Curtis Pitts from Curtis Pitts Deer Services extols the virtues of venison
Wild British venison is the perfect choice for the Christmas dinner table, itself a cause for celebration, a delicious wild meat that has led the most healthy and natural life possible. There is an abundance of wild venison this season as a result of the pandemic, so it is the most sustainable red meat with minimal food miles as it is harvested in its natural environment.
The wild deer are allowed to forage on hedgerows and in the field and forest and these flora and fauna contribute to the delicious and delicate flavour of the meat. Holly berries are a particular favourite, so these really enhance the natural flavour of venison, making it the perfect centrepiece of any Christmas dinner table. There are a few lovely ways of serving venison, which would be great for Christmas dinner. A firm family favourite in the Pitts household is a Venison Wellington, which we have coined from Charlotte Vincent of The Five Bells at Clyst Hydon. Another recommendation would be a French-trimmed rack of venison ribs with a macadamia nut crust or a boned and rolled saddle of venison with festive cranberry stuffing.
A French-trimmed eight-rib rack of venison would be a also great centrepiece, pan-roasted with garlic, butter thyme or the haunch is a really good cut to slow cook. A good stew would be a great crowd-pleaser for family and friends.
Because venison is in season in the autumn and winter, it goes best with produce that is also in season at this time. I try to match venison with produce of equal seasonality and strength in flavour – what grows together tends to go together.
For example, venison and beetroot – I would smoke the beetroot to make sure this comes through in the dish.
Kohlrabi or turnip are also great bedfellows as they are both quite peppery and the pepper is the flavour that holds up nest to the powerful flavour of venison.
Another popular dish is venison, Brussels sprouts, dark chocolate and blackberries – the bitterness of dark chocolate really compliments the powerful flavour notes of wild venison. I also like to use Shibanuma, or unpasteurised soy sauce, aged in cedar wood barrels for two years as a seasoning rather than salt, and the peaty flavours of Connemara single malt whiskey also go very well too.
When you’re buying venison look for traceability and provenance. The meat should be a rich dark red colour, well-packed, presented and looked after. Venison should be hung properly and for no more than a week. We currently have game hampers available full of locally sourced game. All of our game is shot locally and the flavour is unbeatable as the meat tastes of the lush Devon countryside where the animals have been allowed to forage in their natural environment.