Can't wait till supper!
I smoked up an Elk Backstrap today.
It's sitting it the fridge foiled right now sucking up its own juices. I'll slice it thin, pan sear it quick, and serve it with a homemade Gyro Salsa & Greek Tzatisiki Sauce.
Another way I have yet to try is make grind the elk meat and make a smoked meatloaf w/ onions, garlic, etc. Cool it, slice it and pan sear it before assembling the Gyro.
RECIPE:
Note: sorry if I don't have exact measurements because I usually just eyeball recipes as I make them. Adjust to your own flavor & taste.
Greek Salsa:
Dice & combine the following:
Cucumber (I used English cucumbers because they have no seeds - If you use regular just scrape out the seeds) skin on.
Red Onion
1 clove of garlic
Cherry tomatoes (sliced in half or quarters)
Kalamatta Olive (pitted) - I like to go heavy on these!
Salt & pepper to taste
Oregano
Tzatisiki Sauce:
Greek Yogurt 3 cups (it goes fast!)
Dill (fresh or dry) 2 TB dry or 3 TB fresh
Granulated garlic 1 TB
Granulated Onion 1/2 TB
Marjoram 2 tsp
Oregano 2 tsp
Salt & Pepper
EVOO 1 1/2 TB
Fresh squeezed lemon juice of one whole lemon
A Splash of white vinegar (optional)
Let sit in fridge for a few hours, if you can wait...
Meat Dry Rub:
Rosemary
Marjoram
Oregano
Salt & Pepper
Granulated Garlic
EVOO
Rub with EVOO and sprinkle meat with spices (I mix them together first before rubbing)
You can grill the meat or smoke it. I've done both with not much difference in taste. There are so many strong flavors in this that the smoke can get lost so grilling is sometimes easier and definitely quicker.
GRILL: Medium / high heat. Cook each side 8-10 minutes or until medium rare. Foil and place in fridge. Flip foiled meat over once after 40 min to allow juices to run down and be soaked up. I like to add the leftover juices to my Tzatisiki sauce :)
SMOKE: preheat 235-240° and smoke until IT is around 145° - 150° Then foil and place in fridge as noted above.
Either way you cook them you want them rare, maybe medium rare, because you will quickly pan sear them before serving.
SLICE:
Remove from foil and slice as thin as possible against the grain of the meat. Re-foil in it's own juices until ready to pan fry.
SERVE:
Heat a pan on medium high / High. Add a little olive oil or butter, make sure it's nice and hot, and sear each side for a 40 seconds or so and remove from heat immediately.
Microwave your pita bread for 20 seconds to get it warm and bendy. Load up, add some lettuce and chow down!
I smoked up an Elk Backstrap today.
It's sitting it the fridge foiled right now sucking up its own juices. I'll slice it thin, pan sear it quick, and serve it with a homemade Gyro Salsa & Greek Tzatisiki Sauce.
Another way I have yet to try is make grind the elk meat and make a smoked meatloaf w/ onions, garlic, etc. Cool it, slice it and pan sear it before assembling the Gyro.
RECIPE:
Note: sorry if I don't have exact measurements because I usually just eyeball recipes as I make them. Adjust to your own flavor & taste.
Greek Salsa:
Dice & combine the following:
Cucumber (I used English cucumbers because they have no seeds - If you use regular just scrape out the seeds) skin on.
Red Onion
1 clove of garlic
Cherry tomatoes (sliced in half or quarters)
Kalamatta Olive (pitted) - I like to go heavy on these!
Salt & pepper to taste
Oregano
Tzatisiki Sauce:
Greek Yogurt 3 cups (it goes fast!)
Dill (fresh or dry) 2 TB dry or 3 TB fresh
Granulated garlic 1 TB
Granulated Onion 1/2 TB
Marjoram 2 tsp
Oregano 2 tsp
Salt & Pepper
EVOO 1 1/2 TB
Fresh squeezed lemon juice of one whole lemon
A Splash of white vinegar (optional)
Let sit in fridge for a few hours, if you can wait...
Meat Dry Rub:
Rosemary
Marjoram
Oregano
Salt & Pepper
Granulated Garlic
EVOO
Rub with EVOO and sprinkle meat with spices (I mix them together first before rubbing)
You can grill the meat or smoke it. I've done both with not much difference in taste. There are so many strong flavors in this that the smoke can get lost so grilling is sometimes easier and definitely quicker.
GRILL: Medium / high heat. Cook each side 8-10 minutes or until medium rare. Foil and place in fridge. Flip foiled meat over once after 40 min to allow juices to run down and be soaked up. I like to add the leftover juices to my Tzatisiki sauce :)
SMOKE: preheat 235-240° and smoke until IT is around 145° - 150° Then foil and place in fridge as noted above.
Either way you cook them you want them rare, maybe medium rare, because you will quickly pan sear them before serving.
SLICE:
Remove from foil and slice as thin as possible against the grain of the meat. Re-foil in it's own juices until ready to pan fry.
SERVE:
Heat a pan on medium high / High. Add a little olive oil or butter, make sure it's nice and hot, and sear each side for a 40 seconds or so and remove from heat immediately.
Microwave your pita bread for 20 seconds to get it warm and bendy. Load up, add some lettuce and chow down!
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