# Elk ???



## swine-n-shine (Oct 29, 2009)

My boss just returned from an elk hunting venture and asked if I'd put a 10# roast or so in the smoker with my cook this weekend.  Well of course I agreed, but I got a few questions. I thought it might tend to dry out, but after reading some posts here it appears elk takes very well to smoking.  Is there any tendency to dry out? If so, should I inject (never injected before)?  What temp should I pull it off the smoker? Any good rub recipes for game?  Any help would be great.  Can't wait to try it, never had any before.


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## coffee_junkie (Oct 29, 2009)

I personally would cook it like a prime rib roast and pull around 135-140, game should be eaten rare....Please do not overcook it will dry out. I would also wrap in bacon just to be sure. I have never smoked an elk roast but have done them in the crock pot and have dried them out in that, it is very lean meat, but the best meat in the world IMO.


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## meat hunter (Oct 29, 2009)

I just did a venison rump roast last week, and it turned out great. Not dry at all. In fact, it was one of the most tender, moistest cuts of venison I have ever had. Smoke it at 225 degrees. If you have a dry rub that you like, put it on. After about the first hour in the smoker, I would spray it down with either cherry or apple juice ever 45 minutes till it hits an internal temp of 155 degree. Once it does, remove from the smoker, set it in some heavy duty foil, give it one more light spray of juice and wrap it up in the foil and then a towel or 2 around that and place in a cooler for at least 2 hours so the juices have a chance to redistribute. Low and slow smoking like this you will not need to add any bacon to the top of it. Also, add a water pan to your smoker if you can. Just remember, keep it low and slow and you can't go wrong. Post pics after you make it.


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## richtee (Oct 30, 2009)

Remember  ALL wild game should be frozen before any cooking/processing per USDA recommendations... (in here somewhere... won't hurt to read it all..)
http://www.foodsafetyservices.org/download.html


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## bbally (Oct 30, 2009)

Get your larding needle out and lard the thing.  Then you can smoke it.

Need to know what roast it is?  Shoulder, haunch?  Makes a difference on what you can do for length of time.

But lard the thing you won't be sorry.


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## swine-n-shine (Nov 5, 2009)

Cooked the elk on Saturday morning and I know if theres no pics it didn't happen so here they are. Turned out great. Cooked it to 155* internal, foiled, put it in a cooler. Boss appeared to be happy on monday.


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## beer-b-q (Nov 5, 2009)

Looks Great...


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## hdsmoke (Nov 5, 2009)

Really?  Why?  Its organic, hormone free!  I have eaten plenty of fresh (as in skinned, backstrap cut out, and thrown on grill) med-rare venison many times as well as wild duck skinned and grilled.  Never sick, and still kickin.


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## richtee (Nov 5, 2009)

I have not been hit by a train, either. Parasites and other transmittable pathogens is why. Odds are slim, but heck... roll the dice. I'm just quoting the USDA. Perhaps they are a bit overboard, but ...


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## hdsmoke (Nov 5, 2009)

And i bet you dont stop at every set of tracks!  Im not reading all that, but does it say the same for beef steak?  To freeze?


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## got14u (Nov 5, 2009)

with the usda i think they are just being safe. If not and some one gets sick then people will scream that our government failed them. But we aren't supposed to cook at the temps we cook at either if you ask the usda. 
Good job on the roast.


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## smokester (Nov 5, 2009)

Swine-N-Shine;377301 said:
			
		

> Cooked the elk on Saturday morning and I know if theres no pics it didn't happen so here they are. Turned out great. Cooked it to 155* internal, foiled, put it in a cooler. Boss appeared to be happy on monday.
> 
> That looks great swine. I have a freind that is on his way to an Elk hunt.
> said he would bring some over for a smoke. Question: How did you prep?
> ...


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## swine-n-shine (Nov 6, 2009)

Cooked at about 235* for 8.5 to 9hrs to internal of 155*.  I would've taken it to 160* but it was going to be foiled for several hours and then reheated if necessary, so I opted for a lower temp. I placed a pan of apple juice underneath and sprayed it with apple juice every hour.  I'd never done it before and was afraid of it drying out.


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## gnubee (Nov 6, 2009)

Sorry I didn't see this thread before you did your roast. You got some great advice from the folks.

I did 2 elk roasts, a moose roast, and a deer heart all at 230f for about 8-9 hours last season with some great advice from the folks on here. 

I barded one of the two elk roasts because someone said elk would dry out otherwise. I left the other one naked. They both turned out really moist and tender. I concluded that It didn't really need a cap of fat on it. I did insert thin slices of garlic cloves into one elk roast and saw a great improvement in the flavour. 

I used Jeff's rib rub on the deer roast and deer heart. The roast was nice and moist very tasty. I'd do it without the rub next time I think. 

The Heart was as tough as nails and nasty tasting, greasy as all get out. I think the long low slow smoke made it into a kind of evil tasting leather. Patooy Patooy Patooy!!!! I posted that failure on here and got some great advice for next time. If there ever is a next time. lol 

Glad your experiment was a success. Elk is one of my favorite meats to smoke.


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## richtee (Nov 7, 2009)

Beef don't live in the wild. And all carcasses are USDA inspected, as is the processing. Joe's Deer Butchering and the swamp your deer came out of are not. Your call. I'm just passing along the possibilities.


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## richtee (Nov 7, 2009)

We STILL follow the 40-140° in 4 hours unless cured...right? Err, I do anyway. Sure, there's leeway in solid hunks. Unless you insert your probe too early, technically. But that's the only guideline limiting cooking temps I know of. If you can do that at 225° fine. Sure, it's alot easier at 300° but you miss alot of what the low and slow will give you.  Unless yer doing a bird, of course. Nothing fun about rubber skin.


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## fourthwind (Nov 7, 2009)

glad all went well..  Elk roasts can be finicky.  That looked like a nice solid roast.  All too often game processors tie up a bunch of chuncks and call it a roast.  I have even seen some that have silver skin still attached to the meat in the middle of the "roast"  Not good eats!  When friends bring me those, I send them home with summer sausage, and they are much happier for it.  As for the whole freeze debate.  Cooking to the proper temperature will have the same affect.  We eat the tenders cooked in butter and garlic the night of a successful harvest.  No better eating than that right there.  I will take my chances rather than miss out on the best steak ever.


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