Cook a Whole Elk Rear Quarter on a Traeger

We turned a 35lb bone-in rear elk quarter into a fall-apart feast using a simple low and slow plan, a butter plus apple juice finish, and patience. Bring friends. You will need them.

Why a Whole Rear Elk Quarter Works So Well

I am fortunate that my family generally kills multiple elk a year.  I will kill a bull with my bow, and my wife will kill a cow or bull with a rifle.  It’s also not uncommon for a landowner to give us a landowner cow tag.  In any given year, we will put two to three elk in the freezer.

Prep Smart: Freeze It Whole and Skip the Trim

During one of these three elk years, I decided that I wanted to cook an entire rear elk quarter, bone-in, for my birthday.  I cut and wrap all of our wild game, and instead of cutting a rear quarter into steaks and roasts, I measured it, sawed off the bone to fit in my Traeger, and wrapped and froze it whole.  It is essential not to trim the quarter before freezing it.  The outer layer of the crust will help protect the quarter from freezer burn.  They are a little tricky to wrap, but take your time and make sure there are no gaps or uncovered parts.

 I had never attempted to cook a piece of meat that large before, so I began researching.  I called my cousin, who is a BBQ master of sorts, and he suggested I cook it like a beef brisket.  After getting some direction on how he cooked his brisket, I set out to give it a go.

Trim, Thaw, and Tenderize the Elk Quarter

The rear elk quarter that is shown weighed 35lbs and came from a cow elk.  It hung in my cooler for two weeks before being frozen.  After a few months, I took it out to thaw.  Be sure to give yourself several days in advance to thaw the quarter before cooking it.  Mine took three days to thaw fully.

The first step is to trim and tenderize the quarter.  Trim the quarter the same way you would when cutting steaks, making sure all the outer crust is removed and that there is no fat on the quarter. Any wild game fat will give your meat a foul taste.  Then I use a meat tenderizer, but any sharp object will work.  Cut as many slices into the meat as you can, as deep as you can.  This will help to let the juices seep into the quarter.

Season Like You Mean It

Next is seasoning, which is a matter of personal preference.  Salt and Pepper will work just fine; your imagination is your only limit.  Whatever you use, be sure to use a very liberal amount of seasoning, as only the outside of the quarter will receive it.  I like to rub my seasoning into the meat by hand.  This helps it to stay on the meat during the cooking process.

Set the Traeger to 225 and Cruise Low and Slow

After the seasoning is on, I set the Traeger to 225 degrees, put the quarter on the rack, and walk away.  It’s beneficial to have a meat thermometer to check the temperature.  I wait until the quarter has reached an internal temperature of around 150 degrees before taking it off the Traeger.

Butter Plus Apple Juice for the Brisket Style Finish

Now for the finishing touch. After taking the quarter off the Traeger, I put it in a large aluminum pan and will add 8 oz of apple juice. I pour the apple juice over the quarter very slowly, trying to get the meat to absorb it. Then I take cubes of butter out of the fridge and slice them into thick chunks, and cover the entire top of the quarter with them. After that, I cover the top of the pan with aluminum foil, making sure there are no openings or gaps for heat or steam to escape. Then the quarter goes back into the Traeger until it reaches an ideal temperature of around 200 degrees.

When the temperature is around 200 degrees, with a total cooking time of around 12 hours, remove the quarter from the Traeger and let it rest somewhere it can retain its heat for 30 minutes to an hour.  I use my oven.   After this, pull the foil off and enjoy!

Silk Tender Results That Fall Off the Bone

You’ll find the meat literally falls off the bone. There is no need for knives with this entree; a plastic fork will work just fine. There will be a lot of juice at the bottom of the pan, don’t throw it out! It’s delicious, and most people like to pour it back over their meat. Be sure to invite a lot of people. Even though the quarter will shrink after it cooks, it can easily feed 20 people. I like to have plastic zip lock bags at the party and send people home with some elk if they want it.

Make It a Tradition: Everybody Wins

I was very nervous when I cooked my first whole elk quarter. If you screw it up, you’ve literally wasted most of your hard-earned meat trophy!  But after the reactions from my friends and family when they took their first bites, I knew it was something I wanted to do every year. It’s some of the best meat I’ve ever had. I’ve been cooking a whole rear quarter for several years now. One thing I’ve found is that the simpler you make it, the better it is. Friends and family look forward to this cook-off every year.

Cook Specs: Whole Elk Rear Quarter on a Traeger