Cold Weather Elk Goulash!

So!  Going through my freezer and what to my surprise is an elk roast buried down deep!  I probably should have used it last year, but I thought...Goulash!  Good and hearty...it has been below zero every night here for the last week.  Ingredients are off the wall, but I cleaned out my vegetable drawer and took a little help from "Gourmet" cook book :)

2-3 LBS ELK ROAST (OR BEEF)
5 SLICES BACON
4 MEDIUM-TO-LARGE ONIONS, SLICED
3 CLOVES GARLIC, MINCED
3 TABLESPOONS HUNGARIAN SWEET PAPRIKA
1-1/2 TEASPOONS CARAWAY SEEDS
1/3 CUP ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
1/4 CUP RED WINE VINEGAR
1/4 CUP TOMATO PASTE
5 CUPS BEEF STOCK OR BROTH
3 CUPS WATER
1 RED BELL PEPPER, SLICED
1/2 HEAD RED CABBAGE, SLICED

FOR MARINADE:
1/2 CUP RED WINE
1/4 CUP OLIVE OIL
1 TEASPOON HUNGARIAN SWEET PAPRIKA
FRESH GROUND PEPPER AND SALT

Preparation:  Cut up meat into bite-sized cubes and marinate for several hours.

Slice bacon and cook until somewhat crispy.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a large bowl. Drain the meat, reserving the marinade for later.  In small batches, brown the marinated meat in the bacon drippings and transfer to the large bowl.  Add all of the onions and saute until softened and translucent, about 8 minutes.  Add the garlic, caraway seeds, Paprika, tomato paste, and flower.  You will have a thick, sticky mess, but cook on heat for about 1 minute while stirring constantly.  Add tomato paste and red wine vinegar to help deglaze the pan.  Add beef stock and water, while scraping the bottom of the pan to get all the little bits.  Add the bacon and elk.  Bring to a boil and add bell pepper and cabbage.  Simmer for approximately 45 minutes to an hour.  Serve over spaetzle or egg noodles.  (preference is most definitely spaetzle!)

This gets better if it sits, so I made it the night before and heated it up for dinner the following day.

Note:  Probably don't need to marinate the elk.  Next time, I will add carrots to the onion mixture to give it an even better depth of flavor.  Still, sooo good!

Cheers!