Venison

Venison, or deer meat, is a game meat that many recreational hunters are familiar with, but it is not often found on restaurant menus. Wild venison is the ultimate red meat. It's healthier, tastes better and is safer than any meat you can buy in a store. It's also the more ethical choice. Beef cattle all meet the same destiny, but deer are hunted and killed in their own environment, where the smartest and luckiest animals survive and reproduce.

Venison originally meant the meat of a game animal but now refers primarily to the meat of deer. Venison can be used to refer to any part of the animal, so long as it is edible, including the internal organs. Venison, much like beef or pork, is categorized into specific cuts, including roast, sirloin and ribs.

What Does Venison Taste Like?
Venison has a stronger gamey flavour and tougher texture when comparing venison vs beef.

How to Prepare Venison:
You'll want to avoid overcooking venison because it can create rubbery meat with a gamey flavour. Soft cuts of venison, like tenderloin, should be served medium rare at the most. The shoulder, shank and neck can be braised, while the hind end chuck can be cubed or ground. Because venison is so prolific in the world of game meat, there are tons of recipes out there for how to prepare it. You can make venison chili with ground venison, beans, corn and your favourite chili seasoning, or, if you want to change your next tortilla-inspired dinner, try adding tender venison medallions to your favourite fajita recipe.

Venison must be properly tenderized or dry-aged to ensure that it doesn't become too chewy and tough during the cooking process. Since it does not have fat marbling in the meat, it can get overcooked quickly. Venison responds best to braising, slow-cooking, smoking, or pressure cooking. Venison cooks faster than beef, so make sure to sear a venison steak while monitoring the internal temperature until it reaches 145°F. Let the meat rest for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

What Goes Well With Venison?
The gamey flavour of venison pairs well with:

• Fruits: Dates, pomegranate, cherries, blueberries
• Earthy Vegetables: squash, mushrooms, potatoes, carrots
• Herbs: Sage, rosemary, sweet marjoram, bay leaves