Elk steak meets sourdough baguette with melted Irish cheddar cheese and a drizzle of homemade horseradish cream sauce. It's like the perfect steak sandwich in a miniature version. If you've ever wanted a way to share your wild game with others but don't have a lot to go around, this venison appetizer is the perfect recipe for you! This recipe takes 12 oz of steak and turns it into 18 handheld bites that are a great appetizer, addition to a brunch spread, or a fun snack.
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Why This Recipe Works:
Bread + cheese + steak + horseradish. What's not to love? This recipe takes classic steak sandwich ingredients and turns them into a delicious shareable appetizer. The baguette gets a little crispy in the oven but mostly stays soft and chewy while the cheese melts into all the nooks and crannies of the bread.
Slices of elk steak rest on top of the melted cheese and a dollop of horseradish cream sauce brings it all together. They're easy to make, fun to eat, and a great way to stretch your venison steaks a little farther when feeding a crowd. Think of a crostini but better because you have double the bread and they're way easier to eat!
Ingredient Notes:
- Elk Steak: This recipe uses bottom round steak but you can use any steak cut from any animal for this recipe.
- Irish Cheddar: You can use just about any melty cheese for this recipe if you don't have Irish cheddar.
Equipment Notes:
- Cast Iron Pan: If you're cooking a steak in a pan, a cast iron pan works best because they hold the heat which leads to a great crust on the steak.
Step by Step Instructions:
How To Make Horseradish Cream Sauce:
Horseradish cream sauce is so simple to make and is great on so many things! It goes great on steak, corned venison hash, ham, and so much more. Follow the simple steps below and you'll be looking for more reasons to make it!
Pro Tip: You can make your horseradish cream sauce as spicy or mild as you want depending on the heat level of horseradish you buy and the amount you add to the sauce.
How To Make Mini Elk Steak Sandwiches:
These mini elk steak sandwiches can be made with any steak cut from any animal. They're a great way to use the less-prized cuts of steak like from the bottom round (which is still a delicious steak!) because the other ingredients can really help the steak shine. Follow the simple instructions below for this crowd-pleasing venison appetizer!
Pro Tip: If you're taking this appetizer to a party, you can cook the steak ahead of time, slice it, and put it under the broiler for a few seconds to warm it up along with the slices of bread and cheese.
Putting it All Together:
Now that you have a pile of perfect little steak sammies, what do you do with them? They're great as an appetizer or party snack but they can make a great dinner as well.
They're not really a meal by themselves but you can pair them with other appetizers like sausage and apple hand pies, grouse skewers with romesco sauce, a charcuterie board, or a fresh salad for a snack-type dinner. However you decide to serve them, you're sure to love these little bites of goodness. Enjoy!
Recipe FAQ's:
There are a lot of steak sandwich recipes out there that use the most-prized cuts of steak like backstrap, tenderloins, sirloin, etc. But the unsung heroes of the steak sandwich world are the steaks that you might not reach for first. All of the round steaks (top, bottom, eye, side) make great steaks for sandwiches.
To keep elk steak tender and juicy, it should be cooked to medium-rare. This is achieved by removing it from the cooking source at an internal temperature of 120-125°F and letting it rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing or eating.
Melting a layer of cheese onto the bread creates a barrier between the bread and the other toppings which keeps the bread from getting soggy.
Other Recipes to Try:
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Recipe:
Mini Elk Steak Sandwiches with Horseradish Cream Sauce
Equipment
- sheet pan
Ingredients
- 1 sourdough baguette, cut into 36 slices
- 12 oz elk steak (or venison, antelope, moose, etc.)
- 12 oz Irish cheddar, cut into 36 small squares
- 1 tablespoon pork lard (or other cooking fat)
- salt and pepper, to taste
Horseradish Cream Sauce
- ½ cup crème fraiche (or sour cream)
- 2 tablespoon prepared horseradish
- 1 tablespoon stone ground mustard
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- pinch salt
Instructions
Horseradish Cream Sauce:
- Add all ingredients to a small bowl and stir to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Sandwiches:
- Preheat oven broiler on low and place top oven rack just below the broiler.
- Heat a cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Pat steak dry with paper towels. Season steak all over with salt and pepper.
- Add lard to pan and swirl to coat pan. Add in steak and cook for 5-6 minutes per side or until internal temperature reaches 120°F for medium-rare. Cooking time will depend largely on the size, shape, and thickness of your steak. A digital thermometer is your best bet for perfectly cooked steak.
- Remove steak to a plate to rest. Let steak rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
- While steak is resting, prepare bread and cheese.
- Place slices of baguette on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan in a single layer. Top each slice of bread with a square of cheese. Broil for 3-5 minutes or until cheese is bubbling and starting to brown.
- Slice steak into ¼" slices. Slice into at least 36 slices so that you have 2 slices per sandwich. If the slices of steak are longer than what will fit on a slice of baguette, you can cut the slices in half.
- Top half of the baguette slices with slices of steak. Top steak with horseradish cream sauce. Place other half of baguette slices on top to make mini sandwiches. Serve and enjoy!
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