Elk Meat ?

[zimmy]

I was on my first Elk trip this fall. I was fortunate enough to harvest a cow. We divided the meat 3 ways. After cooking it a few different ways we have all come up with the same conclusion. It tastes VERY strong of Elk. When we cook it the whole house smells like you are walking into a whole group of elk. Just wondering if all elk smells like this. Is there something you can do to prevent this?

 

[npaden]

In my opinion elk is about the best wild game meat there is. I've never noticed a smell to it.

How did you care for the meat after you shot it? Like any game meat, the proper care in the field goes a LONG way toward how it ends up tasting.

 

[DRAFTSTUD]

You don't cook the Bladder!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! John

 

[bjtc_brian]

Here's my opinion.

Take every bit of fat an silver skin you can get off it. This seems to be where most of the "elk" flavor resides. Also, did you get your elk in a sage brush covered area? I think when they eat lots of sage, they taste more "gamey".

Also, cook it as rare as you can stand to eat it. Elk it so lean, like deer, that in my opinion if you over cook it(anything past medium rare) it tastes more gamey.

 

[streamer]

I agree with DRAFTSTUD, you must have broke the bladder when you gutted it. Happened to a friend and the meat was green and stunk the next day. Elk should smell and taste like beef.

 

[zimmy]

We packed it out boneless. We did not rupture anything inside of her. Shot her at 9. Back at the truck and in coolers at 3. We had it at the butcher shop by 5. It was in a area with a lot of sage. So guess that could be the problem. Thanks for the help

 

[mdunc8]

If you think elk meat stinks, don't shoot a bear.

 

[Jwill]

.... We had it at the butcher shop by 5. ...

I'd guess this is your problem. If you cared for the kill as you say you did, then you really shouldn't have skunky meat.

 

[shoots-straight]

I've killed and eaten over 40 elk myself, and been in on another 40 or so. Never had one that smelled like elk while cooking. Maybe the processor was messy and cut your elk up on an area that they just cut up a pissy one at. Somehow they got piss on the meat. Could have been laid down on the floor at the butcher shop. Was the skin on when you dropped it off? Too bad that happened.

 

[jryoung]

What parts are you cooking? How are you cooking them? To me it sounds as if your butcher shop could be an issue.

For the meat you have, I would try and brine the next portions that you cook. If you do a roast or steaks, brine them for 3-4hrs (steaks) to up to 8-12 (roasts). Often it will help take away some of that gameyness and more importantly add some moisture to the lean meat.

 

[RobG]

I butcher my own... the only time I've had problems is when I've let the meat spoil by not keeping it cool enough. I doubt if it was sage - I haven't had that problem. It is possible that you didn't get your own meat back from the processor (especially with burger) or he let it hang too long and spoiled it for you.

 

[2rocky]

was the meat cold when it was put in the cooler? Warm meat in a cooler will "cook" and give you an off flavor.

 

[sbhooper]

We packed it out boneless. We did not rupture anything inside of her. Shot her at 9. Back at the truck and in coolers at 3. We had it at the butcher shop by 5. It was in a area with a lot of sage. So guess that could be the problem. Thanks for the help

I have killed a lot of elk. I have NEVER had a bad bite of elk meat. IF you took care of it like you said that you did, then you got screwed. The BUTCHER gave you somebody's gut-shot piece of crap. Elk does not smell like elk when you cook it. The only way that you will have a bad taste is if you have any gut juice on the meat or it is spoiled due to heat-which is a lot less likely. Meat that has been boned out can take a lot of heat.

If you already had it boned out, then it made no sense what so ever to take it to a butcher. Learn how to process it and take this as a lesson. Meat processors are a joke.

If you have a dog, then let him eat well for awhile. Dogs like gut smell!

I will make this offer to anybody going out west right now that will be heading down I-80 going home. Bring the meat to me and I will help you get it right. I live right by I-80 and it makes me mad when people end up with bad meat because of stupid processors. You spent enough money on the trip and don't need rotten meat to show for it. It may cost some serious beer, though!

 

[sagebrush]

+1 on the butcher did it.

My number one recipe for all big game, simple and fool proof. Take a 3/4-1" thick steak, remove all silver skin and fat, sprinkle both sides with Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce, season with Morton's Natures Seasonings, fry in butter 3 minutes per side. Tender and tasty. If that doesn't work, your meat is non-edible.

Come to think of it, the wife asked for antelope tenderloin for our 28th anniversary dinner last night. Topped the tenderloin with homemade Bernaise.

 

[nidahunter]

I know after one such experience w/ a butcher I have learned how to do my own butchering. If you have it boned out you are 3/4 of the way there already. I know for a fact I didnt get my own meat back in the past. Really makes a person mad to do everything right then get terrible meat back that someone else didnt take care of.

 

[idelkhntr]

My opinion is that Elk will smell a little different than store bought beef when it is in it's raw form. I don't think it smells like a herd of Elk in my kitchen though. Like some others said, make sure to trim off the fat and silver skin. My wife and I eat nothing but Elk meat when we have it in our freezer. She is very picky about her food so if she likes the Elk then it's all good. Sounds like you took care of it properly. I might question that you got your own meat back from the butcher.

 

[sbhooper]

Saying western meat tastes like sage brush is like saying Nebraska white-tails taste like alfalfa or corn. It is bs. It always cracks me up when I hear someone say that antelope tastes like sage-NOT! If it tastes bad it was probably because you gave it a ride around in your truck for four hours before taking care of it.

 

[wingman1]

Did you get the heat out of the meat prior to putting it in an airtight cooler?
Proper cool down is critical.

 

[Straight Arrow]

It does sound like the meat processor is one to avoid.

Nicely done, sagebrush! Makes me hungry viewing your post.

 

[Lawnboy]

I've never had one taste like rutting elk smell. There are times though some cuts and different animals have a more gamey smell. The worst elk I had was one I hit with an arrow in the. morning and didn't find him for 4 hours. It was real warm out but he wasn't spoiled. Just had a real strong smell and taste to him while cooking. He was younger so I assumed the dying process and long recovery time might of had something to do with it.

The wife and I were eating at Ted's here in Bozeman the other day. We both had beef burgers and noticed that they had a strong "gamey" taste. You can season up and marinate just about anything to taste good but plain raw meat will inevitably have some strong flavors and smells while cooking whether it's game or domestic. IMO