Rendezvous Stew
Duration
4 to 6 hours
Serves
20+
The second weekend in July marks the celebration ofRendezvous in my hometown. Folks are clad in buckskins, bottles of unlabeled liquids are passed around, and joy and mischief are unanimously spread. The weekend starts on Thursday, there are rodeos every night, traders set up in white canvas tents around town, and the bars never shut down.
The pinnacle, though, is theRendezvous Pageanton Sunday. It’s a historical reenactment of the Rocky Mountain fur trade specific to the upper Green River Valley. The Sublette County community has come together to put this on since 1936. The pageant features historical figures of the time known by many, like Jim Bridger, Kit Carson, Jedediah Smith, Joe Meek, and more. There’s pony dancing, a horse race, and other impressive displays of horsemanship.
In the backdrop of all this, a humble pot of stew sets in a cauldron above an open flame. And it's not just a prop, it's what the cast eats for lunch. My friend Elaine made this Rendezvous Stew for over 25 years and recently passed the torch to me. She gave me this recipe and also permission to share it with you all here.
It’s a simple, hearty, and delicious stew, and can feed over 20 people. If it’s good enough to sober up some modern-day mountain men, it’d probably fit in pretty well at hunting camp, too.
Ingredients
- 6 lbs. elk, cut into 1½-inch chunks
- 3 lbs. carrots, cut into large chunks
- 7 lbs. potatoes, cut into large chunks
- 6 onions, rough chopped
- 1 bunch celery, cut into large chunks
- 2 (46 oz.) cans tomato juice
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 jalapeños, whole
- 1 cup bacon grease
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Kosher Salt
- Fresh cracked pepper
- Flour
Also works with
Special equipment
Preparation
- Season the elk meat with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder to taste. In batches, dredge the seasoned meat in flour and toss until coated well.
- Heat bacon grease in large pan and fry meat until lightly browned on the outside. Work in batches so the pan is not overcrowded.
- You can wait until the end to add the vegetables in and scrape the bits off the bottom, but I find briefly stirring a handful of vegetables in the pot between batches of meat does a nice job of deglazing the pan and allows for a clean cooking surface for the next round of meat. You don't need to cook the vegetables very long, just enough that they collect the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Place the meat (and/or vegetables) into a large stock pot once they are done frying.
- Once you’re done cooking the meat, place all remaining vegetables, tomato juice, bay leaves, and jalapeños into the stock pot. Stir as best you can. Simmer on low for 4 to 6 hours or until the meat and vegetables are very tender. Season as needed.
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Rendezvous Stew
Duration
4 to 6 hours
Serves
20+
The second weekend in July marks the celebration ofRendezvous in my hometown. Folks are clad in buckskins, bottles of unlabeled liquids are passed around, and joy and mischief are unanimously spread. The weekend starts on Thursday, there are rodeos every night, traders set up in white canvas tents around town, and the bars never shut down.
The pinnacle, though, is theRendezvous Pageanton Sunday. It’s a historical reenactment of the Rocky Mountain fur trade specific to the upper Green River Valley. The Sublette County community has come together to put this on since 1936. The pageant features historical figures of the time known by many, like Jim Bridger, Kit Carson, Jedediah Smith, Joe Meek, and more. There’s pony dancing, a horse race, and other impressive displays of horsemanship.
In the backdrop of all this, a humble pot of stew sets in a cauldron above an open flame. And it's not just a prop, it's what the cast eats for lunch. My friend Elaine made this Rendezvous Stew for over 25 years and recently passed the torch to me. She gave me this recipe and also permission to share it with you all here.
It’s a simple, hearty, and delicious stew, and can feed over 20 people. If it’s good enough to sober up some modern-day mountain men, it’d probably fit in pretty well at hunting camp, too.
Ingredients
- 6 lbs. elk, cut into 1½-inch chunks
- 3 lbs. carrots, cut into large chunks
- 7 lbs. potatoes, cut into large chunks
- 6 onions, rough chopped
- 1 bunch celery, cut into large chunks
- 2 (46 oz.) cans tomato juice
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 jalapeños, whole
- 1 cup bacon grease
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Kosher Salt
- Fresh cracked pepper
- Flour
Also works with
Special equipment
Preparation
- Season the elk meat with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder to taste. In batches, dredge the seasoned meat in flour and toss until coated well.
- Heat bacon grease in large pan and fry meat until lightly browned on the outside. Work in batches so the pan is not overcrowded.
- You can wait until the end to add the vegetables in and scrape the bits off the bottom, but I find briefly stirring a handful of vegetables in the pot between batches of meat does a nice job of deglazing the pan and allows for a clean cooking surface for the next round of meat. You don't need to cook the vegetables very long, just enough that they collect the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Place the meat (and/or vegetables) into a large stock pot once they are done frying.
- Once you’re done cooking the meat, place all remaining vegetables, tomato juice, bay leaves, and jalapeños into the stock pot. Stir as best you can. Simmer on low for 4 to 6 hours or until the meat and vegetables are very tender. Season as needed.