Scrounging for Scroutch
Making the most of leftover ground meat.
Do you have a freezer full of random packs of frozen game meat? I know I do, and I’m not even a hunter. But I have generous friends, and I prioritize eating sustainably. So every year I end up with a good supply of locally harvested and processed meat. But come spring, I’m usually down to a few miscellaneous packages of ground meat. Scroutch is a perfect way to use it up. This recipe was passed down from my grandmother, Ovie, who was not exactly famous for her cooking skills. But Ovie was famous for enjoying a bridge game, part of which included exchanging recipes with her fellow Missoulians. So who knows which World War II-era housewife was responsible for passing this casserole into her orbit, but whoever she was, I’ll bet the word “scroutch” meant something to her. Regardless of the strange name, here’s how to make it.
Ingredients
1 lb. ground meat (elk, deer, antelope, etc.)
1 red onion
1 celery stalk
1 cup cooked rice or noodles
1 4-oz. can sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 2.25-oz. can sliced olives
2 tbsp. pimento pepper
1/2 can cream-style corn
1/2 can tomato soup
1/2 can tomato sauce
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
1. Cook the rice or noodles.
2. Chop and sauté the onion and celery in olive oil until translucent and soft. Remove from the pan and set aside.
3. Cook the ground meat thoroughly and stir in the onion and celery.
4.In a large mixing bowl, combine the rice or noodles, meat mixture, and the remaining ingredients.
5. Pour into a greased 9”x13” casserole dish.
6. Bake at 350 for one hour on the middle rack.
7. As an optional garnish, top with cornflakes at 45 minutes and bake for 15 minutes more.
8. Mentally put yourself at a card table with a lot of Montana grannies in fancy hats, serve with sour cream and minced chives, and enjoy.
Katie Thomas was born and raised in Bozeman. She lives with her husband and their critters, and spends her free time cooking, cruising farmers’ markets, and critiquing restaurants with friends.
