Wild In The Kitchen: Ground Venison Shipwreck Casserole

Ground Venison Shipwreck Casserole

1 pound ground venison

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, chopped

28-oz. canned diced tomatoes

Nonstick cooking spray

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp black pepper

30-oz. pack frozen hashbrowns

4 cups grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400. Set the oven rack in center. Spray 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Brown venison with olive oil in very large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic and bell pepper to skillet and stir. Cook for a few more minutes to start to soften vegetables. Season with salt, cumin, paprika and pepper. Add diced tomatoes and simmer mixture for 15 minutes over low heat, stirring regularly to prevent sticking. Cook until most of the moisture has evaporated out of the skillet and the mixture is a sloppy-joe consistency. Remove from heat. Build the casserole by adding about 2/3 of the frozen hash browns to the prepared baking dish and loosely spread in an even layer. Top evenly with the ground venison mixture followed by 2 cups of grated cheese. Top with the remainder of the shredded hash brown, loosely spread over the top. Season the top of the casserole with a pinch of salt and pepper. Bake casserole uncovered for 45 minutes. Remove casserole and top with remaining cheese. Return to oven until cheese is melted and potatoes are crisp—about 15 minutes.