Backcountry Elk Loins Cooking?

[WapitiTalk1]

So my elknut forum friends, how do you cook your loins after a successful hunt? You or one of your hunting buddies have knocked down a bull and have spent the last how ever many hours packing out the rack, straps, loins, and boned out meat. It's mid-late SEP and it's too warm to hang the meat for any period of time so you've packed out the meat and either put it in iced coolers at the trailhead or made the trip to the nearest town to drop off your harvest at Billy Bob's meat processing in Wayoutback, ID. Back up at camp, you've cooled a good quantity of loins by a cool stream and are ready to enjoy the ultimate backcountry feast.... elk loins! How do you cook em as you don't have a ton of cooking tools besides a jetboil? Do you merely skewer them on a willow and cook over an open fire with a bit of salt and pepper? Wrap em in some tin foil and throw em on coals? Just curious... RJ

[six]

Yup skewer several chunks of loin on a stick. Sprinkle on some garlic salt or salt to your own liking. Important part let the fire burn down and cook over coals only. Its either pine or poplar were we hunt. Neither one is a good wood to cook with in my opinion.

[Harmy]

Well, I am a firm believer that I must provide the choicest cut to the woman who has significant control on my ability to take time off to hunt. Thus, I rarely get to eat the loins myself but my wife sure does encourage me to go get more...

Back Straps on the other hand, Steak Sandwich roasted on charcoal with peppers and garden tomatoes etc...
Not quite backpacking fare but was part of this years hunt.

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[pointysticks]

harmy has strong wife kung-fu!!

i brought my pieces home too. but at home..cut them into mini steaks. salt pepper, cook to med rare over real coals. eat.

it is really my wifes favorite bits.

[WapitiTalk1]

Back Straps on the other hand, Steak Sandwich roasted on charcoal with peppers and garden tomatoes etc...
Not quite backpacking fare but was part of this years hunt.

Steak Sandwiches.jpg

Steak Sandy.jpg

Nicely done!!! Man that looks good.

[Harmy]

Well, wife "Kung Fu" was a raging success. Step Daughter's 11th birthday today. Guess what? She agreed to me cooking a bit of elk... Of course it was necessary to pick the prime piece in support of time off next year...

Cut two pockets in loin to prevent drippage and loss of stuffing:

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Rub: Cumin, Oregano, Salt, Onion, Garlic, red pepper flakes.
Stuffing: plain goat cheese with some rub thrown in. About a cup of cheese.

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Rub olive oil on surface of meat. Fill the pockets with cheese stuffing. Add rub to all external surfaces. BBQ slowly with past-peak-charcoal for about 20 min. Place in tin foil bowl to capture drippings. If you cook too hot cheese just melts away.

Serve with what ever else seems good (Buttered BBQ asparagus with yellow pepper). Black Rice.

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Scoope melted cheese sauce on meat...

The girls thought it was the second best meal I have cooked. Score one for me...

[WapitiTalk1]

Not even close to backcountry loin cooking but it sure does look good Thanks for sharing your method Harmy.

[Dirty D]

Man you guys are making me HUNGRY!!

Here's the backcountry skewer method, then thrown into some Jetboil Ramon stew, not near as tasty looking as Harmy's but it's all you can do on a true bivy hunt. Still at that point in the hunt all our mouths our watering...

[Dirty D]

And here's one from this year’s hunt, a little off topic as its grouse not tenderloin but still back-country cooking at its finest. I wouldn’t call this year a true bivy hunt, more of a drop camp. Still very backcountry and Spartan but we did have a few more creature comforts; namely a couple jalapenos, onions and some seasonings.

After filling his elk tag our dad started slaying some grouse, whipped up a alder branch cooking contraption. Breasted the birds, stuffed them with peppers and onions and rubbed seasoning on the meat. They were delicious! My new favorite back-country snack… I think it would be just as good (or better) with tenderloin.

[Harmy]

Dirty, I have never ever seen anyone use a home made snow shoe to cook with before. That is great! Now, I am confused a bit due to my ignorance, but do you set that contraption directly on coals? Raised above? I too had the opportunity this year to take three grouse. Made grouse noodle soup. Very tasty stuff especially with a sore throat.

[Dirty D]

We raised it off the coals just a few inches but it was pretty much make it up as you go...

[WapitiTalk1]

I've done the skewered on a willow thing with salt and pepper, and, just wrapped in a piece of tin foil thrown on the coals. Both came out pretty good. I do like the "snowshoe willow" method though.. That may come into play this next year