It’s been a minute, and a minute too long, since I’ve added a new recipe to the Field to Table page here on HIH! The HIH elk casserole with green chile cheese cornbread topping is one of the easiest, most delicious ways I’ve found to use up our freezer full of ground elk. If you’re lucky enough to have a freezer full of elk meat, (or a friend willing to share) you’re going to love this recipe!
This elk casserole recipe is not only super simple, is EXTRA delicious. The meaty elk filling gets a flavor bomb from green chiles and a smoky seasoning blend. The green chile cheese cornbread topping is what makes this dish really special. The spot where the filling meets the corn bread is my favorite bite! It’s a main dish and a side dish all in one, which makes it great for entertaining or for a quick, but homemade family dinner. Oh, and it’s one of those dishes that’s almost better eaten as leftovers.
Perfect Pairing: Elk + Green Chiles
For me, green chiles and elk just go together. It could be because when my husband returns from a successful elk hunt in New Mexico, he’s got a cooler full of elk AND green chiles. The green chiles come form a roadside stand in New Mexico. He’ll pick up some on the way to camp and another big batch to keep frozen at home. While Hatch chiles are the most well known, the stand has a plethora of different varieties of green chiles in labeled plastic bags. If you drive by a chile stand, you must stop. They freeze great!
While the green chiles from the roadside stand are always my first choice for this elk casserole, there are some great store bought options as well. Here’s a run down of all the green chile varieties successfully tested for this recipe.
- The fire roasted green chiles you buy from the roadside stands in rural New Mexico. Nothing beats ’em! Just remove the stems and chop with a knife or pulse in a food processor.
- 505 Southwestern Flame Roasted Green Chiles – my Father cannot live without a jar and a back-up jar of this sauce in the house at all times. There’s a few extra ingredients, lime, salt, and garlic, but they don’t over power the green chiles. Plus, it comes in a 12 oz jar, the perfect amount for the filling!
- Ortega or Old El Paso Diced Green Chiles – available at any super market in 4 oz or 7 oz cans.
- Great Value Fire Roasted and Peeled Green Chiles – a great Walmart budget friendly way to go. Comes in the same 4 oz and 7 oz cans as Ortega.
Keys to Success
- Keep an eye on the top. If the top of your cornbread is getting too dark before it’s cooked all the way through, move the baking dish to a lower rack in the oven and cover with foil. Remove the foil as soon as the casserole comes out of the oven to prevent condensation from dripping onto your casserole.
- Drain those chiles, but just for the cornbread. This is the only spot where this recipe is a touch tricky. For the filling, just dump everything into the skillet, elk meat is lean and the moisture is welcome. For the corn bread topping, you don’t want any extra liquid in the batter.
- Mild, medium, or hot? You’ll want to think about who will be eating your elk casserole when choosing the heat level of your green chiles. For me, medium is the way to go when I’m serving guests.
- Want more cheese? Go for it! I added more cheese under the cornbread and on top of the cornbread when testing this recipe. They’re all good, but too much cheese took away from the elk meat for me, so I went with this version of the recipe. Don’t be afraid to add cheese if that’s your taste.
Recipe Versatility
While this is one single recipe for elk casserole, the filling and the cornbread recipe would each be fantastic on their own. The filling would be great in tacos or enchiladas. It would even be great on it’s own as a lower carb, moderate fat meal in your meal prep rotation. The cornbread will cook up in about 20-25 minutes in a 9X13 baking dish.
Elk + Green Chile Cornbread Casserole
Equipment
- 1 large skillet
- 1 chef's knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
- 1 3 qt or 9×13 baking dish
- 1 wooden spoon or spatula
- 1 medium mixing bowls
Ingredients
Elk Filling
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil olive, vegetable, canola, whatever you have
- 2 lbs ground elk ground venison or moose would also work well
- 1 white onion, diced
- 12 oz chopped green chiles, fire roasted if available
- 1 10 oz can diced tomatoes with green chiles
Seasoning Blend
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
Green Chile Corn Bread Topping
- 2 boxes cornbread mix, Jiffy is recommended
- 8 oz chopped green chiles drained of liquid
- ⅔ cup buttermilk
- 8 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 eggs, beaten
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the diced onion and cook for about 1-2 minutes until translucent. Add the green chiles and reduce any liquid down by about 1/2.
- Add the ground elk to the pan and brown. When the elk meat is about 3/4 browned add the ingredients in the seasoning mix, followed by the can of diced tomatoes and green chiles. Scrape any brown bits off the bottom of the pan.
- Once the elk meat is cooked through, turn off the heat and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- While the oven is preheating, combine the ingredients for the cornbread topping. Mix just until combined. Set aside and allow to rest.
- While the cornbread is resting, prepare your baking dish with nonstick spray. Carefully pour the elk meat mixture into the bottom of the baking dish. Smooth the top.
- Evenly pour or spoon the cornbread topping over the top of the meat mixture taking special care not to mix the batter with the meat mixture. Smooth evenly until the topping reaches each edge of the baking dish.
- Bake at 400°F for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the cornbread topping comes out clean. Allow to cool for 15-30 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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So yummy!!!!