Elk recipe: Schnitzel (2024)

Schnitzel is typically made with veal, pork or chicken, so it never even occurred to me to schnitzel up some venison until we went to Namibia where they have two things in abundance: wild game and German culinary influence.

Talky, talky, talky. Where’s the recipe?

While it’s pretty easy to make this taste delicious, there’s not much you can do to really take schnitzel over the top. But, do you know what’s extra awesome about using game for schnitzel? You can make it pink in the middle! Yes folks, that’s right: breaded and lightly fried medium rare meat. It’s pretty hard to screw this one up, but if you do screw it up it will be in one or both of two areas: pan temperature or tenderizing.

Since wild game is so tough already, the tenderizing is a lengthy but oh-so-important process. If your steaks are more than an inch thick, I suggest slicing them in half lengthwise before tenderizing; otherwise you will be beating the crap out of the meat for a really long time. If you don’t have a meat mallet, you can use the back of a heavy knife like we did. Also, I advise against making this the same day you do any kind of intense strength training in the arms. We don’t want any limbs falling off due to overuse.

This, from left to right, is the order you want to dredge. Flour, egg, panko.

If you are planning on cooking the bejeezus out of these things, pan temperature is merely a suggestion. Just let it heat up on medium and kind of let the schnitzel sit there until it reaches your preferred color and crispness of crust on each side. For us the magic number was 3 minutes per side. If you want it pink in the middle, however, you want the heat to be a little higher than medium (maybe like at a 7) so the crust browns nicely before it cooks all the way through (probably closer to two minutes per side). It’s easier to achieve medium rareness if you keep the steaks thicker, but trust me; you want to beat those babies to a thin and tender ¼ inch so you and your guests don’t look like a bunch of cattle chewing their cud over dinner. I think if we weren’t using a young female elk (which is a little more tender by nature) our thicker steaks would have been way too chewy.

Don’t forget to enjoy this with a cold beer!

Elk Schnitzel

Print recipe

Serves 8
Prep time 30 minutes
Cook time 20 minutes
Total time 50 minutes
Meal type Main Dish
Region German

Ingredients

  • 2lb elk or other venison (round, shoulder or other tough steak)
  • 1.5 cups flour
  • 2-3 cups panko (or other bread crumbs (but panko is better))
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (ground)
  • salt and pepper (to taste)
  • 3 eggs (beaten)
  • 4-6 tablespoons vegetable, canola or peanut oil

Directions

Step 1
Tenderize your steaks with either a meat hammer or the backside of a very heavy knife. If you are using a knife be careful not to bounce it into your face. Beat each steak until it is about 1/4 inch thick. With about 2 pounds of meat this took us about 30 minutes.
Step 2
Put a large shallow pan on medium to medium-high heat so it's ready when you are. Add 2 T of oil.
Step 3
Combine flour, nutmeg, salt and pepper. This is your meat seasoning so don't skimp. You can salt and pepper each individual steak if it will help you gauge the right amount. Put the flour mixture, egg and panko each on a plate or in a shallow dish for dredging. You want to dredge in this order: flour, egg, panko.
Step 4
Dredge one steak in flour, then egg then panko and fry about 3 minutes per side, or until the crust is golden brown and crispy. You can dredge the next steak in the queue while you are waiting. When each steak is done remove to a paper towel.
Step 5
After you do about half of the steaks you will want to change out your oil so the steaks don't start to burn. Carefully pour out your hot oil, wipe with a paper towel and add a few fresh tablespoons of oil. We redid this twice, but probably could have managed with one oil change. Serve with noodles (spaetzle, if you feel so inclined) and beer and garnish with lemon wedges and capers.

Non-game substitution: Traditionally this is made with veal, but as I am against veal from a moral standpoint you can use a thinner, tougher cut of steak, pork, or even chicken.

Vegetarian substitution: There really isn’t a good veggie-friendly cutlet per se that I’d suggest here, but if you have a vegetarian in the mix you can get some Haloumi (sometimes labeled “grilling cheese”) and put it through the dredging and frying process before all the meats. I have found this at Sprouts or any store with a good specialty cheese section.

Elk recipe: Schnitzel (2024)

FAQs

How is elk best cooked? ›

Roasting elk in the oven is one of the easiest and most low maintenance ways to cook elk steak. You can roast your elk steaks in the oven for about 25 minutes at 400 degrees. For some moisture in your steak and extra flavors, put a little herbal butter on top of the steaks before you put them in the oven.

What cut of meat is schnitzel? ›

What kind of meat is used for Schnitzel? Schnitzel can, of course, be made from almost any thin, boneless meat cut. However, traditionally, Wienerschnitzel is made using only veal, and German Schnitzel is made with boneless pork chops. You can also try using chicken, mutton, beef, or turkey.

What does elk taste like? ›

Elk meat is often compared to venison or bison, but it tastes different from both of them. Elk meat is tender and often described as slightly sweet, not at all tough or gamey. Elk meat also differs from beef in both texture and flavor, since it has less fat, or marbling.

Do you cook elk the same as beef? ›

Elk is so lean that it is more prone to overcooking and drying out than beef or chicken. The key to cooking elk well is to either cook it hot and fast, or low and slow.

Is elk healthier than beef? ›

Low in Fat: Elk is leaner than beef, offering a healthier alternative for those looking to reduce fat intake without sacrificing flavor.

Is elk better for you than chicken? ›

Elk is low in fat, low in cholesterol, low in Calories and high in protein and other nutrients that your body needs. All very key things you want to look for in a lean, healthy diet. When you're craving something other than chicken that will not bust your diet, you should seriously consider ELK.

What is schnitzel called in America? ›

United States

Chicken fried steak, also called country fried steak, is nearly identical to schnitzel. It is a breaded and deep fried beef steak.

What's the difference between wiener schnitzel and a schnitzel? ›

Basically, all schnitzels are breaded and fried thin pieces of meat, but only wiener schnitzel is made with veal. Cooking term: Schnitzel is a cooking term used to describe any meat pounded thin, then breaded and fried. Key ingredient: Schnitzel is made with pork, chicken, beef, or veal.

How do you get the gamey taste out of elk? ›

The distinct game flavor of either birds or animals will be milder after soaking the meat overnight in the refrigerator in either a salt or vinegar solution. 2. Vinegar solution - 1 cup per quart of cold water. Use enough solution to cover the game completely.

Is it OK to eat elk rare? ›

Larger, less tender cuts such as chuck need moist cooking. Crock pot cooking works well. If you are broiling elk, turn a few minutes before you would turn other meat. Elk is best in the rare to medium range.

What is the best way to eat elk meat? ›

The best marinated elk steak tenderized and seasoned with a lemon balsamic marinade, creating a juicy steak and adding delicious flavor without overpowering the taste of the elk. The steaks are grilled or pan seared to get nicely browned crust on the outside.

What is cooked elk called? ›

Venison definition

The most common modern usage is to refer to venison as any member of the deer family. That would include Mule deer and White-tailed deer along with Elk. For most, caribou and moose are not included even though they are members of the deer family (Cervidae).

Is elk more expensive than beef? ›

Retail prices of elk meat are higher than those of beef. According to the Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food Department, elk meat retail prices range from $2.00 per pound for trim meat to $18.90 per pound for tenderloin.

Can elk meat be pink? ›

Elk can be served a little rare.

Steaks, roasts and even ground elk can be served a little pink. Consider cooking it to between 130 and 140 degrees.

Is elk OK to eat medium rare? ›

Elk and Venison are very low in fat and is best served medium-rare.

Can elk be cooked well done? ›

It has a mild flavor and is a good source of lean protein. If marinated, even the "tougher" cuts come out great. I recommend cooking to medium/medium rare for ideal tenderness, but I have had it cooked well done and it is still tasty.

Is elk tough and chewy? ›

This happens to many people cooking Bison or Elk for the first time and they usually think it's the meat — “gamey” or “tough” are typical comments. But Bison and Elk are actually incredibly tender and juicy meats — when they are cooked correctly.

References

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