Chef's notes
This is great with deer, elk, bison, or lean ground beef. The important part is that the meat is lean. If using a possibly gamey wild meat like antelope or a large buck, I recommend soaking the meat in saltwater overnight and draining well, prior to preparation.
As for the size of the vegetables, I cut to 1" but it is a stew and they can be cut to your preference. Larger pieces may require a few additional minutes of cooking time. This not a traditional stew, as there is no added liquid. The moisture released during cooking can be poured over a serving, if it seems too dry for your liking.
Details
- ⏲️ Prep time: 30 min
- 🍳 Cook time: 45 min
- 🍽️ Servings: 4-6
Ingredients
- 4 strips of bacon, cut into 1" pieces
- 1 lb ground lean red meat
- 1 med onion, cut into 1" pieces
- 3 cloves garlic, minced and heavily salted
- 3 med russet potatoes, cubed 1" with skins
- 1 cup carrots, sliced
- 1 cup celery, sliced
- 8 oz tomato sauce
- salt & pepper
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- Lightly grease 9x13 baking pan, glass is best if possible.
- In large frying pan over med heat, fry bacon until crispy, retaining rendered fat in the pan.
- Add ground meat and onion, cook until meat is browned.
- Place all vegetables evenly in baking dish.
- Scoop meat across vegetables evenly.
- Sprinkle tomatoes sauce semi-evenly across the meat layer. Do not stir.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Cover with lid or foil and bake for 40 minutes, or until potatoes are soft when pierced with a fork.
- Remove from oven. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.
- Serve.