How to cook elk loin?

[spicygal]

I've got an elk striploin that's a little over 2 lbs. Any suggestions on how to cook it? I have never cooked game. Thanks!

[janeann11]

From my LL Bean Game & Fish Cookbook (1983):

Broiled Elk Steak Marinated in Brandy:

4-5 lb elk (or moose or caribou) steak, 2" thick
3/4 cup Cognac or any decent brandy
3 tbls butter, melted
salt and freshly ground pepper

Marinate the steak in the brandy for about 45 minutes, turning it a couple of times.

Drain and pat steak dry with a paper towel (yes, reserve the expensive marinade). Broil steak over hot coals, basting a few times with melted butter. Salt and pepper it.

Serve steak on a garnished hot platter after you have warmed the reserved Cognac in a saucepan.

Just before you bring in the platter light the warmed brandy and pour enough of it onto the steak to make the blue flames dance (and to make you feel better about using so much expensive brandy for the marinade).

Great Falls Elk Steak with Herbs

2 tbls butter, soft
1 tsp marjoram
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp tarragon
1/8 tsp powdered cloves
4-5 lb elk steak, 1-1/2" thick
2 cloves garlic, sliced
5 tbls dry mustard
1 stp black pepper
3 tbls red wine
2 tbls red currant or beach plum jelly
2 tbls chopped parsley

Combine the soft butter with the three herbs and the cloves.
Cut a series of 1/2-inch-deep cuts in the steak about 1-1/2-2 inches apart and insert a garlic slice and 1/4 tsp of herb butter in each incision. Keep remaining herb butter for later use.
Make a paste of the mustard, pepper, wine and jelly and spread it on both sides of the steak. It is best, but not imperative, to do this about 2 hours before broiling.
Broil the steak herb-butter side up for about 9 minutes; turn and broil 3-4 minutes more.
Take steak from broiler and spread the half-broiled side with the rest of the herb butter and with the chopped parsley and broil another 3-4 minutes.
Slice steak on the slant in 1/4-inch slices and serve with a sauce if you wish - hollandaise or béarnaise.

Hearty Elk Stew
1/2 lb suet (preferably beef)
2-1/2 lb elk stew meat, cut in 2" cubes
1/2 c flour
salt and pepper
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp marjoram
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tbls chopped parsley
1 cup red wine
1-1/2 c boiling water or broth
2 carrots, but in thick slices
4 potatoes, quartered
2 tbls flour dissolved to paste in water

In electric skillet or Dutch oven or heavy casserole try out the cubed suet.
Take our the suet cracklings. Roll meat cubes in flour, salt and pepper; then brown the meat in the remaining fat.
Add garlic and chopped onions and cook until soft. Add the cracklings, herbs, wine and water or broth, cover and simmer over low heat for 1-1/2 - 2 hours, checking liquid from time to time and stirring the stew.
About 45 minutes before the meat is done, add the corrots and potatoes. When the meat is done, if sauce is thin, add enough of the flour and water, stirring it slowly into the stew and simmering a bit until thickened to the consistency you want.

That should give you some ideas.

My Dad would stew elk or deer with red wine, garlic, onion, stewed tomatoes, green bell pepper, Italian seasoning, maybe a little beef bouillon. He'd let it cook for hours until all the flavors condensed.

By the way, a tradition from my sister-in law's Swiss-Italian grandmother... put a cork in your stew to help tenderize it. We may have to send this one into Mythbusters to see if it really works, but I say what can it hurt.

Happy Cooking!

[chloe103]

Those recipes sound great! Just as a general principle, the thing to keep in mind is that game meat is much leaner than beef, and so the major risk it that it will dry out. Methods that preserve juiciness - marinading, braising, slow roasting in a low oven - are great for game. Err on the rare(r) side of medium.