Elk hunting is an incredibly gratifying experience. The hunt is thrilling, and there’s also the reward of delicious, flavorful meat. As a big game hunter, you understand that proper handling and storage of the meat from the moment the animal is harvested until it’s processed at home is essential. Once you have harvested your elk, you’ll want to get to work ensuring that the meat remains safe, fresh, and flavorful for months. Even the best cuts can spoil or lose their quality without proper processing and storage. Whether you’re new to hunting or a seasoned hunter, it’s essential to understand the best methods for preserving elk meat. From field dressing to preservation techniques like freezing, canning, smoking, and drying, these steps are crucial to maintaining the quality and safety of the meat. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll talk about how to store and preserve elk meat while offering tips and tricks to help you enjoy the meat. With just the proper techniques, you’ll extend the shelf life of your meat, ensuring that every bite is as delicious as the day you harvested it.
Facts About Elk Meat
Wild elk meat is considered to be one of the healthiest red meats. Because elk roam and live active lifestyles, their meat is lean and full of high-quality protein. Compared to beef, it has significantly less fat and cholesterol, making it a healthier option for those who are mindful of their dietary intake. It’s also full of essential vitamins and minerals that contribute to muscle growth, immune function, and overall well-being, such as iron, zinc, and B vitamins. In fact, the meat from grass-fed animals such as elk might protect against chronic disease and prevent the rise of LDL cholesterol. With a higher omega-6 to omega-3 ratio, elk meat is considered to be excellent for people with high cholesterol or heart disease.
Aside from its many nutritional advantages, elk is more sustainable and environmentally friendly. Because wild elk populations are often managed to maintain ecological balance, their natural grazing habits have a lower environmental impact compared to traditional livestock farming. In addition, elk are usually harvested through regulated hunting, which supports conservation efforts, making elk meat a responsible option for conscious consumers. Unlike other game meats, elk meat tends to be less gamey and is a versatile meat that lends itself to various culinary applications, including roasts, steaks, ground meat, and jerky. It’s a delicious alternative to traditional red meats.
Preserving Elk Meat in the Field
Once you’ve bagged your dream elk, knowing how to store and preserve elk meat will prevent it from spoiling. Now, you have the chance to start the process of harvesting and field dressing your elk. From the moment the elk is harvested, proper field dressing and handling are necessary to prevent contamination and ensure storage. The wilderness often presents unpredictable conditions that demand quick action to keep the meat in the best condition possible, and how you manage the meat after the animal is killed will directly impact the quality, flavor, and shelf life.
It’s also important to respect the animal and maximize the yield of a hard-earned harvest. Specific techniques, such as rapid field dressing, proper cooling, and strategic quartering, are a part of essential hunting skills. To succeed, hunters must be prepared and adapt to the available resources and environmental conditions, such as utilizing shade, cold streams, or specialized game bags. The initial preservation stage sets the foundation for successful subsequent processing, which impacts the quality and longevity of the meat. Let’s break down how to store and preserve elk meat.
Field Dressing and Cooling Immediately
The first step to preserving your elk meat is proper field dressing, also known as the process of skinning, gutting, and harvesting the meat. Many hunters often use two standard methods: the standard method and the gutless method. Both approaches aim to help the meat on the carcass cool down as fast as possible in order to prepare it for packing. With this in mind, it is important to start field dressing your elk as soon as possible.
Both of the popular field dressing methods require quality tools and specific materials to complete, such as quality game bags, multiple sharp knives, cleaning rags, rubber gloves, nylon rope, plastic tarp, and tending stakes. Learn more about how to field dress in this detailed guide. The next step is to quarter and cool the carcass.
Quartering the Elk
If you’re miles from camp and it’s impossible to transport the whole animal, quartering is the next step. While specific techniques can vary, here is the general idea of how it is done:
- Preparation: Start with sharp knives and a clean working area, such as a tarp. Position the elk to make the process easier and have game bags ready. Hang the carcass if you can. If not, the process can still be done, but it will be a little more difficult.
- Initial Cuts: Start by making cuts along the inside of the legs, then around the legs at the joints. Skin the hide away from the meat, being careful to keep the meat clean. Working around the animal, remove the hide and set it aside.
- Removing hindquarters: Separate the hindquarters from the pelvis by cutting through connective tissue and around the hip joint. Be mindful of and avoid cutting into the pelvic bone.
- Remove the front quarters: Remove the front quarters by cutting along the shoulder and separating the leg from the rib cage.
- Remove backstraps and tenderloins: While it may not technically be part of the quartering process, it’s usually done simultaneously. Carefully remove the backstraps along the spine and remove the tenderloins from inside the body cavity.
- Things to remember: Keep everything as clean as possible to prevent cross-contamination. Use sharp knives to make the process easier and safer, using caution when handling sharp tools. Be aware of game laws in the area where you are hunting, as some regulations require proof of sex to remain on the animal.
Keeping It Clean
It’s essential to keep things clean while you’re field dressing an elk. Since it is harder to move an elk, consider using a clean surface, such as a tablecloth or tarp, to place meat and knives on while you’re working. Wear gloves to prevent contamination and reduce the risk of bacteria transfer. Use sharp, sanitized knives to minimize an unnecessary mess. Remove organs carefully, being sure not to puncture any. Once the elk is field dressed, use clean game bags to store meat and protect it from contamination until it can be processed. Keep tools clean and sanitized during the process to ensure the meat remains clean.
Using High-Performance Coolers and Game Bags
Several different methods are available to cool the elk meat quickly. One is to hang the quartered carcass or boned-out meat in the shade to allow for air circulation until you are able to pack everything out. Breaking down the carcass into smaller quarters significantly accelerates the cooling process. Since bones retain heat, removing them is highly effective.
While hanging the meat and quartering the carcass can help significantly cool the meat, there are other methods to cool the meat quickly. Some of these methods include placing the elk meat in durable, food-grade bags and submerging them in cold water, such as a stream. This method can rapidly lower the temperature. You can also use game bags to help store and cool the meat. The most reliable process is transporting the meat in chilled coolers filled with ice or frozen water. One common question is, “What size cooler should I use?” You’ll need a total of 200 quarts of cooler space in various cooler combinations. No matter how you decide to cool the meat, it’s crucial to begin the process as quickly as possible to minimize bacterial growth.
Transporting the Meat Off the Mountain
Once you’ve successfully processed the meat, it’s time to pack it home or back to camp. There are several ways to accomplish this task.
Hunting backpack: One of the most efficient ways to transport meat is to load it into a hunting backpack. Hunting packs help distribute the weight evenly, making it easier to carry heavy loads. You may need to make multiple trips, so prioritize the most perishable parts (such as the backstraps and tenderloins) on the first trip.
Horses or pack animals: Utilizing horses or other pack animals, such as mules, can significantly assist with hauling elk meat off the mountain. Load the meat onto saddlebags or specialized panniers designed for transporting game. Ensure that the load is balanced and secure to avoid straining the pack animals.
Sled or cart: Using a sled or cart is effective on relatively even ground, making it easier to drag or slide the meat down the mountain. Sleds or carts will help you carry larger quantities of meat and reduce the physical strain of carrying heavy loads.
Vehicle: If the area where you are hunting is accessible and allowable to vehicles, you may be able to transport the meat using this method. Many hunters use smaller off-road vehicles, such as a UTV or side-by-side. Pack the meat into coolers or meat transport bags, then into the vehicle for safe transport.
Methods of Preserving Elk Meat at Home
Now that you’ve processed and transported all the meat to your home, what’s next? By following the right methods for storing and preserving elk meat, you can enjoy your harvest all year round. Preserving all the meat can feel like quite a challenge, but it can be simple. Proper preservation methods are key to maintaining the meat’s quality, flavor, and nutritional value. Whether you plan to enjoy the meat in a few weeks or store it for several months, there are many ways to preserve the elk meat so you can enjoy it at home. In this section, we’ll explore the most effective methods for preserving elk meat to help you savor the harvest long after the hunt.
Age the Meat
If possible, we recommend aging the elk meat before you begin the additional steps of preserving it at home. Aging the meat will tenderize it and enhance flavor. Using controlled temperature conditions allows the meat to rest while natural enzymes break down connective tissues. The key is maintaining a consistent temperature between 34°F and 38°F. Temperatures in this range allow for slow bacterial growth while still allowing the aging process to continue.
The meat should be aging in a clean area with air circulation, as this is essential in preventing moisture buildup and promoting even aging. It is also possible to dry age meat in a spare refrigerator. Hang the meat on the top of the fridge or place the meat on racks to prevent the meat quarters from touching. Adding a small fan inside the fridge helps deliver proper air circulation. Keep checking on the meat often to ensure adequate airflow. Meat is also often dry-aged in a walk-in cooler, whether a home-owned cooler or a rental.
Freezing
There are several ways to preserve elk meat in the freezer. First, break down the meat into pieces of your choice, such as roasts, steaks, and even ground meat. Ensure that you remove all hair, fat, muscle sheath, and bruised meat. Wrap each piece tightly in clear plastic wrap, sealing as you wrap. Then, wrap it tightly in freezer or butcher paper, sealing it tightly to minimize air exposure.
It’s also possible to vacuum seal the meat in high-quality vacuum sealer bags. First, thoroughly clean and dry the meat, then cut it into desired portions. Be sure to carefully follow the manufacturer’s instructions for sealing your vacuum bags and operating the machine. This ensures that the bags are properly sealed, removing all air to prevent freezer burn and preserving the quality of the meat for long-term storage. The machine will remove the air from the bag and seal it shut. Inspect each bag to ensure a strong, airtight seal, then label each bag with the cut of meat and the date it was sealed. Meat that is packaged and stored correctly in the freezer can last several years, but it’s best eaten within a year for the best experience.
Drying
Another popular method of preserving elk meat is jerky. Making jerky can be easily done using a dehydrator or oven. To ensure proper preservation, curing salts or a higher heat must be used. Start by slicing partially frozen raw meat with the grain of the meat. Remove all visible fat from the meat, as high-fat meats can become rancid. There are many methods and jerky recipes, and it may take some experimenting to find the one you like best. Once you have cured the meat, place it in a dehydrator or oven at 160°F, then drop the temperature to 140°F. Many tips and recipes can be found on this helpful site. Store the jerky in plastic bags or a cool, dark location. For more extended storage, consider storing in the fridge or the freezer.
Canning
Canning elk meat is an effective method of preservation that allows you to store meat for extended periods of time without refrigeration. The process involves packing cooked or raw elk meat into sterilized canning jars and then adding a bit of salt or broth. The jars are then sealed with a pressure canner to ensure proper sterilization. Because canning creates a vacuum seal, the meat is safe from bacterial contamination. For safe meat canning recipes, always consult reliable, trusted sources like the National Center for Home Food Preservation and follow the instructions carefully.
Smoking
This traditional and flavorful preservation method not only extends the meat’s shelf life but also gives the meat a unique, smoky taste. During this process, the meat is cured with salt, sugar, and spices before being exposed to smoke in a smokehouse or smoker at a low temperature for several hours or days. Smoking helps to dehydrate the meat while infusing it with a rich flavor, helping to prevent spoilage and bacterial growth. This process also creates a natural barrier that protects the meat from moisture, making it ideal for long-term storage. Smoked elk meat can be stored for months when kept in a cool, dry place and is a delicious way to enjoy the meat.
Salt Curing and Brining
Salt curing and brining are both time-honored methods for preserving elk meat, helping to extend its shelf life and imparting unique flavors. These techniques rely on salt to absorb excess moisture, inhibiting bacterial growth and enzymatic activity. Salt curing is the process of rubbing the meat with a generous amount of salt and is a standard method in making jerky, sausages, and bacon. Brining involves soaking the meat in a solution of water, salt, and sometimes sugar or spices. The brine preserves the meat while adding flavor and moisture. Both techniques preserve the meat for long-term storage and can keep the meat safe to eat for several weeks and even months, depending on the particular storage conditions. Meat that has been salt-cured or brined is more flavorful and tender and can be used in a wide variety of dishes.
Best Practices for Storage
When it comes to best practices for storing elk meat, there are a few rules to live by. Simply put, refrigeration and freezing are key to maintaining its freshness and safety. If you plan to use the meat within a few days, store it at or below 40°F. Freezing is ideal for long-term storage. Check the temperature of your fridge and freezer to ensure that they’re at the proper temperatures for storage, and make any adjustments if needed. Don’t expose the meat to moisture, and make sure that it is not sitting in blood.
If you have cured or smoked the meat, store it in a cool, dry place, such as a cellar or pantry, away from direct sunlight. Store the cured meat in airtight containers or breathable wild game meat bags to protect against contamination. In addition, frozen meat should always be thawed in the refrigerator to ensure safety and prevent contamination. Store raw meat separately from other foods. Following these storage practices will ensure the quality and safety of your elk meat.
Tips for Cooking Preserved Elk Meat
If you are cooking frozen elk, it’s important to know how to thaw it safely to avoid getting sick. The best method of thawing is in the fridge for a day or two ahead of time. Avoid using the microwave to thaw packages of elk, as it often leads to cooking some parts while leaving other parts frozen.
Though elk is healthy and delicious, its lack of fat can also be a downfall. Its leanness makes it more prone to overcooking and drying, more so than beef or even chicken. When cooking elk, the method you choose—whether hot and fast or low and slow—depends on the cut of meat you’re preparing. For tougher cuts like roasts, shoulder, neck, rump, shanks, and even ground elk, turn to methods such as stewing, braising, and slow cooking.
Tender cuts, such as the tenderloin and backstrap, are best when they’re cooked hot and fast. Because elk has very little fat, it’s important not to overcook these cuts of meat; otherwise, they will be tough and dry. Cook roasts and steaks to medium-rare or medium for the best texture. Burgers made from ground elk cook similarly on the grill to their beef counterparts.
Enjoy Elk Meat with These Delicious Recipes
Elk is often considered a delicious and lean alternative to beef. It also has a rich, robust flavor that can elevate a variety of dishes. Whether you’re using your elk to make steaks, slow-cooking roasts, or making flavorful sausages, elk is incredibly versatile and can be prepared in numerous ways. Its tenderness and low-fat profile make it an excellent choice for health-conscious cooks who want to enjoy a hearty, filling meal.
At West Canyon Ranch, we understand the beauty of the hunt and enjoy reaping the rewards of the delicious meat for months afterward. Browse through our helpful blog posts to enjoy wild game elk recipes such as elk chili, ground elk stroganoff, grilled red wine and garlic elk steak, and elk steak marinade. Incorporating these recipes into your meal planning will provide you with delicious dishes to enjoy in the months ahead.
Harvest Your Elk with Our Guaranteed Elk Hunts
Are you interested in bagging your own elk and savoring the delicious, healthy meat? Come hunt with us at West Canyon Ranch. We offer guaranteed guided elk hunts and guided bison hunts in an incredible setting–in the middle of our 4,000-acre ranch in the Northern Utah mountains. Our guided elk hunts last three days and three nights with a 100% guaranteed shot opportunity. Each trip is all-inclusive, meaning the experience includes guided hunt services, licenses, lodging, meals from a private chef, and much more. Have questions about our process before booking your next trip? Contact us today to plan your next opportunity to bag a bull elk.
