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.
Off the outline
Fat, bones & odds
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.
Neck
A single elk neck roast feeds a crowd after a long braise.
Don't forget to ask for these
The parts most customers never mention — and most shops throw away if you don't.