If you love a good elk roast recipe, then you're going to love this smoked elk. Not only is it easy to make, but it's out of this world juicy and flavorful! Covered in a garlic herb butter and a savory and spicy dry rub, this is a must-try elk recipe you won’t soon forget
There are so many amazing foods you can make on the smoker, like this smoked chuck roast recipe, and this elk recipe is right up there at the top of the list! If you've never had smoked elk, you're truly missing out. This elk roast recipe is incredibly flavorful and very easy to smoke. While some smoker recipes can be complicated and require a lot of work, smoked elk doesn't.
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ℹ️ Why This Recipe Works
- This is a beginner level smoker recipe and it's super easy to prepare and make,
- Only simple and easy to find ingredients are used to season this elk roast,
- The flavor is out-of-this-world delicious. Juicy and tender, it has a very mild "gamey" flavor due to the smoking process.
🦌 Hunting Wild Elk
It's a popular type of meat to hunt and you'll find a lot of hunters looking to hunt this type of game. One of my readers advised me that the sale of wild elk is prohibited. It can be given away. It can be hunted if you follow all your local fish and game rules and regulations. Or it can be purchased from someone who farms elk... but it is illegal to buy wild game that was obtained through hunting.
If you're hunting elk, make sure you know what to look for. There are several diseases and parasites hunters watch for when butchering wild game. Spots on the liver, lungs, kidneys, and puss pockets under the skin are red flags that the hunter needs to be aware of. A newer concern for hunters is around CWD (Chronic Waste Disease). A lot of hunters play it as safe as possible and if there are any red flags, the hunter may opt to discard of the entire elk based on a lot of these diseases above can be transmitted to people.
🌡️ Cooking Temperature: Ranch Raised vs. Wild Elk
There's a lot of different opinions around what temperature elk should be cooked to for the final done temperature. The rule I set for myself is simple. If the elk was raised at reputable ranch, I'll eat a medium rare elk roast (130-135°F) with no problem. This is mainly because ranch raised elk has been vaccinated and must meet certain standards and criteria.
If the elk has been hunted by a hunter in the wild, I cook the meat to medium-well to well done. I typically pull it from the grill or smoker when an internal digital thermometer reaches 160°F, knowing it will cook up several degrees during the resting period. This practice significantly lowers the risk of ingesting parasites.
🛒 Ingredients You'll Need
An elk roast will be a deep dark red color. I use a simple compound butter made with fresh minced garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper to cover the meat. Form there, I combine spices that have a robust flavor and really compliment the flavored butter.
The red pepper flakes used in this elk recipe is more for flavor and not spice. If you like a bit of heat in your meat, add a bit more than the recipe calls for.
Preparing The Smoker
This elk recipe is smoker agnostic, meaning you can make it on any type of smoker you choose. Below is an overview of how to prepare four of the most common smokers.
Pellet and Electric Smokers
Both the electric smoker and pellet smokers run off electricity and needs to be plugged into an outside electrical outlet. Pellet smokers run on wood pellets and you have a choice whether or not you want to use wood with an electric smoker. With both of these smokers, you’ll digitally set the smoker to the desired temperature and when it’s preheated, you’ll be ready to start smoking your meat.
Charcoal Smoker
When using a charcoal smoker for any smoker recipe, it’s important to control the heat and feed the fire. When I use a charcoal smoker for this recipe, I use charcoal briquettes, a large handful of wood chips, and a small water pan. There's no need to soak the wood chips.
From there, remove the grill grate and place about 15 unlit charcoal briquettes on one side of the smoker. Then, place the wood chips on top of the briquettes. I use a chimney starter to light about 20 more briquettes and once hot, I dump them on top of the unlit pile of charcoal and wood chips.
Place the grill grate back in place and put a small pan of water on the grate directly on top of the hot charcoals. Put the lid on the smoker and place a temperature gauge in one of the vents so you can regulate the internal temperature. When the internal temperature of the smoker gets around 225°F, you’re ready to start smoking the meat.
Gas Smoker
A gas smoker runs on a propane gas tank. When using a gas smoker, I highly recommend using wood chunks instead of wood chips. Chunks are going to burn a lot longer and I find they help produce more smoke faster.
You’ll want to prepare the wood and water pan before igniting the flame. There’s a lot of opinions around the need for soaking wood chunks or chips. With this recipe, there is no need to soak the wood. Once the wood and water pan are in place, light the smoker. When the internal temperature reaches 225°F, you’re ready to start smoking the meat.
📋 Step-by-Step Recipe Instructions
We'll start by preparing the Garlic Herb Compound Butter. In a medium bowl, combine the butter, garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper using either either a wire whisk or electric mixer. Once combined, set the butter mixture aside.
From there, you'll combine all the dry rub ingredients. In a medium bowl, mix the black pepper, rosemary, ground mustard, salt, garlic powder, dill, paprika, coriander, and red pepper flakes. Set the bowl aside.
Using your hands, generously apply the compound butter directly to the elk roast, ensuring all sides are covered. Expert Tip: It can be challenging to evenly and smoothly apply the compound butter onto the elk roast. Instead of using your hands, try using a basting brush for the application. It's ok if it's not spread out perfectly even.
As evenly as possible, sprinkle the dry rub mixture onto the entire elk roast, ensuring all sides and crevices are covered. While it may look clumpy, that butter mixture forms the most succulent crust during the smoking process.
Prepare the smoker and preheat until the internal temperature reaches 225°F. Put the elk roast on the smoker rack and insert a digital thermometer.
When the internal temperature reaches 130°F, remove the meat from the smoker and let it rest for 5-7 minutes before serving. Expert Tip: For a medium-rare elk roast, I recommend pull the meat from the smoker when it reaches 130°F. During the resting period, the roast will continue to cook up about 3-5 degrees in temperature.
Take a look at the crust that has formed while the elk roast was smoking. this is is a delicious piece of meat on it's own but when crust like this forms, the flavor meter goes out the roof!
Yes - it's that delicious!
After the resting period, slice the meat against the grain and then you're ready to serve. This is going to be one of the best elk roast recipes you're every going to make
💭 Expert Tips and FAQs
- If you hunt your own elk in the wild, it's best to smoke the meat to medium-well to well done (160°F-165°F). I don't recommend consuming freshly hunted wild elk cooked under medium-well. Ranch raised elk are vaccinated, similar to cattle and I feel comfortable eating medium-rare ranch raised elk, but not one that was wild and killed on a hunt.
- As I mentioned earlier, it can be challenging to evenly and smoothly apply the compound butter onto the meat. Instead of using your hands, try using a basting brush for a smoother application.
- Hickory wood pairs amazingly well when smoking elk. It adds a subtle bacon flavor.
- Elk tends to cook faster than other meats due to the lower fat content, so ensure you insert a digital meat thermometer when you place the meat on the smoker. This also eliminates you needing to open the lid on the smoker. You don't want the smoke to escape.
Smoked Elk
Equipment
- Smoker
Ingredients
For The Garlic Herb Compound Butter
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 springs fresh rosemary
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon coarse ground pepper
For The Elk
- 3-4 lb elk roast
- ยฝ Tablespoon coarse black pepper
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped
- ยฝ Tablespoon ground mustard
- 1 Tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ยฝ teaspoon ground coriander
- ยฝ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
To Make The Garlic Herb Compound Butter
- In a medium bowl, combine the butter, garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper using either either a wire whisk or electric mixer.
- Set the butter mixture set aside.
To Smoke The Elk Roast
- In a medium bowl, combine the black pepper, rosemary, ground mustard, salt, garlic powder, dill, paprika, coriander, and red pepper flakes.
- Using your hands, generously apply the compound butter directly to the roast, ensuring all sides are covered. Expert Tip: It can be challenging to evenly and smoothly apply the compound butter onto the meat. Instead of using your hands, try using a basting brush for the application.
- As evenly as possible, sprinkle the dry rub mixture onto the entire roast, ensuring all sides and crevices are covered.
- Prepare the smoker and preheat until the internal temperature reaches 225°F.
- Put the elk roast on the smoker racks and insert a digital thermometer.
- When the internal temperature reaches 130°F, remove the roast from the smoker and let it rest for 5-7 minutes before serving. Expert Tip: For medium-rare, I recommend pulling the meat from the smoker when it reaches 130°F. During the resting period, the meat will continue to cook up about 3-5 degrees in temperature.
Notes
- If you hunt your own elk in the wild, it's best to smoke the meat to medium-well to well done (160°F-165°F). I don't recommend consuming freshly hunted wild elk cooked under medium-well. Ranch raised elk are vaccinated, similar to cattle and I feel comfortable eat medium-rare ranch elk, but not one that was wild and killed on a hunt.
- As I mentioned earlier, it can be challenging to evenly and smoothly apply the compound butter onto the meat. Instead of using your hands, try using a basting brush for a smoother application.
- Hickory wood pairs amazingly well when smoking elk. It adds a subtle bacon flavor.
- Elk tends to cook faster than other meats due to the lower fat content, so ensure you insert a digital meat thermometer when you place the meat on the smoker. This also eliminates you needing to open the lid on the smoker. You don't want the smoke to escape.
John
I disagree with your recommendation on cooking wild elk. While it will be important to trust where you got the wild game from and know that the hunter took good care of it, I strongly believe it's safer and healthier than any farm raised elk jacked up on antibiotics, vaccines, or other pharmaceuticals. Plus those animals are more likely to be exposed to chronic wasting disease given that the industry is heavily unregulated with little oversight. Unless you personally know the game farm owner, consider those sources farmed and dangerous. Plus cooking any lean game meat more than medium-rare will result in a dry and very tough piece of meat that is unpleasant to eat. Wild game is the original organic meat and hunting your own will not only guarantee the integrity of your meat from field to table, there's satisfaction and meaning in sharing the bounty from the effort so even if you don't ever plan to hunt yourself, befriend an elk hunter and offer to cook the dinner!
Amanda Mason
Hi John! I appreciate your feedback!! Thank you for your thoughts, for sure as different perspectives help my readers. I think with elk, you cook it to your desired level of doneness. I like it medium and dont find it tuff. I have friends who like it medium well who are freaked out about ensuring it's cooked well enough to not get sick....and while medium rare is is absolutely the most tender, it's a bit gamey for me at that level of doneness. But - to each their own!!
PAUL LEETMAE
John is right on the money about everything in his comments and I 100 % agree. He knows his stuff and said it well.
PAUL LEETMAE
I used your recipe plus I brined the elk roast for 5 hours prior to smoking. Although you advised against it - I used Elk Roasts that I personally harvested - and did them to 125 degrees internal temp. Not many places to buy farm raised elk and the demographic of people who eat elk are hunters-FYI. Your rub and butter recipes were great. Did it for Christmas Eve dinner 2022 and it came out great. The only thing I would add to this recipe is some creamy horseradish to dip into. I also used fresh dill in the rub and it all turned out amazing. Thank you, Paul L
Amanda Mason
I am so glad to hear this! Dill is an amazing add!! I agree that horseradish is also an amazing addition! Happy to hear it turned out so good for Christmas!
Kevin
Hi, I noticed that you talked about the possibility of purchasing elk from a hunter. I would strongly advise against this because it is illegal in all 50 states. The sale of wild game is prohibited. It can be given away. It can be hunted if you follow all your local fish and game rules and regulations. Or it can be purchased from someone who farms elk... but it is definitely illegal to buy wild game that was obtained through hunting.
Amanda Mason
Hi Kevin! Thanks for this info! I just edited the post with this information.
Steve
How long (time per pound) do you usually need to smoke the elk to get to 160?
Thanks.
Amanda Mason
Hi Steve! It breaks down to about 1 hour of smoke time for each pound of meat. I hope this is helpful!
JV
Did you use a round roast from the hind quarter, or a shoulder/chuck roast? The photos look like a round roast. The cuts are very different in texture.
Also, what exactly are you hoping the vaccinations will protect you from? Can you be more specific than "parasites"? Which parasites live in the muscle tissue and would make wild elk potentially unsafe?
Amanda Mason
Hi JV! For this recipe I used a round roast from the hind quarter. To answer your question yes, there are parasites that can be in wild game and in the meat. The bigger concern though for cooking wild elk to well done is wild game is often hung overnight or aged hanging for several days to improve the taste. Between this and other bacterias that can naturally be found in wild game, it is recommend to be cooked to well done for wild elk.
Fow CWD, I don't think anything has been "proven" that it affects people but some preliminary studies are suggesting that areas where CWD exists, people having Alzheimer like symptoms at young ages in small communities where wild game is a major portion of their food intake.
There is a lot to consider because each state and area has different issues with different bacteria and parasites and chronic waste disease. If you want more information on specific states and areas, it's best to look onto the game and fish website for the area you are hunting.
As far as the vaccination question, it's no different than what they do for beef cattle.
I hope this information helps you!
Cindie Ayala
Hi! I noticed you didnโt mention anything about steam and just want to be sure because we are planning on smoking to elk briskets. Have you smoked EB? If so, do you recommend steam or no steam?
Amanda Mason
I have never steamed my elk when smoking it. Not sure why you would want to steam it first?
Leveller
Very delicious; really enjoying this smoke. Used an elk roast from my elk last year and butchered some roasts specifically for the smoker. Used hickory chips, cooked until probe showed 160F, stood for 10 mins and it came out just perfect. I did fill the water bath in the smoker as I was also smoking an elk brisket at the same time. The problem I have with it is that sampling it after it has stood means you just keep eating it and never get around to cooking the veggies! ๐
Amanda Mason
I am SO glad you loved it and that it turned out so great for you!! It's a favorite recipe to those who love elk. I hope you try some of my other smoker recipes!!