As products and
suppliers editor of Caterer I often have the privilege to taste and test new
food, drink and equipment.

What I hadn’t achieved until last week was to spend a day watching a talented
chef, come lecturer come butcher educate in the art of Game Recognition and
Preparation.  Jose Souto at Westminster
Kingsway College London I
salute you.

I went into the seminar a complete novice and although I have only scratched
the surface, it will definitely make me less nervous of the animals and appreciate
the beauty of them more – in the wild and on the plate. 

Did you know?

·           Game in the UK has adapted.  Our weather
conditions are milder and wetter, and the food that these animals live on has
altered too.  This means that we do not need to mask the meat with such
strong flavours as often described in older cookbooks.

·        
There are over 13 different species of game bird in the UK, not all of
them are indigenous.  These include: Pheasant, Reg-legged Partridge (known
as Frenchies), the Red Grouse,
the Capercaillie (the largest game bird to be found in the UK), the
Ptarmigan and the Quail (it is illegal to hunt wild Quail in Britain due to its
declining numbers).

·          
Snipe & Woodcock make a knocking noise when flying in the moonlight,
they don’t have a game scent and they must have their gizzards removed if
cooked classically

·        
The present thinking is to hang feathered game from its head. 
Pheasants don’t need handing nowadays (just relax them, chill and eat
fresh)

·        
Tufted ducks are really muddy and are best cooked in casseroles

·        
You can tell the age of a duck by tearing its feet – the easier they
tear the younger they are

·        
Large ground game in this country includes six breeds of deer: Roe Deer,
Fallow Deer, Red Deer, Sika Deer,
Reeves’ Muntjac
and the Chinese Water Deer

·        
There are three acceptable ways to shot a deer: head shot, neck shot
& chest shot. Butchers prefer a head shot.

·         
Most deer will give you a 50/50 bone to meat ratio/yield

·        
The Muntjac deer is the worst one to skin

·        
Always bleed and gralloch (viscerate) a deer at point of kill

·        
Small ground game including Wild Rabbit, Brown and Blue Hare (Mountain hare)

·        
You can tell the age of a rabbit by tearing its ears – the easier they
tear the younger they are

·        
Never put rabbits on a board before skinning. Skin on a tray, then
transfer to a board

·        
Contrary to belief – it is the Blue Hare that is indigenous to the UK
and Hare loins eat like a piece of steak

Roll on the glorious
12th, and the start of the next game season.  Everyone involved in
sourcing, supplying and creating with game should go on this course. 

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