Game Meats
© 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved.
Chapter 8
Game Meats
• Characteristics– Animals work hard to sustain
themselves, so they develop tough lean muscles, with very little fat
– Wild animals eat a varied diet, giving their meat a gamy or strong flavor
– Farm-raised meats also taste earthy and complex
How Fat Affects Game Animals
• The absence of fat can be overcome by:– Addition of fat during preparation– Use of rich marinades– Larding and barding during cooking– Use of aromatics such as herbs, spices,
wines, and spirits– Perfect sauces rendered from the bones
Preparation of Wild Game Meats
• Rules to follow:– Wear plastic gloves at all times– Clean your knife continually, especially
when you are working inside the carcass– Try to keep the carcass clean by getting it
off the ground as quickly as possible– Always use clean equipment during
dressing– Remove the intestines, lungs, liver, and
heart as soon after the kill as possible
Preparation of Wild Game Meats
• Rules to follow:– Carefully remove any musk glands, which
exude a powerful acid that quickly ruins the game
– Protect the cavity from insect invasion– Take care to ensure that these organs are
not pierced and that the animal’s hair is kept free of exposed flesh at all times
– Cool the carcass quickly and keep it cool during processing and transportation
Preparation of Wild Game Meats
• At this time, it is advisable to hang the animal to drain and dry out
• Wipe out any excess blood in gutted cavity with paper towels and fresh water, making sure to remove any loose hairs
• Dry the cavity well and try to prop it open until the cavity is very dry
• To prevent severe spoilage, hang the meat at the proper temperature
Aging Large Game Meat
• Flavor improves as it begins to tenderize
• It becomes easier to cook• The carcass or large cuts should be
held between 34ºF and 37ºF for 7 to 14 days, and even as long as 30 days
• Aging allows the enzymes in the meat to break down some of the complex proteins in the carcass
Aging Large Game Meat
• Rules:– Do not age any game carcass if it was
shot during warm weather and not chilled rapidly enough
– Do not age animals that were severely stressed before being killed
– If the wounds are too extensive over the body, aging is not recommended
Aging Large Game Meat
• Rules:– The animal should be at least 1 year of
age before aging will make a difference– Aging is not recommended for
carcasses with little or no fat covering– There is a time limit when
tenderization slows down and bacterial slime begins to develop
Tenderizing Game Meats
• Methods– Mechanical
• Cutting• Pounding• Grinding
– Plant (protein-digesting enzymes)• Papaya leaves (papain)• Fig• Pineapple• Some fungi
Tenderizing Game Meats
• Methods– Marinades
• Considerations– The marinade will tenderize the muscle fibers of certain
meats– The marinade is intended to improve the flavor of the
meat by penetration the meat fiber– The marinade does preserve the meat for a small period
of time– There are two basic types of marinade:
» A cooked marinade stays on the meat for a long period of time, up to 4 to 5 days
» An uncooked marinade is on the meat for a shorter period of time—2 to 8 hours
Tenderizing Game Meats
• Methods– Marinade
• Considerations– The marinade generally contains some kind of
oil that helps protect the meat during marinating– The ingredients used should be compatible with
the type of meat being used– The ingredients can include herbs, spices, acid
liquids, salts, fruits, alcohol and wines, flavored oils, and pungent vegetables
– The meat needs to be turned regularly in the marinade
Tenderizing Game Meats
• Methods– Marinade
• Considerations– Any alcohol, including wine, used in a marinade
should first be brought to the boil and chilled before use, because the raw alcohol tends to burn the surface of the meat
– The marinade can be used as part of the cooking of the dish that it was used to marinate
– The acids in a marinade that contains vinegar, citric juices, or other acidic liquids act to break down protein chains in meats, making them more tender
Adding Fat to Game Meats
• Barding and Larding• Stuffing • Basting• Tumbling
Furred Game
• Venison– Meat of the red, fallow, or roe deer– Cud-chewing, even-toed, hoofed animals– Shed antlers annually
• Elk– Mild, pleasant-tasting meat– Can be substituted for venison in most
recipes
Furred Game
• Bison– Largest terrestrial animal in North
America– Commonly referred to as buffalo– Meat has unforgettable flavor, with a
very sweet, rich texture– Can be cooked similar to beef– Less fatty than beef
Pawed Game
• Rabbit– Used for eating as far back as 1500 BC– Meat is white with it own distinctive
flavor, comparing favorably to the flavor of veal
– Low in calories and fat, and has less cholesterol than chicken, beef, lamb, or pork
Rabbit
• Removing the Skin– Slice through the skin, up toward the inside
of one of the legs, cutting around the paws and pulling the leg out of the skin
– Remove the tail and, using the tip of the knife to loosen the tissue between skin and flesh, draw the skin down towards the head
– Now cut around the front paws and continue to draw the skin over the head
– Cut off the ears and trim the skin off the head; now the skin should be completely removed and you can start to remove the gut
Rabbit
• Removing the Skin– Make an incision from vent to ribs, along the
middle of the belly, and through the rib cage, making sure not to go so deep that you perforate the intestines
– Break through the skin of the diaphragm, separating the belly from the organs; lift out the lungs, liver, heart, and intestines and separate those you wish to use
– Wash the rabbit well, taking particular care with the cavity, and pat dry
Rabbit
• Removing the Rack– Remove the hind and fore legs and
reserve for further use– Remove the saddle from the carcass,
leaving the rib cage intact– Chine the rack with poultry shears,
splitting into two racks– Break the rib bones halfway to their
ends with a sharp blow of a heavy knife
Rabbit
• Removing the Rack– Pull the excess ribs over the ones
attached to the flesh, removing the connective tissue and flesh from between the bones to create the French look
– Cut the excess off at the eye of the meat, leaving the rack
Hare
• Looks like a rabbit but has very different characteristics
• Larger in size• Very dark, rich, gamy flesh• Judged good for eating if they have very
tender ears when torn, short claws that are easily broken, and an undeveloped harelip
• Best at age 7 to 8 months and weighing 2½ to 5 pounds
How to Prepare a Baron of Hare
• Remove the hind legs and loins from the body
• Remove the bones from the loins, and the aitchbone from the legs
• Remove the sinew and silver skin from the back of the baron
• Stuff with a sausage and fruit dressing, and wrap the baron with back fat
• Tie securely with butcher’s twine
Webbed
• Frog– Species used for cooking:
• Green• Leopard• Pickerel• Bullfrog
– Giant frog– Jumbo frog
Stuffed Frog Legs
• Procedure– Remove the meat from the foot end of the
leg, peeling it back without breaking it and leaving it still attached to the bone
– Beat lightly to form a flattened piece of meat
– Fill with stuffing and roll around the thigh– Wrap in caul fat and cook as desired
Cooking Game
• USDA Guidelines– Whole birds to 180ºF, measuring
temperature in the thigh with a thermometer
– Breast meat to 170ºF– Ground meats and other cuts should
reach 160ºF