A delicious recipe that works great with many game meats, Elk Suya is a Nigerian-style dish that tastes incredible.
by Tiffany Haugen
With elk season just around the corner, there’s no better time to ensure last year’s cache is cooked up, making room in the freezer for this year’s bounty. Having depended on and cooked wild game for 34 years of our marriage, Scott and I are always eager to try new things.
He’d be the first to tell you I’m the cook; he’s the taste tester. We rarely buy beef or other meat; what we eat is what we hunt, and we depend on it year-round, pretty much daily. That said, I’m always looking for new, fun, and creative ideas to cook wild game.
I couldn’t resist trying this traditional Nigerian beef dish with wild game. Incredible flavors saturate wild game left to marinate in these unique but easy-to-obtain seasonings. While this recipe uses elk, I’ve also made it with deer and wild boar. Everyone loves it.
What You Need
- 1-1/2-pounds elk
- 1/2 cup powdered or creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 cup olive or canola oil
- 1/4-cup minced onion
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic or 2 teaspoons granulated garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger or 2 teaspoons Powdered ginger
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
- Bamboo or metal skewers
Directions For Cooking
Slice elk sirloin or backstrap into long, thin strips. Mix peanut butter, oil, onion, tomato paste, garlic, ginger and spices in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Add meat to the peanut butter mixture and massage until all pieces are evenly coated. Marinate, refrigerated for 4-12 hours
If you’d like to make kebabs, thread meat strips onto skewers and let them sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes. Grill skewers on a medium-hot grill for 3 to 5 minutes per side or bake on a baking sheet in a preheated 400-degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Suya can also be pan-fried in a large skillet on medium-high heat in a few tablespoons of oil and served on a bed of rice or noodles.
About Tiffany Haugen
Tiffany Haugen has been developing wild game recipes for magazines and companies worldwide for over twenty years. She is the author of more than fifteen popular cookbooks focusing on big game, game birds, fish, and seafood. Signed copies of her cookbooks can be ordered at scotthaugen.com.
