Pad Thai with Elk Roast
Classic elk roast is undoubtedly tasty, but if you’re looking for a new way to use roasts, this recipe is for you! Roasts can be used for so much more than the classic pot roast: soups, stews, sandwiches, tacos, and even noodle dishes like this Pad Thai recipe. Thinly sliced elk roast makes an excellent addition to this classic Thai recipe. Paired with crisp-tender vegetables, chewy rice noodles, crunchy peanuts, and a zesty peanut sauce, it’s just like the classic takeout dish but better!
This recipe makes a big batch, but it’s so good, you won’t get tired of eating it. You can cook once and have multiple meals throughout the week or freeze it for later. This Pad Thai freezes and reheats surprisingly well in vacuum-sealed bags. You can freeze it in individual servings to have on hand for a quick lunch or as a boil-in-bag meal for hunting camp. You can eat it as is or top it with chili crisp for extra spice, a squeeze of lime juice, peanuts, and cilantro leaves. Enjoy!
Tips and Tricks:
- Slice the meat while it is still mostly frozen to get thin slices. Once sliced, thaw the meat in a paper towel-lined bowl under refrigeration. This helps remove excess moisture and helps the meat brown better when you cook it.
- The process of marinating meat in a cornstarch mixture is called velveting. The mixture provides a protective coating on the meat and helps tenderize tough cuts of meat.
- To make this a weeknight-friendly meal, prep the ingredients in the morning or the night before so all you have to do is cook in the evening.
- Turn down the heat and wipe the electric skillet out with a paper towel in between ingredients to prevent burning.
Recipe:
Pad Thai with Elk Roast
Prep Time: 25 minutesCook Time: 25 minutes
Equipment:
- Electric skillet (or other large skillet)
Ingredients:
Meat:
- 1 lb elk roast, cut into thin strips (about ⅛" thick)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Sauce:
- ⅔ cup ketchup
- ½ cup smooth peanut butter
- ½ cup fresh lime juice (from about 3 limes)
- 6 tablespoon fish sauce
- 3 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Other Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoon peanut oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 ½ cup yellow onion, julienned (about 1 medium onion)
- 8 oz fresh bean sprouts
- 4 cup Napa cabbage, shredded
- 6 large eggs, scrambled
- 8 oz rice noodles (uncooked)
- ¾ cup green onions, finely chopped (about 1 bunch)
- ½ cup cilantro, finely chopped (about 1 bunch)
- 1 cup roasted peanuts (more for serving, optional)
- lime wedges, for serving (optional)
- chili crisp, for serving (optional)
- cilantro leaves, for serving (optional)
Instructions:
- To a medium bowl, add elk meat, soy sauce, peanut oil, and cornstarch. Stir to coat the meat. Let the meat sit in the fridge for 30 minutes before cooking.
- Add all sauce ingredients to a medium bowl. Whisk to combine. The peanut butter might not fully mix into the sauce but that's ok. It will melt when it cooks.
- Heat an electric skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon peanut oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add julienned onions and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until slightly softened.
- Add bean sprouts and shredded cabbage. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally or until vegetables are crisp-tender and cabbage is wilted. 30 seconds before the vegetables are done cooking, add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and stir to combine. Remove vegetables to a bowl.
- Add 1 tablespoon of peanut oil to the hot electric skillet. Add scrambled eggs and let them cook for 1 minute before stirring them. Stir the eggs and cook for 1-2 minutes more, or until cooked through. Break up the eggs into small pieces and add them to the bowl with the cooked vegetables.
- Add 1 tablespoon of peanut oil to the hot electric skillet. Add seasoned meat in a single layer. Cook for 2 minutes, flip the meat, and cook for 2 more minutes or until the meat is cooked through.
- While the meat is cooking, cook noodles according to the package directions. When noodles are done cooking, rinse them under cold water until they are completely cooled to stop the cooking process. Drain and set aside.
- Add cooked eggs and vegetables back to the skillet. Add sauce and peanuts. Stir to combine and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently to make sure the sauce doesn't burn.
- Add cooked rice noodles, cilantro, and green onions. Stir to combine and cook for 1-2 more minutes to heat the noodles.
- Serve with peanuts, lime wedges, and chili crisp, if desired. Enjoy!
Freezing Instructions:
- This dish freezes surprisingly well. Add your desired number of servings to a vacuum bag and vacuum seal it. I like to do individual servings so I can grab one for lunch. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw under refrigeration and "boil in bag" to heat it or remove it from the bag and heat it up on the stove or in the microwave.
Author: Annie Weisz of Peak to Plate