Venison
Deer meat: very lean, deep red and mineral. The haunch and loin are for cooking fast and pink; the shoulder, neck and shin for long braising.
lean · gamey · iron
Kinds
- Roe
- A small deer; the most tender and delicate.
- Red deer
- Larger, with a deeper flavour — Scotland's venison.
- Fallow and sika
- In between, and widely sold.
- Farmed
- Milder, consistent, and around all year.
Knowing it
- Where to buy
- Game dealers, butchers and farmers' markets. Saddle, loin or haunch to roast; shoulder and shin to stew.
- Worth knowing
- There's almost no fat, so don't take prime cuts past medium-rare — 52–55°C — and rest them well. For stews, keep the heat low and add fat: bacon, lardons or butter.
More meat, in season with it