You have wild game – now, how do you cook it?
The term ‘game’ applies to wild animals and birds that are hunted and eaten. It also includes birds and animals once caught in the wild that are now raised domestically, such as quail, rabbit and deer. Game falls into two categories. The first is feathered game or game birds, including grouse, pheasant, partridge, quail, snipe, wild duck, woodcock and wood pigeon. The second is furred game, including hare, rabbit, venison and ‘wild’ boar.
Wild game’s generally more flavorsome than farmed meat, and may be a little tougher, depending on the age of the animal. To counteract the toughness, it’s ‘hung’ after shooting to help tenderize the meat and encourage the development of ‘gamey’ flavors. The longer meat is hung, the more pronounced the flavor will become, but hanging periods usually range from two days (for rabbit) to up to 12 days (for venison).
Some prep starts in the field, and then the cooking prep starts at home, or around the campfire. There are many great cookbooks and websites with delicious meals just waiting for you to explore. We found the popular AllRecipes.com site, and think it’s a great start for beginners, novices or grill experts!