Spotlight on Elk at Ocean Crest Resort

Charbroiled Roosevelt Elk Tenderloin with Spiced Huckleberry Gastrique

I must confess, the photo doesn’t come close to doing justice to this gastronomic adventure.  Confession number 2?  I’m writing this post from a hotel room in Oregon, I am traveling for a friends wedding.

On to the food.  As Vice President of the Olympic Peninsula Loop Culinary Tourism Association, AKA Olympic Culinary Loop, I wanted to make certain that we serve plenty of food that is indicative of the Olympic Peninsula.  It kind of makes me wonder, why don’t more Olympic Peninsula restaurants serve Roosevelt Elk?

This dish is easier to prepare than it is to source.  There are no commercial Elk producers in Washington State, so our Elk comes from Oregon or British Columbia.  To cook the Elk tenderloin we season the meat on one side with salt and pepper, place the meat on the grill seasoning side down, baste the top with a 50/50 blend of red wine and Worcestershire sauce, season the top side with salt and pepper, flip in due time and baste with previously mentioned steak baste, and remove from the grill when done.  Cooking time will depend on surface to mass ratio of the meat, thickness of the meat, heat of the grill, desired doneness, etc…

As for the Spiced Huckleberry Gastrique, a gastrique is just a fancy word for a sugar and vinegar sauce.  We cook huckleberries with sugar, vinegar, and ground pie spices, then puree in a blender.  If you find the seeds to be unpleasant be certain to strain your gastrique.

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About the author

Jess Owen