IMHO, the best cut of the elk is...

[Steve from GA]

The shank. I am a new elk hunter, having killed my first elk in Nov. I have really enjoyed the other cuts of elk, particularly the tenderloin and backstrap. However, I finally took a rear shank out of the freezer, and after thawing it a bit, cut it into 4 sections with a reciprocating saw.

Tied the outsides up with kitchen twine to maintain their shape and seasoned them according to a NYT Persian spiced shank recipe and let them sit overnight. Finished up the recipe yesterday by browning them off and braising them for 5 hours. Amazing.

If you are looking for that rich, fatty eating experience that is pretty hard to come by on a mostly lean animal, the shank is your friend. After pulling the meat off the bones, scoop out the marrow and mix that in - totally badass.

Overnight me your frozen shanks for free if you don't want them. Thanks.

 

[Holocene]

Heart and tongue.

Both make excellent fatty tacos.

My last bull, I corned the tongue with a traditional beef brisket cure and made elk tongue reubens. Super fatty, flavorful piece.

I see a lot of guys get lazy and leave these cuts in the field. That’s changing somewhat in the past ten years as a new cast of hunters are reminding the community of hunters to consider field to table practices and whole animal cookery.

Use your mallard legs. Take the weird cuts from big game. Like the OP says, try braising some shanks.

 

[WRO]

I took a whole neck out this year and cut it into 3rds, it's excellent..

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[Centralcoastca]

Heart and shanks

 

[Ucsdryder]

Shanks are good and I’ll do an osso bucco but let’s not get carried away. I mean, if you like them that much I’ll trade you your tenderloins and back straps for a freezer full of shanks!

 

[huck]

I have yet to find a bad piece of elk if its killed halfway right ,taken car of properly ,and cooked in a way that compliments the cut .

 

[houghton_hunter]

Elk burgers!

Love every cut, but I get genuinely excited when its elk burger night.

 

[Bowhunter50]

This year I dry aged the quarters on a bull and the flat iron steaks off the front quarter were incredible, the flavor and tenderness was supreme. Haven’t ate anything else of the dry aged quarters yet, so we’ll see what else is delicious dry aged


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[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

I'm in the camp of "any elk meat is good elk meat" provided the kill and field to table care was clean.

 

[TristanJH]

I took a whole neck out this year and cut it into 3rds, it's excellent..

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Another for neck. Easily a better braise than shank. So much luscious collagenous goodness and top-tier flavor.


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[fatlander]

Neck and heart are the two most understated cuts. It pains me to think how much delicious meat I wasted when I knew no better.


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[sickles107]

While I like braised shank and neck, still dont think they beat a seared rare tenderloin chunk..

 

[Trial153]

I am not an inside loin fan, too mushy. Give me steaks cut off the short loin any day.

 

[Elkfitness]

Burgers are great too, but I love the tenderloins, cooked medium rare.


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[Ron.C]

another vote for shanks.

 

[MJB]

Marrow for the win!

 

[shaftslinger]

The Flat Irons. Tender and flavorful.

 

[RGARNER]

Elk chuck roasts are the bomb. I was really surprised when I cooked my first roast.

 

[justin davis]

Back strap

 

[jacobmiller9]

Marrow for the win!View attachment 372756

That looks great! Definitely going to have to try that!