Elk - Backstrap Steak

[KuruPrionz]

A Lummi brother who loves to hunt gave me some frozen Elk backstrap steaks. 

I've had backstrap before, there is no more delicious meat.

 

I set them out to thaw earlier, now I am frying them in butter in a cast iron skillet. 

Elk is quite lean, a bit of butter fat will make it even better. 

I don't think it will need anything else. I'll have a salad and some backstrap in just a bit. Yum!!!

[KuruPrionz]

Medium rare, tasty stuff!!!!

FWIW, if elk were cattle, the backstrap would be called Fillet Mignon, it's the same part of the beast relatively speaking. 

They are both ruminents, not that different. Fried in butter is a good way to cook it. 

[Dave Bryce]

Don’t think I’ve ever had the opportunity to even taste elk.  How would you describe it?

 

dB

[KuruPrionz]

On 7/12/2022 at 6:24 PM, David Bryce said:

Don’t think I’ve ever had the opportunity to even taste elk.  How would you describe it?

 

dB

This is the second time I've had backstop, my friend also gave me a nice hunk of Elk Burger and I made a pot of meat and veggies with that. My standard procedure is to sauté ginger, garlic (fresh), red onion and 1 or 2 habanero peppers until they are nicely cooked, throw in the meat and cook it down. I usually use frozen organic broccoli tips and heat those in the microwave, add some of the meat and heat it again. 

 

Elk is similar to beef, it tends to be leaner since we fatten cows where possible - the fat makes the meat tastier. 

Which is why I cooked it in butter and olive oil.

If you are omnivorous and consume the flesh of animals, you will like it. The trick is getting some!!!!

 

First time I had backstop, a friend in Fresno worked at a butcher shop and a gentleman came in who'd just had an elk carcass shipped refrigerated from Alaska, where he shot it on a hunting trip. He asked my friend what it would cost to have it butchered and was told that he would do it for the backstrap, no other charge. 

He brought that to one of our barbecues and it was excellent, tender and flavorful right off the grille. Of course, that's a "once in a lifetime" sort of an event.

 

Up here, I am part of a Lummi Nation family, not by anything other than they loved the band I was in and we all became fast friends. Jason is allowed to hunt on territory that only Natives can hunt. He shoots 2 or 3 elk a year and feeds his family and friends. He also fishes, gave me 3 pounds or so of fresh frozen red snapper. I gave half of that to another friend, her and her boyfriend ate it that evening. 

 

Elk can keep for a bit but fish need to be eaten as soon as possible for best texture and flavor. 

 

OK, here's a recipe - it will sound twisted but sometimes we do what we must. I thawed the fish and I wanted to skillet fry it in a batter since some fish sort of turns into a goo if you don't seal it with batter. Then I realized I had nothing to be the base of the batter. Looking around, I had a box of plain Cheerios (just oats) and a coffee grinder so I made "flour" with that, added some garlic hummus, a couple of eggs, a pinch of salt and just enough water to get the consistency right. Dip 'em in batter and fry 'em up, mighty fine!!! 😀

Yeah, I feel pretty lucky to have such great people in my life!!!!!