Game SA
GAME ABATTOIRS AND MEAT ESTABLISHMENTS OF SOUTH AFRICA
RECIPES
Venison is such a versatile meat and can be used as a substitute for beef in many recipes...
There is no great mystery to cooking game, though it's considered by many to be an ingredient reserved for the keen cook. The only real challenge presented with game is keeping it moist, though this can be prevented through several techniques such as basting, covering while slow-cooking etc.
One must always keep in mind that game meat is considerably leaner than beef or lamb. Game meat doesn’t have quite as much fatty tissue as other red meat, game animals are wild and grow up in their natural habitat, no feeding regime as for cattle, sheep. chickens or pigs. Game animals roam freely, exercising and eating a natural plant-based diet. The result is healthy, lean meat.
Venison can be cooked in casseroles or pies, grilled, barbecued or minced for burgers or sausages - though the challenge of keeping the meat moist really comes when cooking a loin, fillet or steak.
As game meat is very low in fat, it does not have the fat one would find in and on other red meats and therefore has a very short cooking time. Overcooking game meat (mainly loins, filets, steaks and roasts) will lead to a stringy, tough, dry piece of meat and will be unpleasant experience to eat.
The most important tip to give anyone cooking game meat is to make sure that you cook the meat medium-rare – no more. The meat should still be slightly pink and juicy.
This of course does not apply to any of the slow cooked dishes where stocks and sauces are involved. Game is leaner than many types of meat and lends itself brilliantly to slow cooking and seasonal flavours.
If you are really concerned that you might overcook the meat brining may be a consideration albeit a little extra effort. Brining involves soaking meat in a salt solution to improve its moisture content. Covering game meat in a brine does not destroy the protein bonds, instead through osmosis; water is transported to the cells where it’s trapped. The result is a plump, juicy steak that won’t dry out during cooking. To create a simple brine, add two tablespoons of salt to four cups of water and cover the meat for a few hours.
