Elk tenderloin: the king of all the elk steaks. This special cut of meat doesn't need much to shine. The rich flavor of garlic and thyme-infused butter perfectly complements the earthy flavors of the perfectly cooked elk meat. Each bite has the perfect balance of flavors without overpowering the natural flavor of the tenderloin. Give them a try today!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe:
Easy to Make: With only 5 ingredients (plus salt and pepper), this elk tenderloin recipe is ready in under 30 minutes (with resting time). It's easy to make but definitely not lacking in flavor!
Simple Ingredients: A few simple ingredients are all you need to make perfectly cooked elk medallions. You might even have most of them on hand already!
Elegant: Elk tenderloin is often reserved for special occasions because it is such a beautiful cut of meat. The presentation of these elk medallions is very elegant and will definitely impress whoever you're serving them to!
Ingredient Notes:
- Elk Tenderloin: This recipe uses a whole elk tenderloin cut into medallions. You can use the tenderloin from deer, moose, antelope, etc., or other thick steaks. But keep in mind that the cooking times will vary depending on the size of the steaks. Keep an eye on the internal temperature and they'll still turn out perfect!
- Pork Lard: Pork lard is my go-to cooking fat for wild game. But you can use your preferred cooking fat or oil.
- Thyme: Fresh rosemary sprigs can also be used instead of fresh thyme.
Equipment Notes:
- Filet Knife: A good filet knife is very helpful for processing larger cuts of meat into steaks. But, you can use a chef's knife or other sharp knife too.
- Cast Iron Skillet: Cast iron skillets are great for cooking elk steak because they hold their heat well and help the steaks develop a nice crust. But, you can use your preferred large skillet as well.
- Meat Thermometer: A digital thermometer is essential for cooking your steak to the perfect internal temperature. For best results, I like to use the Thermapen ONE thermometer.
What is elk tenderloin?
Elk tenderloin is a muscle tucked inside the abdominal cavity under the spine. It sits opposite the backstraps which run along the top of the spine. Backstraps are often mistakenly referred to as tenderloins, but the true tenderloins are super tender (no surprise there) and are typically the most prized cut of meat on an elk.
They can be prepared whole and then cut into thick slices or cut into steaks before cooking. You can cook them on a hot grill, in a cast iron pan, sous vide, or roasted. No matter how you choose to cook them, they're sure to make a delicious meal!
Step by Step Instructions:
How To Cut Elk Tenderloins into Medallion Steaks:
You can cook the whole tenderloin like in this sous vide tenderloin recipe or cut them into medallions for individual steaks. If your tenderloin has already been cut into steaks, you're good to go! But if you have a whole tenderloin, follow the simple instructions below to cut it into medallions.
Using a filet knife, cut the thin ends of the tenderloins off, about 1.5-2" from the ends. This will leave you with a more uniform piece to cut into medallions.
Cut the middle piece in half.
Then cut the middle halves into 2 or 3 pieces each, depending on the size of the tenderloin and your desired steak thickness. The medallions should be about 1-1.25" thick.
You should have 6-8 steaks, including the ends. The ends may not look as pretty but they still make great steaks!
Pro Tip: Cutting the tenderloin in half and then cutting the remaining pieces in half is a sure way to cut your tenderloin into steaks with the same thickness. Since tenderloins vary in size, I recommend this method instead of trying to measure the thickness of your steaks to cut them.
How To Cook Elk Medallions:
This elk tenderloin recipe calls for a quick pan sear, and then basting with herb-infused butter until the steaks are finished cooking. The result is a perfectly cooked elk steak with a ton of flavor. Follow the simple steps below!
Let the medallions rest at room temperature for 30-60 minutes before cooking. Pat the steaks dry with paper towels.
Season generously with salt and black pepper.
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add lard and swirl to coat the pan.
Add the medallions to the hot pan and cook for 2 minutes.
Flip the medallions and add 2 tablespoons of butter, garlic cloves, and thyme sprigs. Let the thyme and garlic flavor the butter for 1 minute.
Tilt the pan slightly and use a spoon to scoop up the hot butter and continuously baste the steaks until the internal temperature reaches 120-125°F for medium-rare.
If the sides of the steaks look raw, you can lightly sear them for a few seconds on each side.
Remove the medallions to a plate or cutting board and drizzle with melted butter from the pan. Let the steaks rest for 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with flaked sea salt and garnish with a thyme sprig, if desired. Enjoy!
Pro Tip: Don't skip the resting step. Even though you won't be cutting the meat until you're at the table, it's still essential to let the meat rest to retain its natural moisture.
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What to Serve with Elk Medallions:
Elk medallions with a few simple sides make for an incredibly tasty meal. To let the steaks shine, serve them with simple roasted veggies, a fresh green salad, mashed potatoes, or your favorite side dishes. However you choose to serve them, it's sure to be a meal you won't forget!
Recipe FAQ's:
Elk tenderloin is a very lean meat. It has a rich meaty flavor similar to beef but slightly sweeter. Wild elk typically have a stronger flavor (sometimes referred to as gamey flavor) while domestic elk are typically more mild-tasting.
Tenderloin and backstrap are not the same cuts of meat although backstraps are often mistakenly referred to as tenderloins. Elk backstraps (also referred to as elk loin) run along the back of an elk while the tenderloin is tucked inside the abdominal cavity under the spine. Backstraps and tenderloins are both prized cuts of meat because of their tenderness and lack of connective tissue. The tenderloin is the cut of meat that filet mignon steaks are cut from.
Elk medallions are thick round steaks typically cut from the tenderloin. Medallions can also be cut from the backstraps.
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Recipe:
Butter-Basted Elk Tenderloin Medallions
Ingredients
- 1 whole elk tenderloin
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon pork lard (or other cooking fat)
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
- flaked sea salt (optional, for serving)
Instructions
Cutting Tenderloin into Medallions:
- Using a filet knife cut the thin ends of the tenderloins off, about 1.5-2" from the ends. This will leave you with a more uniform piece to cut into medallions.
- Cut the middle piece in half. Then cut the middle halves into 2 or 3 pieces each, depending on the size of the tenderloin and your desired steak thickness. The medallions should be about 1-1.25" thick.
- You should have 6-8 steaks, including the ends. The ends may not look as pretty but they still make great steaks!
Cooking Elk Medallions:
- Let the medallions rest at room temperature for 30-60 minutes before cooking.
- If your steaks are on the thicker side, you can turn your oven on to 350°F as a backup in case they don't reach the proper internal temperature in the pan.
- Pat the steaks dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add lard and swirl to coat the pan.
- Add the medallions to the hot pan and cook for 2 minutes.
- Flip the medallions and add the butter, garlic cloves, and thyme sprigs. Let the thyme and garlic flavor the butter for 1 minute.
- Tilt the pan slightly and use a spoon to scoop up the hot butter and continuously baste the steaks until the internal temperature reaches 120-125°F for medium-rare.
- If the sides of the steaks look raw, you can lightly sear them for a few seconds on each side.
- Remove the medallions to a plate and drizzle with melted butter from the pan. Let the steaks rest for 10 minutes before serving.
- Sprinkle with flaked sea salt, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- This recipe uses a whole elk tenderloin cut into medallions. You can use the tenderloin from deer, moose, antelope, etc., or other thick steaks. But keep in mind that the cooking times will vary depending on the size of the steaks. Keep an eye on the internal temperature and they'll still turn out perfect!
- Pork lard is my go-to cooking fat for wild game. But you can use your preferred cooking fat or oil. Fresh rosemary sprigs can also be used instead of fresh thyme.
- A good filet knife is very helpful for processing larger cuts of meat into steaks. But, you can use a chef's knife or other sharp knife too.
- Cast iron skillets are great for cooking elk steak because they hold their heat well and help the steaks develop a nice crust. But, you can use your preferred large skillet as well.
- A digital thermometer is essential for cooking your steak to the perfect internal temperature. For best results, I like to use the Thermapen ONE thermometer.
- Cutting the tenderloin in half and then cutting the remaining pieces in half is a sure way to cut your tenderloin into steaks with the same thickness. Since tenderloins vary in size, I recommend this method instead of trying to measure the thickness of your steaks to cut them.
- Don't skip the resting step. Even though you won't be cutting the meat until you're at the table, it's still essential to let the meat rest to retain its natural moisture.
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