CONNOISSEUR:Full of iron and fatty acids, and low in fat, venison offers a healthy - and tasty - alternative to beef, writes Hugo Arnold
THE STEW WAS thick, rich and glossy, the meat tender and succulent. I had gilded the lily and added butter-glazed chestnuts for seasonal cheer. Yet the cry went out when I was forced to counter the expression of satisfaction over an excellent beef stew. It was venison.
Why the surprise? This is a dark meat like no other. Topside of beef gallops in with 11.4g of fat per 100g while venison scores just 2.5g per 100g. It is rich in iron and full of omega-3 fatty acids. Buy farmed venison and you are guaranteed to be eating something young. And in the world of venison, youth is everything
When so much food is factory-farmed to within an inch of its existence, and the price of good old-fashioned beef and lamb seems to rise inexorably, why not consider alternatives? These majestic creatures are worthy of consideration.
The truth is, for many people, venison seems posh, a link with grand rolling estates, of stalking, tweeds and shotguns. Yet nothing could be further from reality. Buy venison today and you are buying meat from an animal that has led a carefree existence on fenced pasture safe from its natural predators.
Wild venison can be a tricky ingredient to work with. It is unpredictable and, as a result, is subjected to all manner of unsuitable treatments. Marinating it in a concoction high in cola is how one member of my family firmly believes success can be achieved. Long slow cooking is another option.
Both are rather flawed if you look at the science. The low fat content in venison means it needs cosseting, rather than attacking with an acid bath, and short cooking if it is to retain a juicy succulence. Marinating can impart flavour, and if you are going down this route, use a marinade that is oily and fruity rather than sharp.
As with rabbit - another much under-used meat - farmed venison is far preferable to wild, and is what chefs, in their wisdom, prefer to use. It is preferable to select young animals, typically between 18 and 20 months. And farmed has the advantage of allowing greater control over the killing and hanging. Let's face it, dinner is not at its best having been chased half way round the country and then dragged home.
Most of the venison we produce in this country is exported, mainly to the UK, France and Denmark. Direct supply, via farm shops and farmers' markets, is a good route to go if you want to track some down, while Superquinn, M&S and Tesco also sell it.
As to what cut to buy, opinion is divided. My own view is to start with stewing venison, and shoulder is particularly good. Take care not to overcook it, and use lots of vegetables in the mix, for something rich, earthy and succulent. There are some who advocate steaks and roasts of venison, as they are easy to cook, particularly the steaks. But roasting venison requires quite a lot of confidence and knowledge (it is that lack of fat again).
Whichever cooking method you choose, err on the side of rare, and even undercooking. With its lack of fat, vension can be dry.
The habit of fashioning venison into sausages leaves this diner for one, less than keen, their tendency to dryness being a major obstacle to their enjoyment. Adding pork fat seems to be the only solution, which begs the question, why not just eat a pork sausage?
When it comes to smoked venison, however, things begin to look up. Ed Hick smokes Coopershill venison for sausages, and you can now get a smoked salami from the Gubbeen Smokehouse which uses venison.
harnold@irish-times.ie