Any difference in taste... Bull Elk vs. Cow Elk

[Uncle Grinch]

Just wondering as I have never had any elk. Understand from comments it's better than venison.

Any difference in taste... Bull Elk vs. Cow Elk

[M-Tecs]

Age and diet effect tastes/tenderness as does if the animal was run hard. I've had a cow that was as tough as shoe leather and a very large 6 X 6 Bull the was very tender. This bull had been living in a corn field all summer and he was fat like corn feed beef.

[runfiverun]

not really different.
what makes a difference is how the animal is treated after it's on the ground.
and yes it tastes better than most beef at least I prefer it.

[nagantguy]

diet and life style just like any animal made of meat, go 4 hours north of me in MI and the deer taste and smell strong, very gamey, cedar is a large winter diet staple and not many corn feilds.

[Djones]

Age and diet effect tastes/tenderness as does if the animal was run hard. I've had a cow that was as tough as shoe leather and a very large 6 X 6 Bull the was very tender. This bull had been living in a corn field all summer and he was fat like corn feed beef.

This got me thinking,

How about the fat on elk. Do you want every little piece of fat trimmed off the elk meat before grinding like a deer?

[Wolfer]

I prefer elk over deer or beef and I like them both. As far as a cow tasting better than a bull I can't say even though I have eaten many of both. I've always thought it would stand to reason that a cow would be better given the same diet as a bull due to the rut ending about the time I went hunting.

Ive always trimmed the fat on elk just like deer. Once again I don't know if it's needed I just did it.

[fast ronnie]

Don't know about cow vs. bull, but I like it WAY better than beef.

[pjames32]

Better than beef. Trim all the fat for burger and add beef or pork fat. Most cows shot are younger and not as lean as bulls. I like both! I'm not a venison fan, but our mule deer eat and taste like sage brush. Midwest grain fed deer are better.
PJ

[horsesoldier]

They taste the same to me as long you take care of the meat correctly

[BrentD]

they are the same to me.

[M-Tecs]

This got me thinking,

How about the fat on elk. Do you want every little piece of fat trimmed off the elk meat before grinding like a deer?

I did. The 6 X 6 was not my elk but I helped butcher it. I was given about 30 pounds chops and steaks. It was the best elk I have ever tasted, but, it was living in a corn field.

[BrentD]

I don't. Meat w/o fat is inedible.

If you had been there, you would agree that this was the finest steak you ever ate. It's a moose cooked with only moose fat for grease. It was perfect.

[ChristopherO]

Though the cow elk I shot in Wyoming years ago was good it was not as tasty as our Midwest whitetails. Certain portions were livery tasting. Butchered it myself and I'm good at that task. I liked it but enjoy farmland deer better. Haven't tried a bull.

[elk hunter]

Over the past fifty some years we've taken a lot of elk and a lot depends on how it's handled but, I can tell you the 6x6 bull the wife got last year is a stinker and the meat is gamier compared to the smaller bulls and cows we normally get but, as late as it was he was still rutting. The granddaughter found him by the smell from at least twenty yards. I was considering making sausage out of what is left of him but since neither the wife or I scored this year we may just eat him as is.

The next time you see a video of a bull bugleing look closely at his belly and you will see why he is so fragrant. I'm very careful to use a pair of clean plastic gloves to skin that dark patch off the belly and throw it away and the switch gloves and knives to dress him out and never touch the meat after touching the dark patch of hair.

We live on deer and elk and my wife still prefers to shoot cows when she can draw the right tag. We both believe they taste a bit better.

[sixshot]

Elk & Moose are grazers like cattle, deer are browsers so they can taste quite different. Bull elk & cows can vary in taste depending on what they are eating & when you shoot them. Also getting them cooled out quick is important, elk are big & they can sour in a hurry if they aren't taken care of. Quartering is best if it's anything close to warm weather. If it's really cold you can get by with field dressing them. Good elk meat is very hard to beat, as is moose but shoot a bull in the rut & you can smell them from a block away, eating one is a real chore. Hope this helps.

Dick

[Geezer in NH]

An old guide told me moose and elk don't bounce. Deer and antelope bounce. Animals that bounce do not taste as good as animals that bounce.

IMHO he was right!

[44man]

I have had elk and moose, none I shot but meat given to me, also black bear steaks and bear knuckles in a big pot. I prefer all to deer.
I agree it is diet first and have shot deer eating hemlock in the winter that were still OK but cedar and sage would probably not be good.
I think elk best and I love black bear meat, maybe from all the donuts they eat!

[waksupi]

I killed a 6X7 rutting bull years ago. Tough and strong taste. After that, I would wait until a bull got out of the way, so I could shoot a cow when regulations for the area allowed. Spikes aren't bad, but not a lot of flavor, kind of like veal. Rag horns are pretty good eating.
As a matter of course, I generally remove all of the fat where possible. The only exception is the ribs, that have quite a bit of fat on them. I put them in the pressure cooker for awhile, then bake or BBQ them. Most of the fat is cooked out, and it is some of the best eating on an elk, in my opinion.
I MUCH prefer elk to beef.

[ammohead]

Why yes, the cows are quite refined, and always use a napkin or handkerchief when sneezing. The bulls on the other hand are crude, and are known to fart in public.

[44man]

Ribs are good if you boil off the fat. Very good meat. Most meat tastes the same anyway if the deer or so ate good. It is like a cow, used muscle and tenderness. If a cow ran like wild game I don't think they would be any good.
An old squirrel or chuck that climbed trees or dug a long time will be tough. The least used muscles are the back straps and loins. Ribs don't work at all. Darn good meat. Neck meat from a doe is good, not like a buck that bashes trees and other bucks. Carry that head gear and meat gets tough.