ELK STEAK. BLUE CHEESE. BUTTER. Need I say more? The way the pungent blue cheese is mellowed by the butter and melts into the medium-rare elk steak is a thing of beauty. If you love blue cheese, you'll love this adventurous elk steak recipe!
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Featured Comment:
This recipe is amazing!!! We use this butter almost every time we have steaks now and this recipe definitely made me love elk steaks.
- Chelsey
Recipe Highlights
Quick & Easy: From start to finish, the entire dish is cooked and ready to eat in just 40 minutes!
Juicy & Tender: The quick cooking method ensures the steak always turns out tender, and pairing it with butter keeps it nice and juicy.
Rich, Savory Flavor: The bold taste of elk pairs perfectly with the rich, tangy, herbaceous butter.
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Ingredients
- Elk Steaks: You'll need two elk sirloin steaks or any other wild game steak cut you prefer. You can use just about any cut of steak you'd like!
- Lard: I find pork lard to be the best for wild game because it helps achieve a beautifully seared elk steak. However, you can experiment with other animal fats like bear fat or even bacon grease!
- Salted Butter: I recommend using Irish butter, but any butter will work.
- Blue Cheese Crumbles: You can choose a blue cheese that suits your tastes. A mild cheese or a pungent one will work!
- Herbs and Spices: Fresh thyme, fresh sage, salt, and black pepper enhance the compound butter, balancing some of the richness. You can adjust the spices and herbs to your liking!
See recipe card for quantities.
Equipment
Recommended
Cast Iron Skillet
I prefer to cook elk steak in a cast iron skillet because it provides the perfect crust on the outside of the steak.
How to cook a perfect elk steak
Cooking the perfect elk steak doesn't have to be hard! The key is to keep an eye on the temperature and they will come out great every time.
- Step 1: Pat the steaks dry with paper towels, and season all over with salt and pepper.
- Step 2: Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, and add the lard, swirling to coat the pan. Add in steak and cook for 5-6 minutes.
- Step 3: Flip and cook an additional 5-6 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 120°F for medium rare. Cooking time will depend largely on the size, shape, and thickness of your steak.
- Step 4: Remove steak to a plate to rest. Place a slice of butter on each steak to melt while the steak rests. Let steak rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
How to make blue cheese compound butter
Compound butter is a magical topping that can take an amazing steak to 5-star restaurant quality with very little effort.
Compound butter looks and sounds fancy but is actually super simple to make! For a spicy alternative, try Cajun compound butter, or rosemary shallot compound butter if you want a sweeter, more herbaceous option. Follow the instructions below, and you'll be surprised at how easy it is!
- Step 1: Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl, with the butter on the bottom.
- Step 2: Using a spoon or silicone spatula, fold butter over ingredients until all ingredients are uniformly combined.
- Step 3: Lay out a piece of parchment paper, about 14" long. Spread butter into a rough rectangle, about 9-10" long and 4-5" wide.
- Step 4: Starting on the long end closest to you, roll the parchment paper so that the butter starts to fold over itself. Keep rolling until the butter is formed into a log.
- Step 5: Roll until the parchment paper completely covers the log. Squeeze tightly to compact the butter. Twist the ends of the parchment paper tightly. Refrigerate until firm, about 2-3 hours.
- Step 6: Once firm, unwrap and slice into 14 slices (more or less, depending on how much you want per serving). Run your knife under hot water before slicing to make smooth cuts.
Pro Tips
Use a digital thermometer to cook your elk steaks to medium-rare, ensuring they reach an internal temperature of 120 degrees F.
Don't skip salting, but use a little less than normal. The salt helps draw out excess moisture and adds flavor. However, the butter contains salt. So, be careful not to add too much, or your steaks will be overly seasoned.
Adjust the cooking time. Cooking time depends largely on the shape, size, and thickness of your steak, but try not to peek for at least 2 minutes. You can watch the steak cook from the bottom up so use your best judgment, and flip it when the brown part starts creeping up the side of the meat. Flip it, and test the temperature about 1 minute after cooking the other side
Freezing compound butter
You may be thinking, ok this looks great but what am I going to do with all this butter? Eat some now and save some for later to serve with cast iron venison tenderloin and elk tenderloin medallions, of course! Compound butter freezes beautifully and you can freeze it in individual servings to elevate a simple meal later! Follow the steps below to keep the quality of the butter.
- Step 1: Place slices in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined pan. Freeze until solid, about 2-3 hours.
- Step 2: Wrap individual portions in parchment paper. I like to do 2 slices per bag for 1 meal.
- Step 3: Vacuum seal individual portions.
- Step 4: Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to use, cut open vacuum bag and thaw under refrigeration. Opening the bag before thawing will help the butter keep its shape.
Serving Suggestions
As I said before, elk steak can be a real stunner on its own. But once you put this blue cheese butter on top, your taste buds will be singing. Don't have any wild game steak? No worries. You can slap this butter on a ribeye or beef tenderloin for and enjoy it just the same. You can make this recipe to enjoy all for yourself or use it as a centerpiece for a special meal enjoyed with friends and family. Either way, you're going to be coming back to this recipe over and over again!
Recipe FAQs
A perfectly cooked elk steak is really a showstopper on its own. I mean, come on, look at it! With that being said, simple sides are the way to go so that your star can really shine.
Roasted or grilled veggies along with a simple starch like roasted potatoes, mashed potatoes, or Dutch oven sourdough bread with butter are all excellent choices. Don't forget to open a bottle of wine, too. A bold cabernet sauvignon pairs very well with the meatiness of the elk steak.
Like any wild game, elk meat varies widely in flavor and texture depending on many different factors. In general, elk is a very lean meat with a mild flavor and is, in my opinion, some of the best wild game meat out there.
Age, sex of the animal, and meat care are the biggest determining factors in how the meat will taste. But other factors like habitat and time of year also play a role. In general, cow elk are milder than bull elk, but an older cow can also have a strong taste and tougher texture.
Proper meat care can help reverse negative qualities of a not-so-ideal meat. Proper field dressing and dry aging goes a long way in improving both the flavor and texture of wild game meat. Sometimes even if you do all the right things, your meat can still end up tough. In that case, I recommend adding lots of flavor and slow cooking the meat to break down the tough tissue like in this braised shank recipe.
Yes, you can store leftover cooked steaks in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Enjoy cold, or warm them in the microwave or a skillet over medium heat when you're ready to eat.
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Elk Steak with Blue Cheese Compound Butter
Ingredients
Compound Butter:
- 8 oz salted butter (preferably Irish butter), room temperature
- ½ cup blue cheese crumbles
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Steak:
- 2 elk sirloin steaks (or any other wild game steak cut)
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon pork lard (or your preferred cooking fat)
Instructions
Compound Butter:
- Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl, with the butter on the bottom. Using a spoon or silicone spatula, fold butter over ingredients until all ingredients are uniformly combined.
- Lay out a piece of parchment paper, about 14" long. Spread butter into a rough rectangle, about 9-10" long and 4-5" wide.
- Starting on the long end closest to you, roll the parchment paper so that the butter starts to fold over itself. Keep rolling until the butter is formed into a log.
- Roll until the parchment paper completely covers the log. Squeeze tightly to compact the butter. Twist the ends of the parchment paper tightly. Refrigerate until firm, about 2-3 hours.
- Once firm, unwrap and slice into 14 slices (more or less, depending on how much you want per serving). Run your knife under hot water before slicing to make smooth cuts.
- Place slices in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined pan and refrigerate until ready to use.
- To Freeze: place slices in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined pan. Freeze until solid, about 2-3 hours. Wrap individual portions in parchment paper and vacuum seal. I like to do 2 slices per bag for 1 meal. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to use, cut open vacuum bag and thaw under refrigeration. Opening the bag before thawing will help the butter keep its shape.
Steak:
- Heat a cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Season steak all over with salt and pepper. Use less salt than you normally would because the butter is fairly salty.
- 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. Place a slice of butter on each steak to melt while the steak rests. Let steak rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
- Slice steak into ½" slices and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
- You'll need two elk sirloin steaks or any other wild game steak cut you prefer. You can use just about any cut of steak you'd like!
- I find pork lard to be the best for wild game because it helps achieve a beautifully seared elk steak. However, you can experiment with other animal fats like bear fat or even bacon grease!
- I recommend using Irish butter, but any butter will work.
- You can choose a blue cheese that suits your tastes. A mild cheese or a pungent one will work!
- Fresh thyme, fresh sage, salt, and black pepper enhance the compound butter, balancing some of the richness. You can adjust the spices and herbs to your liking!
- Use a digital thermometer to cook your elk steaks to medium-rare, ensuring they reach an internal temperature of 120 degrees F.
- Don't skip salting, but use a little less than normal. The salt helps draw out excess moisture and adds flavor. However, the butter contains salt. So, be careful not to add too much, or your steaks will be overly seasoned.
- Adjust the cooking time. Cooking time depends largely on the shape, size, and thickness of your steak, but try not to peek for at least 2 minutes. You can watch the steak cook from the bottom up so use your best judgment, and flip it when the brown part starts creeping up the side of the meat. Flip it, and test the temperature about 1 minute after cooking the other side.
Chelsey says
This recipe is amazing!!! We use this butter almost every time we have steaks now and this recipe definitely made me love elk steaks
Annie Weisz says
Hi Chelsey! I'm thrilled to hear you loved the recipe and that it's become a staple for your elk steaks! I really appreciate your kind review. 😊
Annie says
Thank you so much for your kind words! I'm honored that you chose my recipe for your Christmas dinner and I'm so glad you enjoyed it!!
Valerie says
This was delicious! My husband got a beautiful bull this fall, and we wanted to enjoy the tenderloin on Christmas day. We followed the recipe almost exactly, and it was very easy and tasted amazing. We did 4 minutes per side and then a few additional minutes until it reached 120 (could have done 5 minutes each). There was a lot of splatter, but worth it for the nice browning on the meat (and probably not as bad as other fat would have been). We put generous amounts of compound butter on each steak, and it was tasty, but not overpowering (i.e., perfect). Thank you for sharing this recipe!