The tenderloin from any animal is such a prized piece of meat, you want to make sure you honor your harvest by cooking it perfectly! Sous vide is an (almost) fool-proof method to ensure your meat is cooked perfectly every time. Topping the meat with a flavorful herb butter really makes this dish come together for a stunning meal. If you’ve been looking for the perfect recipe to use for your elk tenderloin, you’ve come to the right place!
Jump to:
- Why This Recipe Works:
- Ingredient Notes:
- Equipment Notes:
- Step by Step Instructions:
- More Recipes You’ll Love:
- Putting it All Together:
- Recipe FAQ’s:
- Other Recipes to Try:
- Recipe:
- Sous Vide Elk Tenderloin with Rosemary Shallot Compound Butter
Why This Recipe Works:
Tenderloin, whether from elk, deer, moose, antelope, or even beef can be difficult to cook evenly due to its cylindrical shape. Cooking tenderloins sous vide is the perfect cooking method because it ensures the entire piece of meat reaches the desired temperature.
Since tenderloin is so tender and delicious, it doesn’t need much to shine. However, adding some flavorful compound butter can really take this steak (or any steak) to the next level. The flavors of the fresh herbs and shallots melt into the meat as it rests to create a delicious combination of flavors that will definitely do your tenderloin justice!
Ingredient Notes:
- Elk Tenderloin: This recipe uses elk tenderloin but the method will work for just about any cut of steak.
- Butter: If you’re cooking this special cut of meat, you might as well use a high-quality butter to top it with! I used Kerrygold butter but there are a lot of other high quality European style butters that work great too.
Equipment Notes:
- Sous Vide Machine: While you don’t technically need a sous vide machine to cook sous vide, it does take a lot of the guesswork out of it. If you don’t have a sous vide machine but still want to give it a go, check out this resource on how to get delicious results when you sous vide without a cooker.
- Vacuum Sealer: Sous vide cooking works well when the bag contents are vacuum-sealed. But, you can put the ingredients into a ziploc bag, close the bag almost all the way, submerge the bag to remove the air, and then fully seal the bag for similar results.
- Cast Iron Griddle: This recipe uses a griddle due to the size and shape of the tenderloin, but you can also use a skillet with a little creativity. Cast iron works best because it holds the heat but you can use a non-stick griddle or skillet as well.
Step by Step Instructions:
How To Make Rosemary Shallot Compound Butter:
Compound butter is such an easy way to add a ton of flavor to your steak. It can also be used on other meats, veggies, and bread! This one is packed with flavor from fresh rosemary and shallots. The combination of the two flavors make a fantastic topping for any steak!
Pro Tip: If you want to skip the step of rolling and slicing the butter, just spoon some of the mixed butter on top of your steak instead!
How to Freeze Compound Butter:
If you’re going to go through the effort of making compound butter, you might as well make a big batch to use in the future! This recipe makes 16 servings (more or less) so you’ll have plenty to save for later. Trust me, you’ll be happy to have some on hand for future steak nights!
Pro Tip: To cut down on plastic, place all of your butter portions into one vacuum bag. Remove the portions as you need them and reseal the bag!
How to Make Sous Vide Elk Tenderloin:
Sous vide is the perfect cooking method for tenderloin because it ensures an even cooking temperature throughout the meat. While it sounds fancy, it really is easy to do! See below for step by step instructions.
Pro Tip: Preheat the sous vide machine 5-10 degrees lower than your desired final temperature. This ensures the meat doesn’t get overcooked when you sear it.
More Recipes You’ll Love:
- Sous Vide Duck Breasts with Blackberry Sage Sauce
- Cast Iron Venison Tenderloin
- Elk Steak with Mushrooms
Putting it All Together:
Now that you have a stunning entree, all you need are a few simple sides for a delicious meal. Some roasted vegetables like this cauliflower recipe or Brussels sprouts with bacon are an excellent choice. If you’re looking for something special to go with, this French onion soup is a great pairing as well. However you choose to serve it, you’re going to love this elk tenderloin recipe!
Recipe FAQ’s:
Other Recipes to Try:
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