How to prepare game properly - basics

Sliced venison, venison fillet, or even cutlets? What is the right meat for game dishes and what game animals are there? We have compiled an extensive guide for you, in which you will learn how to properly prepare your cuts of game meat and what mistakes to avoid when roasting, so that your meat is suitable for consumption.

Especially with game meat, one has to differentiate between the various animals. There are different types of game and thus a different taste of the meat, which is why some varieties are more popular than others.

Game can be broadly divided into two categories: furred game and feathered game. Furred game includes mammals such as red deer, roe deer, wild boar, badger, fox, hare, and wild rabbit. Feathered game, on the other hand, includes wildfowl. These include wild duck, pheasant, partridge, woodcock, quail , and geese . Various birds of prey also belong to this category. Fun fact: Crows are theoretically edible – feel free to watch this video .

This variety of game offers an exquisite selection of game meat , ideal for game dishes . Among the most popular species are wild boar, deer, roe deer, and hare . A quick tip: Hare and wild rabbit are not the same. They differ in size and body structure. Additionally, they taste different and have a different meat texture. Venison is particularly popular.

Venison is characterized by its lean texture. Nevertheless, it has an aromatic taste. Furthermore, there are also health aspects that make venison a popular choice. It is rich in proteins, vitamins and minerals. In addition, venison comes from the wild, which means that the deer only consumes natural food from the forest. Venison is also easier to digest than other protein sources, which can be attributed to its low connective tissue content. It is also free of medication.

It is also excellent for beginners of game meat recipes. Due to its particularly lean texture and typical game taste, quick and easy dishes can be cooked from this meat, which are guaranteed to taste good. Leg, fillet or sliced meat as well as stew or roast. You can find a recipe for venison roast here. With venison, there is something for everyone. However, this requires high-quality venison.

High-quality venison is essential for proper preparation. To avoid making mistakes and buying spoiled meat, we've put together a short guide for you.

You can always recognize fresh venison by its red color. A brownish or black sheen can be a sign of long storage or dehydration of the meat. In addition, the meat has a firm consistency and a slightly nutty smell.

If the meat feels too soft, has a sweetish or unpleasant odor, you should refrain from buying it. If it is vacuum-packed, pay attention to condensation. Excessive condensation suggests that the meat is no longer fresh. Therefore, always buy your venison from a butcher. There you can ask where the meat comes from and thus have a guarantee of freshness. However, stay away from frozen goods from the supermarket.

Venison must always be kept cool. Also, during transport, ensure that the cold chain isn't interrupted for too long. It's best to take a cooler bag with ice packs with you when shopping. If the cold chain is interrupted for too long, your meat will spoil quickly. Therefore, store your venison in the coldest part of the refrigerator. This is directly above the vegetable drawer. A temperature of four to six degrees Celsius is ideal. You can also vacuum-pack the meat and freeze it. We recommend our article on proper meat storage .

Mistakes can easily occur when cooking game . Gentle cooking is usually the best option if you don't want to make any mistakes. But pan-frying will also make the meat beautifully tender, and pan-frying has other advantages. We'll explain everything to you.

The most important tip: always buy your venison from a butcher. This way, you are guaranteed fresh meat and can check its origin directly. However, you should know beforehand what dish you want to cook. Depending on the recipe, the recommendation for the respective venison and its cuts varies.

When purchasing, make sure not to break the cold chain for too long and store your meat in a refrigerator at four to six degrees Celsius, directly above the vegetable crisper. Decide in advance what you want to prepare with the meat. If you want to store the meat longer, it's worth freezing it. You can find out more here.

Always distinguish how you want to cook your venison. There are specific cuts suitable for pan-frying, but also a selection that you should cook slowly in a roasting pan. For a roast, the leg and shoulder of wild game are generally suitable. For a detailed recipe for a venison roast from the leg, take a look here. In addition, the shoulder can also be wonderfully processed into stew. Cuts for pan-frying, on the other hand, are: loin, loin fillets, or fillets.

Wild poultry is a special case. You always prepare it like duck or goose. We also have a video for you. We recommend beginners to choose venison. It is particularly suitable and, due to its lean texture, also very digestible. But now let's get to the correct preparation.

To properly prepare venison, first let it come to room temperature for 30 minutes after taking it out of the refrigerator. If your venison is frozen, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator. We have a comprehensive article on thawing meat. You can find it here.

You can prepare venison in various ways:

• Roasting/Grilling: Ideal for steaks or fillets. Sear the meat and then let it finish cooking at a low temperature.
• Braising: Perfect for leg and shoulder. Cook the meat slowly in a liquid to make it tender. Excellent for venison roasts in the oven or on the grill. You can find a recipe for venison roast here.
• Boiling: Good for shoulder. Cook it slowly as a stew or for goulash. This makes the meat tender and keeps it juicy.

Cooking times can vary depending on the preparation method. Make sure not to overcook the meat, otherwise it will become too dry. Keep an eye on the core temperature so that your meat reaches the desired doneness. You can find a video about doneness here and also a comprehensive article on our blog. However, to generally prepare game meat properly, you need the right spices.

Finding the right side dishes and spices for your cut of meat isn't always easy. Especially for roasts with a nice crust, the right side dish is the cherry on top. We're now going to help with that.

When preparing game meat, the right herbs and spices are crucial to optimally bring out the wild flavor. Whether you are preparing wild boar, venison, deer, or pheasant and duck, the selection of aromatic ingredients is crucial. Lingonberries are the most common choice. In addition to mustard, pepper, and salt, there's a lot more to consider.

However, thyme, rosemary, and juniper berries are particularly suitable for game meat, giving the meat a particularly intense aroma. Allspice or bay leaves are also highly recommended. If you want something a little more exotic, you can use cinnamon, cloves, caraway, or cardamom. However, we generally recommend trying our in-house Burger Seasoning . Despite its name, this spice blend is not only suitable for burgers but for all kinds of meat preparation, including venison. But what side dishes are recommended then? We'll provide some help with that now.

There are numerous side dishes that go well with venison or game dishes in general. However, the accompanying side dish varies depending on the recipe or dish. Here's a short checklist of ingredients that generally pair well with venison .

Venison goes particularly well with:

• Red cabbage with apples
• celery
• root vegetables
• Spätzle, noodles or dumplings
• Mushrooms
• chestnuts
• pumpkin
• potatoes
• puree
• sweet potatoes
• Berries

But there are also sauces and marinades that are particularly suitable for venison and game .

Sauces and marinades for game often determine the success of your chosen dish. It's important to know in advance that the sauce or marinade you need varies greatly depending on the preparation method.

Finding the right sauces and marinades for game always depends on your personal cooking method. A red wine sauce is often recommended for venison saddle . However, broth or game stock is recommended for venison stews. If you don't want to use red wine or broth, rubs can also be recommended for a crispy crust. Our Basic Rub is ideal for this and complements the particularly tender, low-fat venison . It's best to apply the rub before searing.

For a proper roast, you can also make sauces from other cuts of meat. Venison preparation is no different from any other type of meat. However, the cooking time is crucial. Venison leg is particularly recommended. Cook it slowly in a roasting pan. For this, you can use braised vegetables for the sauce and refine them with thyme, rosemary, and juniper berries.

For venison fillets or medallions, we recommend cranberry sauce, also with thyme, rosemary, and juniper berries. Feel free to add jam and vegetable stock to refine the sauce.

In general, either herbs or sweet, spicy varieties are suitable as a base for marinades for fresh game . This applies not only to venison, but also to deer and wild boar. The following marinade ingredients are suitable for all game meats :

1. Sweet chili

• chopped chili peppers
• Pumpkin seed or olive oil
• Honey
• salt and pepper
• chopped parsley
• chopped garlic

2. Herbs

• bay leaves
• Juniper berries
• chopped rosemary
• chopped thyme
• chopped garlic
• salt and pepper
• olive oil

Depending on the portion size of your meat and your personal preference, you'll have to determine the quantities yourself. If you need tips on preparation, feel free to check out our YouTube channel .