Scottish Wild Venison | What is it? | How to cook it?
What is Venison?
Venison is very similar to beef, with very similar vitamins and minerals but less fatty. This lean meat is packed with iron and more protein pound for pound than your regular beef and less saturated fat. Making it the healthiest red meat out there.
Traditionally Venison is hung to mature, this helps the meat become tender and develops the flavour of the meat and butchered by our team of specialist butchers.
Wild or Farmed?
All our Venison is Scottish and wild, which is completely different to farmed venison. The biggest difference is to do with diet, wild deer survive off of grass, fruits, berries and anything they find on their path whereas farmed venison is fed man made feeds to help bulk them up and mimic their natural environment.
Another reason to sway towards wild venison as they are much more developed muscle wise and are leaner and contain less saturated fats compared to farmed. This helps regulate metabolism, lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes and can even help protect against heart disease and cancer.
How do I cook it?
With most meats, you are best to let the meat heat up to room temperature before cooking. This makes sure that you don’t end up with a cold centre and avoids overcooking your meat which can make it tough.
As venison is a very lean meat the best way to cook it is high and fast, or add in extra fat to keep it moist whilst cooking slowly. The cooking methods can obviously vary depending on the cut of meat. When serving venison the best way to serve is medium rare, this means an internal temperature of 57°C/135°F.
How to Cook a Venison Steak
To make sure to cook the perfect venison steak we have a few hints and tips to make sure your meal is served perfectly!
Best cooked in a cast iron frying pan, don’t worry a regular non-stick pan is great too, make sure to oil your meat instead of your pan.
Sear for 1 minute each side per centimeter of thickness.
Finally as with every red meat, let it rest!
How to Cook a Venison Roast
Having the perfect roast for your Sunday dinner can make or break your plate! Our handy hints and tips are here to make your meal one to remember!
Adding salt and a good dosage of heat makes the perfect crispy tasty roast. When cooking large cuts, it is always best to sear and seal on all sides before roasting. This allows for all the tasty juices to stay in the meat. For the perfect roast, pop it in the oven at 180°C/350°F and cook for 15 minutes for every 500g, creating a yummy medium rare. If medium rare isn’t your preference simply cook for a little bit longer until cooked to how you like it.
Take a look at our table below for a quick guide on cooking times! If you are cooking a large cut of meat simply weigh your cut and calculate your cooking time.
Weight
Cooking time
500g
15 minutes
1kg
3o minutes
1.5kg
45 minutes
Once cooked, allow to rest before carving.
How long should I rest my Venison for?
Any red meat should always be rested after cooking to allow the juices to distribute evenly throughout the meat. Depending on the cut and size of meat, you should be resting for around 5-10 minutes. To help keep your meat warm you can cover it with foil while resting, this makes sure you're not serving it up cold!
What goes with Venison?
Venison works well with most vegetables, flavours and seasonings, but our top recommendations are, bacon, mushrooms, red wine, thyme and various other veg such as carrots, tomatoes and potatoes.
To help you get creative with your Venison cooking we have included a few delicious recipes for you to try with our different cuts of meat! When you make any of these tasty suppers be sure to tag us on our socials @aberdeenshirelarder or use the #aberdeenshirelarder and let us know what your thoughts!
Venison Recipes:
Venison Steak with Mushroom Sauce.
The best way to enjoy a delicious steak is with a mushroom sauce, served with mashed or boiled potatoes and hearty vegetables.
Ingredients:
25g mushrooms
3 venison steaks
25g butter
1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 shallot , finely chopped
2 tbsp dry sherry
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
6 tbsp double cream
Method
Roughly chop your mushrooms and set aside. Season the steaks with lots of pepper and a little salt. Oil and season the steaks on both sides, then cook the steaks for 2 mins on each side for medium rare or longer to your liking. Remove from the pan, cover with oil to keep warm.
In the same pan, fry the shallot, then add the drained mushrooms and cook until lightly browned. Splash in the Sherry, balsamic vinegar and the cream, and simmer down to make a thick, creamy sauce. Put the steaks and their juices back in the pan, spoon over the sauce and serve with your potatoes and vegetables.
Venison Roast
Ingredients
for the roast
2 tbsp oil for frying
650g venison haunch
2 carrots- roughly chopped
1 onion- roughly chopped
2 sticks celery- roughly chopped
For the gravy
100ml red wine
2 tsp redcurrant jelly
2 sprigs rosemary
250ml beef stock
salt and pepper
Method
Main
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 220°C/Gas 8.
For the roast
Heat the oil in an oven and flameproof roasting tin, shallow casserole dish or frying pan over a medium-high heat.
Add the haunch and brown it on all sides. Place the veg tightly around the meat and season with pepper. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes.
Lower the heat to 180°C/Gas 4 and roast for another 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, transfer the meat to a plate and cover it with foil.
Make the gravy
While the meat rests. Add the wine, redcurrant jelly and rosemary to the pan with the veg still in it. Heat over the hob and stir to release any caramelized bits of meat from the pan. Boil for 1-2 minutes, then add the stock.
Turn down the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes to reduce the gravy slightly. Strain the gravy, season to taste and serve with the roast venison.
Best served with mashed or roast potatoes!
Will you go wild in the kitchen?
Whether you’re using our delicious venison recipes or have hunted out your own, venison can be a healthy addition to anyone's diet! To take a look at our butcher prepared venison, visit the Venison section of our website. Everything is available to buy online today for delivery to your doorstep!
