Читать книгу The Irish Farmers’ Market Cookbook - Clodagh McKenna - Страница 34

I think game isn’t something many of us know a great deal about. We probably think it’s something men in flat caps and plus fours with red noses and double-barrel shotguns go hunting for at certain times of the year. We don’t really know where to buy it, how to cook it and to be honest don’t really go a bundle on the taste. Well, I think it’s worth a second chance.

So, when is the gaming season? It kicks off in mid-August and draws to a close around the end of January. It is called ‘game’ in reference to the sport of shooting, but ‘gamey’ has come to describe the rich, intense flavour we associate with eating wild meat. Game that can be found at the Irish markets include: deer, pheasant, duck, grouse, snipe, woodcock, goose, rabbit and hare.

The taste is a result of the animal’s diet, the fact that the muscle is lean, and the way the meat is hung. Hanging relaxes the meat, making it more tender and intensifying the flavour. The amount of time an animal is hung depends on its size and the temperature of the room.

So why are we reluctant to eat game? I think there is a lack of knowledge about how it is prepared. You can ask your butcher to prepare the meat for you and discuss how long it has been hung. There is also a confusion about how to cook game – the lean meat can dry out very quickly. There are, however, many ways round this: cook it with pork belly or a fatty meat; cook it in large chunks if you are making stew; and, in the case of venison, cook it quickly on a high heat, or if you are cooking a joint, cover it in bacon rashers. Look out for game the next time you visit your local farmers’ market or butcher and give this wonderful meat a try.