Game meat: BASC’s Eat Game offers recipes and more

This is independent paid for content from the British Association for Shooting and Conservation – headline sponsor of the Yorkshire Post Rural Awards – where it outlines its opinion on game meat.
Game meat such as this venison is good for you, and it’s ethically produced and truly seasonalGame meat such as this venison is good for you, and it’s ethically produced and truly seasonal
Game meat such as this venison is good for you, and it’s ethically produced and truly seasonal

When it comes to what we eat, there are a few things we’d probably all like to aspire to. Ethically produced. Sustainable. Healthy. Tastes really good. If you are looking for all of this from your food, then eating more game may be something to consider.

Game meat has long been lumbered with a number of hang-ups. Expensive, tricky to cook, strong in taste; these negative associations have followed in the wake of venison, pheasant and rabbit to name a few.

The truth is that game meat is good for you, it’s ethically produced, and it’s truly seasonal. You only have to watch pheasants and partridges roaming wild and free around their territory to realise they live in places that your average supermarket chicken could only dream of.

If you care about your environment, eating well and being certain of where your food has come from, then game meat might be for youIf you care about your environment, eating well and being certain of where your food has come from, then game meat might be for you
If you care about your environment, eating well and being certain of where your food has come from, then game meat might be for you

From a health-giving perspective, venison is an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids and contains half the saturated fat of beef. It is also lower in calories, cholesterol, salt, and higher in protein than its bovine counterpart.

Like wild deer, gamebirds enjoy a varied, foraged diet and plenty of exercise. As a result, pheasant, partridge and pigeon are all lower in fat, and offer more protein, iron, zinc and selenium than duck or chicken.

Find your game

The majority of game meat is sold locally to the area in which it is produced, landing a big tick in the minimal food miles box. However, if you’re not sure where to source game meat in your area, Eat Game is there to help.

Eat Game’s website – https://eatgame.co.uk/ – is a haven for current game consumers and for those looking to eat more of it or try game for the first time. The website includes a Buy Game section, giving details of retailers, producers and game dealers across the country and online.

Venison bao buns anyone?

Game meat has been sold down the river by the naysayers who claim pheasant is dry, or venison is tough when cooked incorrectly. Well, so is beef, pork, lamb or chicken if you give it similar treatment.

Cooking game is not a dark art. Eat Game demonstrates this perfectly, with scores of delicious recipes on offer for every meal, budget, or day of the week. From elegant celebration dishes such as a three-bird wellington, to epic Asian slow-cooked venison bao buns, to super-easy pheasant and cheese croquettes, Eat Game’s recipes are all free to access and fully downloadable.

Not so expensive

One of the greatest travesties of the story of game is that it is seen to be inaccessible and expensive to buy. Shopping locally with your butcher or finding a game dealer in your area can negate elevated costs, all while offering you a higher welfare product by opting for game.

Challenging perceptions

Perhaps the biggest obstacle for game to overcome in order for it to be widely accepted as a mainstream food source is perception. Game is not a privilege of the rich, nor only for those who are involved in shooting in some form. It is food to be enjoyed with your family and friends. The ultimate field-to-fork, free range ingredient. It is exciting, versatile and tastes great. Seriously, if you are a meat-eater, what is not to like?

Consuming more game can be beneficial to us all, on a variety of levels. If you care about your environment, eating well and being certain of where your food has come from, then game meat might just be the thing for you.

This is independent paid for content from BASC. Find out more about the work of British Association for Shooting and Conservation at https://basc.org.uk/