Bacon Wrapped Elk Backstrap with a Blackberry Reduction Sauce

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds elk loin (backstrap), cut into 2 ounce pieces

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

• ½ teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste

• ½ teaspoon onion powder, or to taste

• ½ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

• 16 slices thick cut bacon

Blackberry Reduction Sauce

• 1 cup blackberries, washed

• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

• 2 tbsp honey

• 1/2 cup red wine, pinot, cabernet or merlot

• 1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, divided

• salt to taste

Directions

1. Mix all the ingredients together and add the pieces of backstrap

2. Marinate in the refrigerator for one hour

3. Start the blackberry sauce while the steaks are marinating. It will take approximately 30 minutes.

4. Heat a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the blackberries and cook until softened and they begin to release their juice, about 2-3 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar, honey, red wine and rosemary and increase the heat to medium. Stir continuously until the sauce is reduced and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and pour through a fine mesh strainer to remove the blackberry seeds. Add the sauce back to the sauce pan and swirl in the butter and season with a pinch of salt.

When the sauce is just about ready, prepare the steaks for cooking:

1. In a cast iron skillet, partially cook the bacon pieces. Take them out when they are just starting to crisp.

2. Take the steaks out of the marinade and pat dry with some paper towels.

3. Wrap the backstrap steaks with the partially cooked bacon.

4. Turn the heat to medium high, and cook the steaks in the bacon fat for 2-4 minutes on each side

5. Take the steaks out and cover with tin foil. Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes.

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