If you’re hoping to build a film star physique, maintain your gains, or simply try something nutritious and new, why not give elk meat a go?

WORDS: Jonathan Wells

For decades, actors have bulked up for the big screen by consuming a variety of different meats and proteins. Arnold Schwarzenegger relied on minced beef and baked chicken breasts to get into tip-top, terminating shape. Hugh Jackman turned to black bass and salmon fillets to build his Wolverine bod. And Thor star Chris Hemsworth’s meat of superheroic choice is lamb.

But there’s a new kid on the butcher’s block: elk meat. Leaner than other protein options, this slightly sweet, gamey meat is packed with minerals ranging from calcium to copper, vitamins including the energy-producing B12, and omega-3 fatty acids to help build muscle mass. It’s even brimming with CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), which works to reinforce and maintain bone density.

As such, it’s become a new gourmet go-to for the nutritionists and personal chefs of Hollywood film sets — and none more so than Donnie Stykes, who helped Jonathan Majors transform himself for the upcoming bodybuilding drama, Magazine Dreams.

Majors consumed over 6,000 calories a day to create the physique required of his latest role, and elk meat, Stykes tells Men’s Fitness, was key to doing this efficiently and effectively.

Elk meat is a low-fat option

“Most importantly, it’s healthy for your cells, your immune system and your blood,” explains the nutritionist. “There are other meats that contain high levels of protein — meats that are also considered part of the deer family — but these carry more fat. And that’s what separates elk from the rest, even though other deer meats share similar health benefits.”

Stykes began working with Hollywood stars during production on 2018’s Black Panther, and has since lent his culinary talents to the Creed franchise and Prime Video’s adaptation of Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse, starring Michael B. Jordan. Among the stars elk has helped, he cites Jordan, Daniel Kaluuya, Brian Tyree Henry, Cody Christian and even the late Chadwick Boseman.

Elsewhere in the film industry, Zac Efron introduced elk into his diet ahead of filming The Iron Claw and, last summer, Chris Pratt posted an Instagram video of himself grilling elk steaks medium-rare, served up alongside cottage cheese. So, while it may seem a niche choice, there’s a clear uptick in the clean, lean protein being used to help actors bulk for action roles.

What’s the best cut?

But, if you’re at home hoping to get action-hero cut, what’s the best cut of elk to go for — the portion that will yield the most muscle-building benefits? “In my opinion,” says Stykes, “the best part is the tenderloin, which is located by the back and ribs area. But I also like to use ground elk.

“It’s a tougher meat, however,” he adds, “so it has to be cooked for longer — just like anything else rich in protein, like wild rice. But, being a chef, our gift is that we get to be creative. So I serve it as elk meatballs and spaghetti, or a ground elk and rice, which is like a dirty rice dish from my hometown of New Orleans. That’s just two options I’m throwing out there — but I have many more!”

Ground elk, which has around five times less fat than beef, is particularly versatile — and can be used to whip up quesadillas, chilli con carne, even shepherd’s pie. But it’s good in all its forms; Gordon Ramsay has a well-received recipe for elk tenderloin served with sautéed mushrooms, peas and bilberries.

In the UK, elk meat can be sourced through online retailers including Kezie Foods and the Glasgow-based Charles Frazer Butchers, but Stykes says a good alternative for Brits is venison (or bison, if you’re US-based). “If they become hard to source as well,” he says of these elk-adjacent meats, “go with a lean white fish instead”.

As for the best supplementary ingredients to pair with elk, Stykes says that “every time [he] added elk into a diet plan, it was mixed with a variety of other sources of protein”. “It’s also important to have the right amount of vegetables to match,” he adds. “Fibre is the key to help balance the body in so many ways.”

Elk’s versatile, vitamin-rich meat also means that it will support almost any workout regimen. Stykes suggests full-body calisthenics. “They help build endurance, muscles and you won’t lose your gains,” explains the nutritionist. “It’ll improve whatever you work on.”

So, if you’re looking to build a film star physique, maintain your gains, or simply try something new and nutritious, take your lead from cinema’s biggest stars — and give elk a go.