Elk Hind Quarter Made Into What?
Elk
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Guys, Going on my 2nd elk hunt and I didnt get one the first time so trying to plan ahead on what I am going to do with the meat if I get lucky this time. I process all my own whitetail and on a normal buck I would get a couple neck roasts, steaks from backstraps and tenderloin, some jerky meat from hind quarter, some trim goes to burger but a lot to landjeagar, sticks, and summer sausage. I could do the same with an elk but I would like to try to use more of the hind quarter for steaks, roasts, or other meals. In the attached picture which cuts are best for steaks and which for roasts. Everybdoy might have different names but for this conversation let's call the cuts, from bottom left to right: Bottom round, eye of round, top round, and the sirloin. Top left to right: Shank and trim. What do you do with each cut?
I am in no way butcher, but the shank and trim- grind for burger. You can split the larger roasts into smaller sections and do a smaller roast and steaks from each... I really like elk burger, so I grind some or most of it as well.
I Grind it all, except the back strap and loins. I leave the back straps roast size. Occasionally I will cut a roast from a round or rump.
Generally if you want steaks that can be grilled without a lot of tenderizing efforts, that sirloin football makes the most tender ones....you just have to deal with all the silver-skin. If you like a lot of roasts, any of those round cuts will do nicely. You can make steaks from those too, but usually they need to be tenderized.
I try to grill more steaks than roasts, so all those pieces I would either put on the grill as is or butterfly. The football I usually use as stew or roasts meat. I will have to try to grill it this year. As for the shank do not grind it. I cook mine with an osso bucco recipe. You can leave bone on but I remove the meat and leave the silver skin. After cooking the silver skin melts away.
Cross cut the shank for Osso Bucco for use it or trim
The Bottom round break in three section, Use the heel (horseshoe ) for trim or stew. The eye round leave whole and use for pot roast. Square the rump of the Bottom and use the tip for stew , then cut about 6 one inch steaks off the rump end. The remainder of the bottom tie into a roast.
Top round. Take the top flap off trim and leave it whole for a steak. Trim and square the poor side, its where you will see the femoral artery. Us that for trim to grind. Now square the front using the first piece you cut for stew. You have some options here now. You can take off about 3 two inch London broils or you can cut about six one inch steaks. You can also thinly slice a bunch of Biaciole . You will be left with about a 4inch of roast after you do one off the above. Use twine and tie it against the grain then use the roast.
Next up will be your sirloin tip. Detach the sirloin from the tip. Trim the sirloin up and either cut into several minute steaks or better yet leave it whole to grill.
Now you have sirloin tip. If you want another roast you can cut about two inches off the ends and tie it . Or better still break the silver side of the sirloin tip off. when you look at the tip there will be three sections separated by silver skin in the middle. The silver side is the largest of the three. Cut that off using the silver skin as a guide, you will then have the silver side separate. Square the front and cut the whole thing into cutlets. The other left over piece of the sirloin tip cut up for stew or trim.
hope this helps
We cube the shanks of all 4 legs, mix in all other tough scraps, brown it and can it and feed it to our dogs. We put a little on their dry food, they love it. We do the same with the liver. We eat the heart ourselves. We grind some of the rest, cut some into strips to stir fry, and a few roasts. Backstraps are steak, tenderloins also steak.
Braised elk shanks are great if you have the time.
Trial153, can you list the 4 bottom pieces in fastflights picture? It would clarify your discussion for some of us. Thx.
Since figuring out how to smoke an elk roast properly, I don’t cut near as many steaks. Steaks out of the choice cuts, and roasts and burger out of the rest.
And as much as I love backstrap, my favorite cut of meat on the whole animal is the neck roast.
In the picture. Top left, boned out shank
Bottom left looks like the bottom round with the heel trimmed off, the eye round is next to it, the the top round, and last so top sirloin( sirloin tip)
The heel and sirloin are look to be in that stew/grind pile.
The sirloin is too good to grind or stew. Make sure you leave it whole and use it like a steak/London broil.
At my house, if it’s from the hindquarter, it’s either, shanks, steaks, or trim.
JMO, anyone who’d turn a nice piece of steak into a dry, crumbly hamburger needs his head examined.
Or horsewhipped, if he overcooks any of it.
I used to be a meat cutter and Trial has it spot on.
Trial does it like we do with the exception of the top round. I cut those thinner and run through the tenderizer. Luv me som chicken fried steaks :-)
Grinding shanks is a waste with so much other meat for that purpose. Shanks should be braised as should the neck roast if you aren't skittish about spinal column (See Hank Shaw Barbacoa recipe)
Shank meat is so stinking good, you guys who grind it or feed to the dogs (!!!!) are wasting it...
Smoked and braised shanks are a delicacy!
As is the neck roast!
Some of the best eats on the elk!
No spinal fluid if you just filet both sides of the neck.
Thanks guys. Lots of good information. I plan on trying some steaks and roasts. Definitely need to try the shanks also. Too many people say its great.
I saw the light a few years ago too on braising the shanks. Leave the tendons and silver skin on.