(Photo courtesy of Jack Hennessy)
October 21, 2025
By Jack Hennessy
Print Recipe
While bulls may roam thousands of miles from the Windy City, the culinary inspirations of Chicago transcend terrain and time and continue to treat taste buds worldwide to something special. Then, factor in elk as the basis for the creation, and you have a dish that’s unforgettable—the perfect union of the backcountry west and the flavors that come from the Midwest melting pot.
I grew up south of Chicago but needed to confirm with two close friends: “Does an authentic Chicago-style Italian beef sandwich have onions?” The answer was a resounding “[explicative] no.” I asked about cheese, and while not traditionally served, it was agreed it is somewhat acceptable to add a bit, should one so choose. I’d argue it’s also slightly acceptable, should one decide so, to add grilled onions to an Italian beef sandwich.
But nuts to tradition. Rules are meant to be broken, starting with swapping out beef for elk. This marinade serves as a great base, but if you’re old school, you can simply salt and pepper your roast and then cook or smoke low and smoke ahead of reverse searing.
A low-and-low roast or smoke evenly moves heat slowly through a large elk roast. Sirloin tip, top or bottom round works great here. The reverse sear in an open fire, after at least 2 hours slowly cooking, will add a nice crust to the roast while continuing to push that internal temp to a perfect medium-rare, ideally not much past 130 degrees Fahrenheit. The rest allows for carry-over, which is what happens with the hot exteriors of meat continue to cook the center but at very low and slow rate. All these steps, when combined, increased the real estate of perfect medium-rare throughout the roast while minimizing the well-done, gray edges.
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Serves: 6-8Prep Time: 20 minsCook Time: 1 hour - 1.5 hours
Ingredients:
Whole 3 to 3-1/2 pound roast Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper Olive oil Cooking oil spray Six to eight 6-inch pieces cut from French baguettes (For Marinade) Two medium yellow onions, sliced Four fresh garlic cloves, smashed 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/2 cup port wine 1/2 cup low-sodium tamari Two sprigs each of fresh rosemary and fresh thyme 1 tablespoon dry Italian seasoning mix 2 tablespoons brown sugar 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon browning sauce 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke Four poblano peppers, roasted and skinned Four anaheim peppers, roasted and skinned (For Au Jus) 3 cups beef stock 1 tablespoon “Better than Bouillon” beef bouillon base 1/4 cup port wine (Photo courtesy of Jack Hennessy) Directions:
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To make marinade, thinly slice two medium yellow onions. Add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter to a medium saucepan and heat over medium-low heat. Add thinly sliced onions and lightly salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until caramelized (approximately 30-45 minutes). Once onions are caramelized, add to saucepan four freshly smashed garlic cloves. Stir for 5 minutes then deglaze with port wine. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes then add remaining marinade ingredients. Allow to simmer on low for 30 minutes then place in a non-reactive bowl (glass, stainless steel, or ceramic containers work great) in the refrigerator to cool. While marinade cools in fridge, fully thaw elk roast and trim off any silver skin or fascia. Lightly salt and pepper. Once marinade is cool, add fully thawed elk roast to marinade and cover container. Allow to marinade for 10-16 hours. When ready to cook, heat either oven or smoker to 200 F. Take roast directly from marinade and scrape off any herb sprigs or onions that may stick. Place on stainless steel mesh or similar grate so heat reaches all sides of roast in oven or smoker. Cook roast for 30 minutes at 200 F then raise temp to 225 F and cook for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, until internal temp reads 113 F. Around 100 F internal temp, lightly oil all sides of roast. While roast cooks, to roast peppers, lightly spray with cooking oil and roast in oven at 400 F. Turn after 10 minutes then check after another 5 minutes. Roast until peppers are slightly charred and skin is loose. Remove and place in bowl and cover, place in fridge for half hour for peppers to sweat. Once peppers have sweated, remove stems and carefully peel off loose skin. Cut peppers into finger-size pieces and set aside. Ahead of elk roast internal temp of 113 F, start a large fire using either wood logs or lump charcoal. Once roast hits 113 F internal temp, remove internal meat probe and place roast directly in fire. Turn every minute for an even char across all sides. Cook In fire, turning often, for 4-5 minutes, until the entire roast has a nice crust on all sides. Allow roast to rest for 20-30 minutes prior to carving. To make au jus, add all ingredients to a small saucepan and heat on low, stirring every so often until beef bouillon base is absorbed. To serve, thinly carve venison roast and place atop fresh French baguette pieces (cut to approximate 6- or 8-inch lengths). Add peppers and drizzle over au jus or serve au jus on the side.
