Big GameLeslie Fangmansoup, main dish, ground meat, deer, elk, venison1 Comment

Beets: supports liver functions, improves circulation and aids digestion.

Big GameLeslie Fangmansoup, main dish, ground meat, deer, elk, venison1 Comment
Beets: supports liver functions, improves circulation and aids digestion.

AS I continue on this journey of paring super foods with wild game I was drawn to a family favorite, BEETS! We love to eat beets in many forms and when you pair that with some of the health benefits it makes me want to eat them even more. Below is my recipe for Borscht which is a popular Eastern European soup. Most traditional recipes use cube steak but I have adapted mine to use ground game meat as I seem to have lots of ground left and not much steak, but feel free to use either. I love to make it at Christmas or Valentines day because of it’s beautiful red color.

Venison - Many of you hunters know that venison is very low in fat but did you know that it is also high in iron and contain vitamins B1 and B3 which help keep your metabolism in good shape. It is also a good source of B6 and B12 which help keep arteries healthy.

Beets - Beets help support liver functions and excrete toxins. The antioxidants in this lovely red food help to lower cholesterol and the blood pressure. The combination of antioxidants with iron help to feed the blood and improve circulation. Beets also contain choline and Vitamin B which supports heart health.

Borscht

  • 1 lb of ground venison or elk

  • 2 bay leaves

  • 1 whole white onion

  • 3 beets, chopped

  • 3 carrots, chopped

  • 1/2 a cabbage, chopped

  • 1/4 cup fresh dill, plus more for serving

  • 1 lemon, juiced

  • 3 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1 can of tomato paste

  • 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne

  • 1 cup of brown sugar

Break up the ground meat with your hands into a large stock pot. Add the bay leaves and onion then cover with water and let simmer. Place the beets and carrots into a shallow baking dish and drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Toss together and then place in an oven at 350 degrees for 30 min or until tender. In a separate bowl mix the cabbage, lemon juice and dill then set aside. Once the meat is cooked take out the bay leaves and the onion. Add the garlic, tomato paste, cayenne, beets mixture and the cabbage mixture. Chop the onion and add back into the pot and let simmer until the cabbage is cooked and the mixture is a nice reddish/pink color. Add the brown sugar and salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with Sour cream and fresh dill.