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Seasoned and seared to perfection, these tender elk steak bites are served over a bed of creamy mashed potatoes and smothered in a rich, savory gravy. It’s a comforting, hearty meal that’s packed with flavor!
Hunting season is wrapping up for my husband and boys, and I’m overjoyed to have a freezer full of venison and elk meat!
It was hard to choose what I should cook up first, but I knew the elk steak wasn’t going to last long.
I’ve shared my recipes for elk steak stroganoff and elk tenderloin in the past, but I never shared this recipe for elk steak bites! So of course, that was the first thing I made with some of our elk sirloin.
The steak bites were every bit as delicious as I remembered them, and my whole family agreed. The garlic and onion cream gravy is such a nice complement to the flavorful and tender steak.
I could honestly eat this meal every day and never get sick of it! I know you’ll love it too.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick main dish: These steak bites are ready in under 30 minutes! They’re the perfect protein option for a simple yet delicious meal.
- Tender and flavorful: Just like garlic butter venison sirloin or pan-seared elk steak, these steak bites are melt-in-your-mouth tender with the perfect sear! The creamy gravy and ample seasoning take the flavor to the next level.
- Crowd favorite: If I were serving someone elk for the first time, this would be one of my top recipe choices. You can’t go wrong with a good steak, and the other ingredients spotlight the flavor of the elk wonderfully.
Key Ingredients
- Elk steak: I used elk sirloin steak, but any tender cut of elk works great. If you don’t have elk in the freezer, venison steak or beef sirloin will work too!
- Oil: You need a high-smoke-point oil for searing your steak. I prefer avocado oil, but olive oil works too.
- Onion and garlic: These add so much flavor to the gravy, so don’t skip them or substitute with dried alternatives.
- Heavy cream: We’ll make a creamy white gravy for this steak. If you don’t have heavy cream, half and half or whole milk could work, but it’ll take longer for the sauce to thicken and it won’t be as rich.
Find the full recipe with measurements at the bottom of this page!
How to Make Elk Steak Bites
Step 1. Toss the steak cubes with a few drizzles of oil, the paprika, onion powder, Italian seasoning, kosher salt and black pepper.
Step 2. Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat until it’s very hot. Add a few drizzles of oil and sear the steak for about 2 minutes per side, or longer depending on how done you like it. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
Step 3. Turn the heat down to medium-low and let the skillet cool a little. Melt the butter, then add the onion and cook until soft and golden. Stir in the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, just until fragrant.
Step 4. Sprinkle the flour over the onion and stir for about a minute.
Step 5. Stir the heavy cream into the same skillet and bring it to a low simmer until it thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then stir in the parsley.
Step 6. Put the steak bites back in and toss to coat in the sauce.
Step 7. Serve the steak bites over mashed potatoes. Spoon the cream sauce on top and garnish with more parsley.
Expert Tips
- Make sure your skillet is really hot before the steak goes in; you want to hear it sizzle right away. Take a look at my picture of the seared steak; that nice brown crust is what you’re going for!
- Elk is lean, so it cooks fast and can get tough if you leave it in too long. I take mine out around medium rare, since it warms back up in the sauce at the end, and it stays so tender!
- Let the onion cook until it’s soft and just starting to turn golden before you add the flour. That little bit of color gives the gravy so much flavor!
Notes
- I used dried parsley in the sauce and on top, but fresh chopped parsley is just as good if you have it on hand!
- If your sauce gets a little too thick, just stir in a splash more cream until it’s how you like it.
- I always serve these over mashed potatoes, and my Dutch Oven Mashed Potatoes are a great one to make alongside!
- Elk should be cooked to at least 145°F, then rested for 3 minutes. An instant-read thermometer is the easiest way to check, since color isn’t a reliable sign with game meat.
Recipe FAQs
In addition to the recommended mashed potatoes, you can serve a veggie or some fresh bread to complete your meal! I really like garlic parmesan brussel sprouts or cast iron green beans for my vegetable. For bread, you can’t go wrong with freshly milled dinner rolls or Dutch oven cheese bread!
To thicken the sauce, just let it simmer until it reaches your desired consistency. If you find your sauce to be too thick, it can easily be thinned by adding an extra splash of cream.
Definitely! Rather than scooping them onto a pile of mashed potatoes, serve the steak bites on a platter with small skewers for spearing one bite at a time.
Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. I like to warm them back up in the skillet with a splash of cream so the sauce loosens up again!
Related Recipes
- Elk Meatloaf Recipe
- Juicy Bacon Elk Burgers
- Savory and Hearty Elk Stew Recipe
- The Best Elk Jerky
- Bacon-Wrapped Elk Roast Recipe
If you tried these Elk Steak Bites or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Elk Steak Bites
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds elk sirloin steak cut into 1-inch cubes
- Avocado or olive oil for the steak
- 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons butter plus more as needed
- 1 small onion diced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- Mashed potatoes for serving
For the sauce
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ tablespoon dried parsley plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Toss the steak cubes with a few drizzles of oil, the paprika, onion powder, Italian seasoning, kosher salt and black pepper.
- Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat until it’s very hot. Add a few drizzles of oil and sear the steak for about 2 minutes per side, or longer depending on how done you like it. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- Turn the heat down to medium-low and let the skillet cool a little. Melt the butter, then add the onion and cook until soft and golden. Stir in the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, just until fragrant.
- Sprinkle the flour over the onion and stir for about a minute.
- Stir the heavy cream into the same skillet and bring it to a low simmer until it thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then stir in the parsley.
- Put the steak bites back in and toss to coat in the sauce.
- Serve the steak bites over mashed potatoes, spoon the cream sauce on top and garnish with more parsley.
Notes
- Make sure your skillet is really hot before the steak goes in, you want to hear it sizzle right away. Take a look at my picture of the seared steak, that nice brown crust is what you’re going for!
- Elk is lean, so it cooks fast and can get tough if you leave it in too long. I take mine out around medium rare, since it warms back up in the sauce at the end, and it stays so tender!
- Let the onion cook until it’s soft and just starting to turn golden before you add the flour. That little bit of color gives the gravy so much flavor!
- I used elk sirloin steak, but any tender cut of elk works great. If you don’t have elk in the freezer, venison steak or beef sirloin will work too!
- I used dried parsley in the sauce and on top, but fresh chopped parsley is just as good if you have it on hand!
- If your sauce gets a little too thick, just stir in a splash more cream until it’s how you like it.
- I always serve these over mashed potatoes, and my Dutch Oven Mashed Potatoes are a great one to make alongside!
- Elk should be cooked to at least 145°F, then rested for 3 minutes. An instant-read thermometer is the easiest way to check, since color isn’t a reliable sign with game meat.
- Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. I like to warm them back up in the skillet with a splash of cream so the sauce loosens up again!
