Wife doesn't like elk

[Bmarcks31]

As an eastern hunter, I've known for a while now that my wife doesn't like the gaminess of acorn-eating whitetail so most of my deer gets eaten by either me or friends/family who want some. I was hopeful that elk would be different since I think it is much milder than whitetail- IMO it seems pretty similar to a lean version of the grass fed beef we usually eat- but she still thinks it's gamey after trying a backstrap steak with a light rub on it. Thoughts? Should I just stick to stew and chili, and maybe burger with beef fat mixed in for her?

 

[Mule3006Elk]

Enjoy the meat buy her beef.

 

[BeaverHunter]

Find a new wife.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

More for you.

 

[fatlander]

Elk back strap

Salt, pepper, garlic powder

2 tablespoons of unsalted butter

Cast iron, medium high heat

3 minutes per side

Finish in 350 degree oven to internal temp of 122

Let it rest for about 10-15 minutes, it’ll continue to cook itself to about 128ish degrees

Mix horseradish and sour cream to your liking, drizzle on top

If she doesn’t like that, she doesn’t like steak.


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[TheGDog]

What worked for me, same problem with Mrs and the Boy.

The cut you're going to prepare for that nights meal... for 2 days at least put it in water with a generous dash of salt and maybe even the stronger part of the spices you were going to put in the olive oil brush-on to the steak anyway. Such as Garlic.

Let the water draw out all the blood and myoglobin it can. Get the water as close to clear as you can get it.

Then cook as you intended. Very important to butcher off all silver-skin and the slimy vicera stuff. That stuff holds onto the gamey smell.

What worked well was using electric toaster oven for the broil, so I could have great control over the broil temp.

cut the steaks no more than like 1/2" thick or 5/8" thick. 6 minutes each side, no more.

Same way a RibeEye steak goes from juicy and delicious to dry and meh if you go just a minute or two over on the broil? Same w/ venison... only it turns even quicker!

You wanna catch it before it turns dry like that. So in time you do things like say you want 6 min per side... so you make sure you inspect like at 5min mark and adjust as necessary since not all cuts gonna be same thickness.

That's where the Olive Oil brush-on with the spices and herbs helps, the oil helps prevent the burning and drying out. Buys you time.

 

[Geewhiz]

Grind it, make a burger, season it, and tell her its beef. See if she can actually tell the difference. Might be an interesting experiment.

 

[Trr15]

Just tell her it’s beef.

 

[Lawnboi]

Ease her into in with some sausage or burger cut with pork/beef.

I know people taste differently, but I can’t tell a lick of difference between elk and acorn eating big woods whitetail either. Same with mulie. People say I’m nuts but it all tastes the same to me.

 

[eddielasvegas]

I found this on another site some time ago and saved it in the event I had gamey meat, but my hunting skills are so bad I have not had a chance to test it. If you decide to try it, please let us know if it worked.

Good luck,

Eddie

"My wife's the chemist in the family. Made an A+ in organic back in college. She told me that milk is one of nature's best and most effective solvents, particularly for any enzymes and other naturally occurring chemicals in meats. She very early on, when she thought "all wild game tastes gamey," soaked our venison overnight or at least for an hour or two before cooking, and indeed, the venison, if it had ANY "gamey" taste in it at all, came out as delectable as any meat I've ever put in my mouth. And it doesn't matter if it's deer or whatever other game you have. Soak it in milk, put it in a hot pan with a little oil - no spices or any other stuff - and sear it on one side. Don't turn it over until it's gone gray up to the center approximately, then turn and do the same on the other side, and when done, take it off. Pour off the fluids as they cook out of the pre-soaked meat as it's cooking. Any gamey or "off" tastes will go out virtually completely with the fluids (mostly milk) that cooks out. When it's done, add more oil and onions, mushrooms or whatever looks like it might be tasty in the fridge, and season to taste. When that's done, and the onions nicely browned, put the cooked and still warm meat back in and toss it around with some sour cream, or worstershire and soy sauce, and .... you'll "slap yer mamma" it's SO good!

But the milk trick to get rid of gamey tastes, if present, is the best way I know of to deal with any gaminess. Vinegar adds bitterness in my experience, and soaking in salt water makes it too salty for me, and toughens it up as well. Milk's the real deal, but remember to pour off the fluids as they cook out. With them will go all the gamey flavor. If it's pretty gamey, let it soak overnight in the fridge for cooking the next day. You'll be pleased, I'm sure. "

 

[Ucsdryder]

Just tell her it’s beef.

This…unless you’re effing it up, you shouldn’t be able to tell it’s “wild” game.

 

[NV HUNTER]

I cook mine similar to this.

This chief is amazing!!!

 

[kboatman107]

My wife doesn’t care for steaks or roast but loves ground. So I eat steaks/roasts and she eats the ground.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

Grind it, make a burger, season it, and tell her its beef. See if she can actually tell the difference. Might be an interesting experiment.

Just tell her it’s beef.

This…unless you’re effing it up, you shouldn’t be able to tell it’s “wild” game.

I'm going with these. Most folks to don't like whatever meat they claim is all in their heads. For me it became wild hog somehow, used to eat it no problem then just disliked it more and more. I finally figured it out and I'm snapping out of it finally but for a while there if I knew it was hog I just didn't wanna eat it.

 

[Fordguy]

Just tell her it’s beef.

I've taken this route- it will work just fine as long as she never finds out that she hasn't been eating beef.

 

[fatlander]

I've taken this route- it will work just fine as long as she never finds out that she hasn't been eating beef.

Been there done that, not pretty.

Made some amazing beef tacos de lengua (tongue tacos). Told her it was brisket. She was smiling ear to eat eating them. Told her later that night what it actually was. She went ballistic and chucked up dinner. Wasn’t a fun night in my house.

On a side note, if you need an awesome tongue taco recipe, shoot me a DM.


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[MallardSX2]

Heat her up a TV dinner.

 

[knale87]

I definitely wouldn’t lie to her but I do agree that it’s all in her head. The whitetails my family consume don’t taste “gamey” and they love acorns.

Maybe try some new recipes/ways to cook and let her try it. Try aging the meat and removing the silver skin before cooking.

 

[huntabsarokee]

My wife won’t eat deer unless I cut the burger with 50% beef to cover up the deer taste. But she loves elk burger. I either grind with 25% bacon for hamburgers or about 10% beef fat for burger for tacos and chilli. Elk steaks get marinaded with some red vinegar, vegetable oil, and seasonings.

 

[Slugz]

Heat her up a TV dinner.

Swanson. Franks and beans.