Minnesota Chow Mein

Now that there is an abundance of fresh venison in our freezers, we can make one of our very favorite dishes, Chow Mein. 

I call it "Minnesota Chow Mein", because it's not like any Chinese food you would buy at your local restaurant. I guess it's a lot like using the term "Tex-Mex"; it tastes like Chinese food, it looks like Chinese food, but uses less of the traditional ingredients you would find in a traditional Chinese recipe. I snuck in a few teaspoons of sesame oil when I made it this time, and it added a bit of modern flair that we really liked, but I'm sure that wasn't a pantry staple in Northern Minnesota when this recipe was created. 

My Great-Grandma Ethel's ability to make meals that 50 years ago were truly "ahead of her time" was amazing. Some day we will talk about her adventures in "Sweet and Sour Spam". But for today, let's enjoy a warm bowl of her chow mein, shall we?

Add the oil to a large saucepan.  Add the cubed meats, onion, soy sauce, and pepper and brown until the onions have softened. 

Add enough water to almost cover the meat and onions.  Let simmer over low heat for one hour until the meat has become tender, stirring occasionally, and adding more water if needed to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Add in the mushrooms, celery, bean sprouts, and water chestnuts.  Add a bit more pepper if you like.

Use the empty can from the bean sprouts and fill it with water, adding two cans total to the pot. 

Let the chow mein cook for another 30-45 minutes until the vegetables are as tender as you would like them to be. Some people prefer a bit more crunch to their chow mein vegetables, so watch the pot and take it off the heat when it's where you want it to be.

Serve the chow mein in a big bowl and top with crunchy chow mein noodles and additional soy sauce if you prefer a saltier dish.

Minnesota Chow Mein                                                                 Printable Version

1 T. olive or vegetable oil

Pork round steak, cubed

Venison or beef steak, cubed

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

2 tbsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. black pepper

Water

1 pkg button mushrooms, sliced thickly

1 pkg celery, sliced thickly, on the diagonal

1 can bean sprouts

1 can water chestnuts, sliced

2 cans of water (use the bean sprout can)

Crunchy Chow Mein noodles

Additional soy sauce, if desired

Add the oil to a large saucepan.  Add the cubed meats, onion, soy sauce, and pepper and brown until the onions have softened. Add enough water to almost cover the meat and onions.  Let simmer over low heat for one hour until the meat has become tender, stirring occasionally, and adding more water as needed to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Add in the mushrooms, celery, bean sprouts, and water chestnuts and stir together well. Use the empty can from the bean sprouts and fill it with water, adding two cans total to the pot. Let the chow mein cook for another 30-45 minutes until the vegetables are as tender as you would like them to be. Serve in a bowl and top with crunchy chow mein noodles and additional soy sauce if you prefer a saltier dish.