Elk Chili Mac

From our Canadian Huntress team out west, Charissa shares one of her family's go-to meals: Elk Chili Mac. A hearty recipe made with ground elk, macaroni, beans and plenty of cheese, it's the kind of meal that works just as well after a morning of hunting as it does on a busy weeknight.

Recipe & words by Charissa Olson

There's nothing quite like coming home after a chilly morning in the field and having a big bowl of warm, deliciousness to warm you up.

Around our house, life doesn't slow down much when hunting season ends. As our boys get older, we're finding ourselves busier than ever, balancing full-time work with activity schedules that seem to overflow our calendar! We trade in mornings and evenings in the field to chase after our boys, shuttling them from one activity to the next, all while juggling full-time work. Having a filling, homemade meal with enough leftovers for another day is a lifesaver these days.

If you were to look at my Instagram algorithm, you'd find a lot of hunting, cooking and boy-mom content. It's pretty much a reflection of my everyday life! I'm always saving recipe inspiration, and I love taking those ideas into my own kitchen and making them my own. I'm not usually someone who follows a recipe from start to finish. I love experimenting, adding a little extra of this or a little less of that. Around my kitchen, a lot of ingredients are measured with the heart, especially the garlic and cheese! I also appreciate recipes that make plenty of food and leave us with leftovers.

As much as I love spending time in the kitchen, I know how valuable a quick meal (that isn't fast food) can be on those nights when we're rushing from work to school or daycare pickup, then off to the rink or the ball field.

This recipe is inspired by a recipe I came across from The Hunt Kitchen. I've added a few of my own twists, including a splash of BBQ sauce for a little extra flavour.

Whether you're looking for something warm after a morning in the field or an easy supper to get you through your family's busy week, this is one worth adding to your rotation.

Here is what I did:

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground elk meat, thawed

• 1 jalapeño pepper or green pepper, diced (add more jalapeños for your desired spice level)

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 1 heaping tablespoon minced garlic (or measure this with your heart if you're Ukrainian, like me)

• 2 tablespoons chili powder, or more to taste

• 1 (680 ml) can tomato sauce

• 1 (398 ml) can Bush's Homestyle Baked Beans

• 1 (796 ml) can diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings

• 900 ml beef broth (approximately 4 cups)

• ½ cup BBQ sauce of your choice

• Elbow macaroni, enough to be fully submerged in the liquid

• Shredded cheddar cheese, measured with your heart!
  

Optional for serving: Fresh parsley flakes and sour cream

Directions

1. Brown the elk.

Heat a deep frying pan over medium heat. Add the thawed ground elk and break it into small pieces as it cooks. I love using my Pampered Chef Mix 'N Chop for this.

2. Add the diced onion and pepper.

Once the meat is partially cooked, add the diced onion and pepper. Continue cooking until the onions begin to turn translucent.

3. Add the garlic.

Toss in the minced garlic and stir everything together, letting it become fragrant.

4. Season it up.

Sprinkle in the chili powder and mix well to coat the entire mixture. Add extra chili powder if you like a little more flavour.

5. Bring it all together.

Add the tomato sauce, baked beans, diced tomatoes and beef broth. Stir everything thoroughly, cover the pan and bring the mixture to a simmer.

6. Add the macaroni.

Once bubbling, stir in enough macaroni to ensure the noodles are fully submerged in the liquid. Cover again, stirring occasionally, until the macaroni is tender. The noodles will absorb the liquid as they cook, leaving you with a thick, hearty mixture. If the mixture gets too thick before the pasta is cooked, add a little more beef broth as needed.

7. Finish with BBQ sauce and cheese.

Reduce the heat, then stir in the BBQ sauce and a generous handful of shredded cheddar cheese. Mix until the cheese is melted and everything is combined.

Spoon into bowls and finish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley and a dollop of sour cream, if desired.

I'd love to know what you do differently with this to make it your own. From my field-to-table kitchen to yours, enjoy!