It is Game Time!

The Hunting season is almost at an end. The biltong cabinet is fully stocked and the freezer is filled with game meat. But some of you might find it a daunting task to cook game meat and rather opt for steak instead. Leaving the venison to ponder a bit longer in the icy cold until it is left forgotten below beef cuts or chicken thighs…

The truth is, cooking venison is very similar to cooking beef or lamb, but with different spice combinations and keeping in mind that you are working with a much leaner meat with less fatty tissue than other red meats.
Brining the meat works well to add some moisture and prepare the meat for cooking. Meat can be soaked in salt and water or vinegar and water solution overnight or even in milk or buttermilk to get rid of some of the gamey flavor of the meat.

Steaks should NOT be overcooked! Roasts can be covered to maintain moisture in the meat or even wrapped in bacon. Game meat also lends itself brilliantly to casseroles where meat is slow cooked in stocks and sauces.

Rub your meat with your selection of herbs, spices and salt or marinade the meat for a couple of hours before cooking.

Here are some spices to inspire you to cook a flavourful Game Roast this season!
Herbs usually offer the perfect solution for the stronger flavour of wild game meat. These herbs pair well with most game meats:
Bay leaves,
Sage,
Rosemary
Marjoram
Spices that also work well with game meat includes:
Black pepper
Cloves
Coriander
Juniper Berries
All spice
Paprika
Garlic
Mushrooms (to add that umami flavour)

An easy recipe for Game roast
Ingredients:
1x game leg or 500g roast cut marinated in brine & lemon juice, vinegar water or buttermilk overnight.
3 Tbsp To9 Game Time spice
4-6 cloves Garlic
¼ cup olive oil
250 g bacon strips
Glaze:
3T Smooth apricot jam
1T Flour
3T sherry

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 240 degrees.
2. Poke holes in the meat about 1cm deep.
3. Cut garlic cloves in 4 and insert a piece of garlic into each hole
4. Rub the meat thoroughly with 2 tbs of Game Time spice.
5. Drizzle the meat with oil.
6. Roast the meat in the oven to seal, no more than 10 min.
7. Remove from the oven and lower the heat to 180 degrees.
8. Drizzle with the rest of the Game Time spice and wrap with bacon strips and
   cover with tin foil.
9. Cook the roast for 40 min.
10. Remove foil and glaze with a mixture of jam, flour and sherry.
11. Roast for a final 5-10min.

Tonine Warden – To9 Herbs & Spices