33 weeks 1 day ago

I have never had caribou but I know elk tenderloin is great. I give the nod to the elk but just give me some fried or mashed potatoes. All the other stuff just isn't necessary. Saying that, I would love to try both.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from MaxPower wrote 33 weeks 1 day ago

Pot roast for me, substance over form.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from smccardell wrote 33 weeks 1 day ago

My initial nod was for the elk loin, just from appearances sake. Then I started to read the discriptions. Not too much on all the fu-fu food. More in to an honest mans meal. So I voted for the pot roast. Also after I read the description I sure hope this was a meal he fixed for himself at his home. Me thinks it would not be looked upon very well to be serving said wild shot elk at a country club while charging a price for it...

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Arthur L. Brown Sr. wrote 33 weeks 17 hours ago

My location has Caribou in the wild, the only elk are on a private ranch. I'm cheap, I hunt with good equipment but balk at extra expenses. that said to say I know Caribou taste and a good roast is great, most of my larger game meat is in the form of roasts due to number of servings at a meal for the family.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Bernie wrote 32 weeks 5 days ago

Brian, I don't understand how you could seal that elk loin in marinate, cook it for two hours at 112 degrees, then take it out and sear it, and still have rare meat! It looks great though!

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from thequam wrote 32 weeks 5 days ago

While I give massive props to the high end culinary minds. I was raised on pot roast!! I may be in the minority here, but I for one enjoy seeing my vegetables in a relatively whole state. I am not a fan of puree's. As I said I love and respect the creativity of a great chef, but I thoroughly enjoy and appreciate the simplicity of a hunk of meat cooked in broth with some vegetables!!!

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from kaanimal wrote 32 weeks 5 days ago

If only the tenderloin was served with the potatoes, carrots, & corn... gotta go with the roast for the full meal.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

Post a Comment

 

All submitted comments are subject to the rules set forth in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.