Stuffed Steaks

Thick elk steaks stuffed with a simple bread dressing, browned in butter, and pressure cooked until fork-tender. This is old-school game cookery that turns lean, tough cuts into something you can cut with the side of a fork.

The dressing is rustic and straightforward: day-old bread torn into small pieces, mixed with finely chopped green pepper, onion, and celery. It gets packed into slits cut halfway through each steak, adding moisture and flavor to the lean meat as it cooks under pressure.

The pressure cooker is what makes this work. Elk is much leaner than beef, so it dries out fast with dry-heat cooking. Twenty minutes at pressure with a little water creates steam that breaks down the tough fibers while the stuffing absorbs all those beefy, gamey juices.

Kitchen Tips

• Cut the slits deep but not all the way through. You want a pocket, not two separate pieces.
• Dredge the stuffed steaks in flour before browning. The flour creates a crust that seals the dressing inside and thickens the cooking liquid into a light gravy.
• Use day-old bread, not fresh. Fresh bread turns gummy in the dressing. Stale bread holds its shape and absorbs the meat juices better.
• Don’t overcook. At 10 psi, 20 minutes is enough for inch-thick steaks. More time and the meat goes past tender into stringy.

Variations

• Use venison or moose steaks if elk isn’t available. Same technique, same timing.
• Add a splash of beef broth instead of water for a richer cooking liquid.
• Mix sage and thyme into the dressing for a more herbaceous, Thanksgiving-style stuffing.