This evening, the She-Wolf and I "played with our food"...meaning we tried something we hadn't done before...

A 12ish ounce chunk of cow elk backstrap. Kosher salt and coarse black pepper. Melt a couple tablespoons of butter in a skillet and sear all sides. Pour some balsamic vinaigrette over the top. Place in the 325 degree oven with an internal probe and pull it when it hits 140 (beef rare). Slice and serve over spinach tagliatelle with a drizzle of the remaining butter/balsamic. Homegrown green beans alongside and a positively obscene Bulleit to wash it all down...

Jake put on his full-bore "I beseech thee" act for Jane. He knows that she's the soft touch at the table...

Perfect!

Saddest pair of eyes in the house on that dog.

Looks fantastic

Looks great! I like Bulleit as well.

That looks delicious!!

Yum,

Looks good. Lucky for you, your thermometer must be off. 140 is medium, not rare.

More like I fat-fingered my temp above (it's what I get for not proof-reading!). I had it set for 130 and, as you see, it sure ain't medium...and these slices were from one end and more done than the center!

Of course, game maintains its red color better than beef, but that's a different discussion...