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Community => Butchering, Cooking, Recipes => Topic started by: khunter#1 on July 24, 2013, 08:21:57 PM

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Title: Elk Bacon?
Post by: khunter#1 on July 24, 2013, 08:21:57 PM

Is it possible to make elk bacon? If so which cut of meat would you use?

Title: Re: Elk Bacon?
Post by: ICEMAN on July 24, 2013, 08:32:00 PM

I would say no.

Generally speaking, pork fat hardly has a flavor, this is why it is added to lean meats when you process them into sausage etc.... 

Wild game fat (accept bear) has a flavor that most hunters do not like.  IMHO, wild game fat can make any cut of meat taste "off" or "gamey".

Title: Re: Elk Bacon?
Post by: Karl Blanchard on July 24, 2013, 08:41:56 PM

My little brother was just telling me about elk bacon.  Apparently you grind it with pork fat, make a loaf out of it and smoke it.  Then slice it just like bacon.  Not sure if that is exactly how its done but it is definitely a real thing.  Google it.

Title: Re: Elk Bacon?
Post by: khunter#1 on July 24, 2013, 08:48:13 PM

Could you use cow fat? Or would not be as good?

Title: Re: Elk Bacon?
Post by: CAM38 on July 25, 2013, 03:41:59 AM

My butcher sells Painted Hills beef bacon, it's all we get because we don't eat pork, and it is amazing, I'll have to ask what cut is used to make it next time, but it does have a little fat, not as much as regular bacon, but the elk fat may make it too gamie tasting.

Title: Re: Elk Bacon?
Post by: RadSav on July 25, 2013, 04:26:59 AM

I have cured elk brisket in ham brine.  Smoked and sliced it was very similar to bacon without all the fat.  Sliced thin and fried with butter placed on top of a burger it was quite yummy.  Not sure I would call it bacon, but the flavor was more like bacon than ham.

I've heard of guys making the ground type bacon.  Suppose to be similar to turkey bacon you get at the store.  But I've never had the chance to tried it.  Anything with the word "Bacon" in it is worth a try in my opinion!

Title: Re: Elk Bacon?
Post by: khunter#1 on July 25, 2013, 10:23:59 AM

Yeah I don't eat pork either, That's why I'm trying to find other ways.

Title: Re: Elk Bacon?
Post by: khunter#1 on July 25, 2013, 10:25:01 AM

Thank you for all the replies!

Title: Re: Elk Bacon?
Post by: NRA4LIFE on July 25, 2013, 10:50:14 AM

My dad gave me a spice mixture a few years back that you mixed with the ground meat and pork and then smoked the loaf.  It was surprisingly good.  Can't remember the brand of spice mixture though.

Title: Re: Elk Bacon?
Post by: quadrafire on July 25, 2013, 10:59:24 AM

I use lean cuts of pork (loin) with buck board bacon cure and make a version of canadian bacon. I will fry it up for BLTs and breakfast, but it is really dry when you do it. I'm sure it would work with elk.
I would definately try it on some, but wouldn't want to waste a good elk. Pork is cheap

Title: Re: Elk Bacon?
Post by: X-Force on July 25, 2013, 11:35:29 AM

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/85095/elk-bacon-lownslow-style-pic-heavy (http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/85095/elk-bacon-lownslow-style-pic-heavy)

This stuff looks amazing.

I need to try it.

Title: Re: Elk Bacon?
Post by: khunter#1 on July 25, 2013, 12:14:40 PM

That's awesome I'll have to try it  :drool:

Title: Re: Elk Bacon?
Post by: NRA4LIFE on July 25, 2013, 12:22:10 PM

Hah, Curley's was the seasoning I referred to in my earlier post.  I didn't do the fat layering though.  That looks interesting.

Title: Re: Elk Bacon?
Post by: MatthewHunter98 on July 25, 2013, 04:23:33 PM

elk neads to have flavorfull fat for it to be worth it. but iff you want to go for it, the bacon cut is the briskit