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Choosing Game

Flavourful eating

We may no longer fancy the red squirrels or peacocks our ancestors tucked into for dinner but more familiar types of game are enjoying a revival. The likes of pheasant, partridge and venison seem to be appearing more frequently in markets and on restaurant menus. One reason is that, as well as being low in fat, game is a good source of protein and contains large amounts of vitamin B and iron. It also provides potassium (which helps your body's cells to work properly) and phosphorus (for healthy bones and teeth).

Another reason for the revival is that, compared to intensively farmed meat, game is full of flavour. A varied diet of wild grasses, grains, berries and insects inevitably means more flavour. As game has to fend for itself and work hard to survive in the wild, it's low in fat compared to much of the farmed meat we eat. Plus, following various farming crises, wild game is also seen as a more 'ethical' alternative to intensively farmed meat. As Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall says in The River Cottage Cookbook: "All wild meat comes with a unique and invaluable guarantee of quality."

That said, only a very small proportion of the game we eat can really be called 'wild'. Most of the venison found in UK markets is farmed and even game birds which have been shot, particularly pheasants and partridge, are born in captivity (some in relatively intensive rearing systems), to be released into the wild when they are a few weeks old.

Game is big business in the UK, generating millions of pounds annually. In recent years, there has been a great deal of negative press coverage of some unethical practices. Keen to ensure that paying guests shoot 'their money's worth', some shoots have raised huge numbers of birds - far more than their guests can actually use or consume at the end of their outing. The result has been that the estates hosting the shoots have found it simpler and cheaper to simply dispose of the dead birds, rather than sell them on to game dealers.

Fortunately, this practice has been loudly condemned by conservationists and the game industry itself and has now been largely (but not completely) discontinued.

Hanging

The longer meat is hung, the more pronounced the flavour will become.

One disadvantage to wild game is that the meat can be quite tough and dry. To counteract this tendency, it is 'hung' after shooting to break down the tough fibres and help tenderise the meat. Hanging also allows the gamey flavour to develop. The longer meat is hung, the more pronounced the flavour will become.

It's important that game is hung in a cool airy place, well out of the way of any cats, dogs, rats or foxes. If the atmosphere is too warm or moist, the meat will quickly decompose and go off.

In earlier times, birds would be hung by their heads until the body fell off, at which point they would be ready for cooking. This is probably a little too strong for today's palate but hanging for a short time is worthwhile. If game isn't allowed to develop its unique flavour, you may as well buy and cook farmed meat.

Buying game

You can buy oven-ready game from supermarkets but if you want to know a bit more about what you're buying, go to a specialist game dealer. You can search for local suppliers at Game-to-eat, or call the National Game Dealers Association on 01264 730294.

The game dealer will skin and clean game for you

The dealer will be able to tell you the age of the animal, when it was killed and how long it has been hung. They will often have a good supply of locally shot game of different ages that have been hung for different lengths of time. The game dealer will skin and clean game for you and will joint it if you ask.

If you're not confident about what to buy, don't be afraid to ask for advice. Say how gamey you want it and also how you are planning to cook it. Your game dealer will be able to provide you with what best suits your needs.

You could also try farm shops which often stock different kinds of game. Fine food fairs and the internet are another good source of game.

Cooking game

It's important to know the age of your game as this will affect how you cook it. Young game requires quick roasting at a high heat. Older game will be tough if you cook it like this and will do better as a pot roast or casserole.

You can tell the age of a bird if it hasn't been plucked - a young bird's legs are smooth and the beak and feet are still pliable. Young rabbits and hares have ears that can be torn easily.

Game seasons

Most wild game is only available during the shooting seasons, which vary from animal to animal. Here are the seasons for the main types of game.

• Grouse 12 August to 10 December
• Pheasant 1 October to 1 February
• Partridge 1 September to 1 February
• Ducks and geese 1 September to 31 January
• Hare 1 August to 29 February
• Red deer stags 1 August to 30 April (England, Wales, Northern Ireland), 1 July to 20 October (Scotland)
• Red deer hinds 1 November to 28 February (England, Wales, Northern Ireland), 21 October to 15 February (Scotland)
• Fallow bucks 1 August to 30 April
• Fallow does 1 November to 28 February (England, Wales, Northern Ireland), 21 October to 15 February (Scotland)
• Roe bucks 1 April to 31 October (England, Wales), 1 April to 20 October (Scotland)
• Roe does 1 November to 28 February (England, Wales), 21 October to 31 March (Scotland)

Hints and tips on choosing game taken from the BBC food website.