Elk Round Steak

[TauPhi111]

IMO steaks cut from the round (2 large muscles opposite the quadriceps on the hind quarter) are the most tender cuts of meat after the loins and backstraps. As just about everyone has said, cook on high heat, no more than medium, or do some kind of dish where you pound them out and fry quickly. Also cut your steaks across the grain.

I'd like to address the "random tough elk" for a minute though...rather than some individual animals having really tough muscle for whatever reason, could it rather be that the tough elk was boned out in a state of rigor where the muscles couldn't relax? I might make a thread on that in meat care, cause that has always been a question of mine regarding quartering an animal soon after death.

 

[Short Track]

Mine was a cow. So it's fattier & not as muscular as a tough bull.

 

[dmoto]

Try sous vide at 126* for an hour. Then sear in a cast iron skillet. Cut against the grain and they always seem to come out pretty tender.

 

[quackaddict]

If you're into rice and gravy(and if you aren't, I don't know if we could be friends), here's what I suggest:

Cook a few pieces of bacon to get some grease in a cast iron pan
Brown onion and garlic in bacon drippings
Cut round steak(or whatever kind of meat you want to cook) into bite-sizeish chunks
Throw that in with the onion and garlic and just barely brown meat
Add in a can of cream of mushroom soup and a can of water
Mix everything together real nice, add some black pepper
Turn heat to low, cover with lid, and simmer at least 45 min and up to 1.5hrs
Serve over rice

This is good with everything from round steak to doves to ducks to javelina.

 

[danarnold]

Oops, wrong steaks!

 

[Jeff Martin]

I cook everything HOTb and FAST (med to Medium rare ). I find that is the best thing for tenderness and flavor. I never marinate the meat. Just spices 30 minutes before cooking. Let meat get closer to room temp.


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[davsco]

necro thread alert! for those doing in crock pots for 5-6 hours, are you putting them in frozen or thawed? we put in frozen, maybe thawed is better? putting in frozen, it still came out a little tough.

 

[Whisky]

I cut steaks from a bull top round. First time they were horribly tough. Cooked some more up on Saturday night, but this time I used the crap out of my Jaccard on them. They improved some, but I don't think I'll ever cut steaks from the round again.

However, I reverse seared an elk tri tip last night. It was less chewy than any beef tri tip I've ever had, and I eat a lot of them. Can't really explain that one, it was great!.

 

[wyosam]

Leave it as a roast and cook it on the grill (or better yet on the Traeger). I’ve had much better luck with that cut that way.


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[backcountrymuzzy]

If you like corned beef, definitely give that a shot. That's pretty much what all my football roasts turn in to. It's easy and really good in my opinion

 

[CAElkhunter]

I love Round Steaks. You must be cooking them too long if they are tough. I have had 20 + bulls butchered and every one I have as much made into steak as possible and the rest burger. Obviously the backstrap is the best but the Round, Sirloin and Shoulder steaks are still very good and better than Beef in my opinion.
As said above very hot grill, fast like 2.5 mins/ side tops.

Another tip is to Marinate in Italian dressing for 4 hrs or so to soften the meat.

I will say if you shoot an old trophy bull he may be tough. But anything besides that should be fine.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

Eye of the round is the hidden tenderlion and should be cooked hot and fast to MR...I usually leave the other round cuts whole and make Pastrami...

 

[BK Ammenwerth]

Try sous vide at 126* for an hour. Then sear in a cast iron skillet. Cut against the grain and they always seem to come out pretty tender.

IMO there is no better way to cook any cuts outside of the backstrap & T-loin. You nailed it. I go 118-121 degrees sous vide with a little salt, pepper, garlic powder, a bit of rosemary, and a smashed garlic clove in the bag with it. Then I finish with a reverse. Cast iron, smoking’ hot with a 1/4 stick of Kerrygold butter and a touch of olive oil to keep the butter from burning. Pat down the steaks with a clean dry rag, touch more seasoning , then slap those sous vide steaks in the cast iron pan. Bout 30-69 seconds a side, and tilt your cast iron a bit and keep spooning that delicious bubbling butter over it!!!! Don’t forget to plop the crushed garlic in with the butter.
Enjoy, thank me later

 

[Wrench]

The round is also great when treated like a prime rib. Slow roast seasoned to death and then pull it around 125 internal. Let it rest and slice once it cools a bit. Take the leftovers to the slicer and make sandwich meat.

As everyone else says, if you are going to fry or grill it....do it hot and fast and don't over do it. Elk is almost a blue/purple color when raw. If you cook it past deep red you're doing an injustice and might as well pull it and throw it in the pressure cooker.

 

[PredatoronthePrairie]

Just made some round steaks the other night that tuned out real well.

Kinda similar to above.

Salt/pepper lightly coat in flour.
Fry in cast iron.
Add 1/4 onion once about done to fry a bit.
Add 1 can stewed tomatoes.
Half stick butter.
Little minced garlic.
Beef stock.

Cook for 1.5hr on 275.

Add long cut potato 1/8ths
Add more stock if needed.

Cook another hr.

 

[Crowmangler]

Try cutting them up & pressure can it. I usually request roasts & stew meat chunks instead of steaks for that reason.

 

[Weldor]

I just use a meat hammer large side and cook them on the grill, never a issue. Doing some red Sheep rounds today.

 

[Pony Soldier]

Pound them with a meat hammer, then cook them slow in mushroom soup.

 

[bz_711]

Age of elk also matters. My biggest bulls the rounds are noticeably more tough and just too dry if cooking very long. But we can burn through a 100lbs of burger in no time so big bulls make more burger.

Now a spike bull - I'd argue the best eating elk on the mountain - there's not 1 tough piece of meat on it.

 

[juglow]

slow cook them in a crock pot with a jar of Salsa ;-) You will never look back. Salsa has everything you need from the vegetables and spices and SUPER EASY.

Makes some amazing Fajitas.

I make my Chili with Salsa too ;-)