The best taste

While I have been looking around the forum there have been a number of comments on how different species have different tastes and Sika meat seems to be a favourite.

I am interested to hear just what is the best tasting deer and does anyone have any favourite sauces for their venison roast dinners.
 
My wife makes a very nice sauce out of black berries, I'll get the recipe if you want. When I have a successful stalk I have a look around for seasonal fruits to go with the venison. I have even used sloes! I like the idea of using the foods that the deer themselves would of eaten. Wild fruits are good because they are rather 'Tart' and brings out the taste of the venison. Last year the wife made Traditional Cumberland Sauce for Christmas presents for our shooting friends. It went down very well!

I'll get the Memsahib to post some recipes up on this thread Dave.
 
hello Beowolf please do ask Memsahib to post some recipes, I get great satisfaction eating what you have shoot and prepared yourself. Nothing better than good food and good company of an evening.
I will try the wild fruit idea ,I have tried the sloes. I use the sloes from the sloe gin. Once the gin has been sieved off the sloes that are left make a wonderful base to any sauce, after a year of soaking in gin they have a super flavor
 
I think that each beast needs to be assessed on its merits as to flavour. Roe is finer than fallow in texture etc etc. What I have found makes a massive difference is how long the meat in hung in the chiller. I now keep mine for 2 weeks at 2-4 degrees and the transformation is amazing.

Mark
 
Hello Chaps

For my sins Mrs Beowulf here. I understand you want some recipies to go with your venison. Well I worship at the alter of Delia (as does Mr B for reasons he keeps to himself!) but I do tend to add my own twist on her recipies as the mood takes me, which so far seem to work out for the most, either that or Mr B is too scared to tell me he does not like what I put in front of him.

Here are Delia's recipies which you should be able to tweak to your own tastes.

Redcurrant Jelly

2lb Redcurrants
2lb Sugar

Place the washed fruit into a preserving pan and slowly bring to the boil (when I made this I was using my stores from the freezer so did not need to add any water but you may just want to add a drop in the bottom of the pan). Stir and break up the fruit to release the juice and after 10 minutes add the warmed sugar. When the sugar has dissolved bring the mixture to a rapid boil for 8 minutes.

Over a large bowl place a large sieve lined with gauze and pour the mixture through. When it has all dripped through pour the jelly into two clean jars and seal.

Cumberland Sauce

1 medium lemon, 1 medium orange, 4 large tablespoons of redcurrant jelly, 4 tablespoons of port, 1 heaped teaspoon mustard powder, 1 heaped teaspoon of ginger.

First thinly pare off the rinds of both the lemon and orange, then cut into short very thin strips. Boil in water to extract any bitterness and drain well.

Place the redcurrant jelly and port in a saucepan and melt whisking over a low heat for 5-10 minutes.

In a serving bowl mix the mustard and ginger with the juice of half the lemon till smooth then add the juce of the whole orange, the port and redcurrant mixture and finally the orange and lemon peel. Mix well and serve cold.

Blackberry Sauce

I just winged it for this recipe. Into a pan put the blackberries, brown sugar, stick of cinnamon and cover with red wine. Bring to a gentle simmer. Then sieve to remove the pips.

Thanks Grizzley Davey we will try that Sloe Gin Sauce.

P.S. MarkH it is not me that says we cannot have a puppy we have a very fussy Jack Russell bitch who is the boss when it comes to having any more dogs.
 
African venison

Kudu back straps are one of the best, along with Eland, however they are rather hard to come by in the UK, therefore I find a yearling Sika stag or hind to be the best of all for me.

Having tasted just about everything from a Sitatunga, to an Elephant in Africa there is not much wild venison that is not good to eat. However Elephant is a bit tough!!! much like chewing a spare wheel, without the rim!!
 
MarkH is dead right. With all meat it is the post slaughter (or shooting) care of the meat which has the biggest impact on flavour and tenderness and venison is no exception.

Most supermarket meat is way too fresh as it is literally "dead" money hanging in the fridges and is usually sold probably less than two weeks after slaughter when most red meat needs at least three weeks, better four weeks, before it is ready. If meat is aged for anything much less than this it makes it tough and low on flavour. I try to buy my meat from local butchers but when I do go to a supermarket I try to choose the very dark coloured meat close to the "sell by" date. If you poke it through the plastic with your finger you can judge the tenderness.

My favourite venison is muntjac, followed by a nice late August or September fallow pricket. I've never stalked or eaten sika so I can't comment although on a pheasant shoot I did have a vension casserole that contained muntjac, roe, fallow, red, and CWD venison.
 
thankyou Tikka-ess for your recipies, the Cumberland sauce looks great my wife is going to try it next weekend.
Mark I am hoping to get a chiller cabinet some time soon so I will be able to let the meat hang for that little bit longer. At the moment I only leave it for as long as the weather allows.
Sikamalc I will have to take your word for the taste of kudu I have never had the pleasure, may be one day I will get the opertunity
 
Back
Top