Elk Recipes: Lean Meat
is Healthy and Delicious

The elk recipes below can be used for any wild or domestic meats. Simple recipes that have been tried and tested in home kitchens and dinner tables will be added to this page below. The Wild Game Cuisine cookbook is available for purchase, if desired.

Also, user-submitted recipes are accepted and can be found at the bottom of the page.



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There is a recipe submission form for you to use below to share recipes. Do you have a favorite big game recipe? Share it!

Those who say they don't like elk or deer meat have usually consumed meat from animals that have not been handled properly in the field. (See field dressing page. Or, the Cooling game meat page.) Or, perhaps the cook left a lot of "silver skin" on it.

We've held our noses while processing stinky old bulls, and then been amazed at the meat's good flavor. Even elk that have been wounded, chased and shot again, can still be tasty and tender, if handled properly.

To Age, or Not to Age?

Aging is not necessary, but it does help to tenderize and even improve the flavor and texture of any elk recipes, as well as beef. Care needs to be taken to keep the temperature right. At or around 32 degrees F or in the lower thirties is best for aging meat.

In 2008 the weather was a little warm when we killed a couple of elk, so we shuffled the packaged meat in and out of the freezer to keep it near freezing during the day and left the packages out in the garage at night when it got cold. Hold the meat at or near freezing for three to five days maximum for the aging period. Keep in mind that it will lose some moisture the longer it is out of sub-zero temperatures.

Briefly, aging is a process that allows bacteria to have their way in a very limited fashion (by the cold) for a short period. During this period the bacteria release enzymes that cut the long proteins. Shorter proteins are more tender.

That said, we don't usually age our elk and deer meat! We do follow recipes and procedures to retain moisture and tenderness. See below.

Remove the Silver Skin and Avoid Fat

For the most part, remove the silver skin (white membrane) from elk meat (and deer) as much as possible. It contributes that "wild" flavor that many people complain about when they think they don't like wild meats. If you take that stuff off and avoid the fat layers, as well, you will fool the naysayers.

Shank of venison is so tough that you might prefer to pressure cook it, or else cook it slow and moist for a long time to tenderize it. Crock pots and pressure cookers do wonders for tough cuts.

Elk Recipes:

We will start with our favorite and some of the most popular venison or elk recipes first:

Wild Game Cuisine: A Collection of Wild Game Recipes

We've found Kristy Crabtree's Wildgame Cuisine, A Collection of Wild Game Recipes to be filled with simple to follow instructions. They are well tested recipes. Whenever we try one we always enjoy the end result.

There is a section on cooking with elk meat, but the book has over a hundred wild game recipes. Kristy is from a hunting household. She successfully crafts recipes that use simple steps with everyday ingredients. You can adapt them all to similar wildgame meats and to your own preferences. 

You can order Wildgame Cuisine right here for $22.95, with no extra USPS shipping charge. 


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Wild Game Spices and Rubs

Chef John McGannon has agreed to allow us to sell his WildEats Enterprises® seasoning blends and dry rubs right here! Chef McGannon has prepared wild game for over 35 years in some of the nation's finest dining establishments. 

For $30.95 (Free Shipping!), his Wild Eats Gourmet 6 Pack Sack includes the following:

  • Juniper & Peppercorn Steak Rub
  • San Francisco Seafood Rub
  • Controlled Burn Chili Blend
  • Ginger Citrus & Pepper Rub
  • Lemon Garlic & Sage Rub with Fennel
  • WILDEATS Burger Dust
Each 3oz. packet flavors 10-15 pounds of red meat, pork, poultry or seafood. Be Careful! These are habit forming!
Price w/ Free Shipping

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Click here to see how to make homemade sausage the simplest, most economical way. 

For other wild game recipes click here. 

Scroll down to see elk recipes submitted by others.

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What Are Your Favorite Big Game Recipes?

Do you have some favorite recipes using elk or other big game? Share them! If you are copying a recipe from a copyrighted source, just give credit to the source.

There is a high demand for new recipes using game meat. This form makes it simple to share yours. Don't worry, if you make a grammatical or typo error we'll correct it for you before posting it.

For help, click on the little blue question marks.
If you want, you can wrap a word in square brackets to make it appear bold. For example [elk roast] would show as elk roast on the Web page containing your recipe.

To see more ground meat recipes:

  • ground elk or venison recipes click here.

  • Submit all other recipes below.



  • Contributed Big Game Recipes

    Click below to see elk and big game recipe contributions from other visitors to this page...

    Elk Recipes Submitted by Visitors 
    1pkg 6oz spanish rice mix 2 tsp olive oil 1 # elk top round chopped (or ground meat) 1 15oz. black beans rinsed and drained 1 14.5 oz. diced tomatoes …

    Binghamton Spiedies Made With Elk Sirloin 
    Well, "spiedies" are served on French bread, but we weren't interested in the bread. Cut meat into 1 1/2 to 2 inch pieces (larger than bite size). Marinade …

    Chicken Fried Elk 
    Egg Season Salt Flour Olive oil - Beat 3 to 4 eggs till mixed in shallow bowl - place 2 to 3 cups flour in another bowl, mix with season salt to …

    Click here to write your own.

    Contributed Big Game Recipes

      Click below to see elk and big game recipe contributions from other visitors to this page...

      Chicken Fried Elk 
      Egg Season Salt Flour Olive oil - Beat 3 to 4 eggs till mixed in shallow bowl - place 2 to 3 cups flour in another bowl, mix with season salt to …Elk Recipes Submitted by Visitors 
      (This recipe and information is adapted from "Safe Handling of Wild Game" by Susan Brewer, Ph.D. and Charles Stites, M.S., The University of Illinois, …Click here to write your own.






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