Elk With Bitter Chocolate Bordeaux Sauce

Besides hunting TV shows, I love cooking shows. One of my favorites is Chopped, which is a cooking competition show that features chefs who are given baskets of mystery ingredients that often do not seem to go together. The chefs are tasked with using the ingredients to create a tasty, cohesive dish. One by one, the chefs are eliminated until only one is left standing. On a recent episode, the chefs were challenged to create an entrée using elk and chocolate. This was a combination I had never thought of, but some of the chefs commented that this was a natural combination, so I started researching recipes and found this delicious dish that successfully marries these two fabulous ingredients. It is a bit labor intensive but the results are so worth it! It is a recipe created by Chef Ryan Murray, of La Caille Restaurant, Sandy, Utah.

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12 oz. elk chop rib loin

5 oz. olive oil

32 oz. beef stock

6 oz. red wine

2 oz. warm water

1.5 oz. raspberry vinegar

2 shallots, peeled and sliced

4 cloves garlic

2 thyme sprigs

1 ½ cups chopped dark chocolate (good quality)

2 oz. butter

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Prep:

Chocolate Bordeaux Sauce
Sauté shallots and garlic in 1 teaspoon of butter. When they start to color add the wine and vinegar. Reduce until almost dry. Add the stock and water. Turn up the heat and reduce by half. To finish right before you serve it, bring back to a simmer and whisk in the chocolate and the rest of the cold butter.
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Elk chop
Cut the elk into two 6 oz portions. Place an oven proof sauté pan on high heat; add olive oil. When oil starts to smoke, add the seasoned (salt and pepper to taste) elk chops and brown on all sides. Place in the oven and cook until desired temperature. (Rare 120-125 medium rare 130-135 medium 140-145 medium well 150-155 well NOT RECOMMENDED!