# trying to eat elk



## SquashNut (Sep 25, 2005)

Some one gave us some elk ribs. Dh put them in a pressure cooker and then in the oven with BBQ sause, 
That had to be the worst meat I have ever eaten.
The fat on it coated our lips and left a plastic like layer in the bottom on the broiler pan. We could have made candles with it, simalar to bees wax.
We used the broth to cook some potatoes for our dogs, as we often do in the pressure cooker after cooking our dinner. The dogs would not eat the potatoes and acted like they were not feeling well the next day from eating the meat.

I have heard of alot of people eating elk and they like it. So what went wrong with ours? just in case we get some more this would be good information to have.


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## AdamfromNW (Apr 16, 2012)

Here is one I can answer! My family eats elk almost exclusively (as far as red meat is concerned) we hunt and process our own animals and have my entire life. Anyway, there are a great many steps involved in properly taking care of any game animal, an elk being no exception, but I can tell you your problem straight off the bat, do not eat the fat! The fat on elk meat is what gives it that horrid gamy flavor it is not at all like the fat on a cow and should always be completely trimmed off. When we make burger etc we trim all the fat from the meat and then grind it along with some clean pork fat. So the reason your elk ribs are so nasty would be the fat, also possibly they were not cared for properly in some other way ie if you let the animal sit very long without gutting and skinning it the meat will quickly spoil, especially the stuff in the ribs which is right next to the animals warm core.

Also, just IMHO if your dogs are hesitant to eat it I would avoid it.


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## snowcap (Jul 1, 2011)

AdamfromNW said:


> Here is one I can answer! My family eats elk almost exclusively (as far as red meat is concerned) we hunt and process our own animals and have my entire life. Anyway, there are a great many steps involved in properly taking care of any game animal, an elk being no exception, but I can tell you your problem straight off the bat, do not eat the fat! The fat on elk meat is what gives it that horrid gamy flavor it is not at all like the fat on a cow and should always be completely trimmed off. When we make burger etc we trim all the fat from the meat and then grind it along with some clean pork fat. So the reason your elk ribs are so nasty would be the fat, also possibly they were not cared for properly in some other way ie if you let the animal sit very long without gutting and skinning it the meat will quickly spoil, especially the stuff in the ribs which is right next to the animals warm core.
> 
> Also, just IMHO if your dogs are hesitant to eat it I would avoid it.


good advice, all the elk I have eaten was very good, but it was properly cared for.


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## Melissa (Apr 15, 2002)

We eat venison all the time and like it,but our neighbor went elk hunting and gave us some ground meat and steaks and it was amazingly good, way better than venison. Maybe the meat was spoiled.


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## Bret F (May 4, 2004)

I eat a lot of elk and agree with the comments on the fat.

Also, a lot depende on how the elk is taken care of. I was hunting one day and came across a bull elk that had been killed fairly early in the morning. It was laying in the hot sun. The daytime temps were into the 70s. I went past it again about 8 hours later, still baking in the sun, and met the group just coming to pack it out then. I would bet it began to bone sour in that time.

One of my brothers used to work in a slaughter house that processed wild game for people. He said there was a high percentage he would never eat because of the lack of care after they shot it.


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## bruce2288 (Jul 10, 2009)

I have never eaten elk ribs. I did venison ribs once now the dog gets them. Membranes, fat and little meat. I eat deer and elk all the time but not ribs. I actually bone all wild large game.


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## campfiregirl (Mar 1, 2011)

In addition to the fat issue, the taste of the meat will be affected by its diet... We don't eat game shot in Owyhee County or other sagebrush-heavy areas, because we can't stand how it affects the flavor of the meat. I grew up in Minnesota, where the deer eat just as good as the cattle, and the meat was fantastic!


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## goatlady (May 31, 2002)

Wild game needs every bit of fat trimmed off! The ribs are the worst eating part in any case.


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

agree w/ goatlady

also bacon and tomatoes and slow cooking improves most any meat!


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## SquashNut (Sep 25, 2005)

mpillow said:


> agree w/ goatlady
> 
> also bacon and tomatoes and slow cooking improves most any meat!


Is that a DLT.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

elk is the best meat of the wild game i think.i dont take wild game meat from others cause most time they dont handle it correctly.long time ago a girl cooked me dinner of deer her dad killed.it gagged me....we went for pizza instead.i have killed bucks in full rut and the meat was fine.it was handled wrong bet.


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

Wild game ribs? As long as I have dogs, they get the ribs. If meat's scarce, I'll spend five minutes and bone out the ribs, and put that meat, sans fat, into canning jars and put the whomp on em. I'd only eat the fat, in a no civilization scenario, and in that case, all fats would be precious.

Best dang wild meat in the world is inedible, if not prepared (butchered) properly.

First time I had moose, I thought *expletive deleted*, this tastes like "urine".... it wasn't cleaned properly, and someone had busted the bladder, and not 'known' better to wash the carcass and/or discard the tainted meat. I couldn't eat it, not being starving and all... a lot of 'rookies' didn't know the difference... I gave em my nasty pee tastin meat...


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## farmerDale (Jan 8, 2011)

To me, elk is the best meat bar none. And the ribs are awesome. thing is with game, it is just that, game, and how it is handled is not stringently controlled by a lot of hunters. \

All the elk I have had, were tender melt in your mouth, awesomely flavoured animals. I second the fat avoidance as well. I really love elk ribs. I say it is the handling that made this elk meat bad for you. i never knew elk meat could be bad!


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## BillHoo (Mar 16, 2005)

Yes, make candles from the fat. It has a higher melting temperature than beef fat, so it will be very waxy.

Replace with pork fat.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

Besides the flavor it holds the fat of deer and elk melts at a much higher temp than pork or beef

that's what gives you the waxy feeling.


mixed 3 parts rendered tallow to 1 part bees wax it makes a very good , hand crack ointment , bullet / patch lube for black powder guns , wood treatment , metal treatment , furniture polish


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## Raven12 (Mar 5, 2011)

How do you cook it? Would a roast in a slow cooker be best? Does it dry out fast like buffalo and venison?


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## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

Eat the meat, and save the fat for the birds this winter.


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## Malamute (Sep 15, 2011)

Raven12 said:


> How do you cook it? Would a roast in a slow cooker be best? Does it dry out fast like buffalo and venison?




Yes, the meat is dry compared to beef, and it doesn't hurt to add a bit of water to a roasting pan and covering it, or the slow cooker. Most people overcook it also, drying it out more, and making it tough.

I often pan fry deer or elk with some olive oil, butter, a lttle water sometimes, and covering it if it wants to dry out. Adding some garlic powder helps too.


Hmm, think I'll have elk steak and eggs for breakfast.


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