Stuffed Moose Heart

• 1 moose heart
• 2 tablespoons lard
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 cup diced Canadian bacon
• 11/2 cups cubed rye bread
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
• 1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon dill seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black peppercorns

Wash the moose heart and pat dry with paper towels. Melt 1 tablespoon of the lard in a skillet and then brown the moose heart on all sides over medium-low heat. Remove the heart from the skillet and set aside. Add the remaining lard to the skillet and then add the chopped celery and onion and the Canadian bacon. Sauté until these ingredients are soft, then add the rye bread cubes to the skillet. Stir with a wooden spoon until the lard and bacon fat have been absorbed into the bread.

At this point, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Remove the stuffing from the skillet and place in a glass bowl. Pour the milk over the stuffing, add all the spices, and mix with the wooden spoon. Using your hands, mix the stuffing one last time and then insert it into the moose heart. Place the stuffed heart into a baking dish and bake in the oven for 2 hours. Slice and serve while still warm.

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