Elk
An elk yields three to four times the meat of a whitetail, so whole-muscle cuts are worth taking seriously here — big roasts, thick steaks, real shanks. Plan freezer space before you plan your cut sheet. Moose is handled the same way, just bigger.
Bring the animal in cooled and quartered — most shops will not accept a warm carcass.
Not sure where to start?
We'll fill in the standard elk order — the 12 cuts most customers take, cut and wrapped the usual way. Nothing is locked in; change or remove anything after.
Or tell me how you eat
Answer a few quick questions — how many of you there are, how you cook — and I'll fill in the whole sheet with a reason beside every cut.
Tap any part of the animal to see the meat that comes out of it
How much meat will I actually take home?
Typical elk: 280–550 lb hanging. Don't know it? A live weight of 500–900 lb hangs at about 300–540 lb.
Enter a hanging weight to see your estimate.
Backstrap, loin & tenderloin
Elk backstraps are big enough to cut real steaks from. This is the best meat you'll eat all year.
Don't forget to ask for these
The parts most customers never mention — and most shops throw away if you don't.