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Venison Cooking Advice

Farm-raised domestic Venison or Cervena as it is commonly known in the hospitality trade, is a lean, tasty and iron-rich meat.

We do not always approach the the prospect of cooking Venison with confidence, but we should! Venison is easy to cook if you follow a few simple guidelines.

Buy Venison from a trusted supplier. Your local Hunter may otherwise put you off!
Farm-raised domestic Venison is a different taste sensation from the local Hunter's Bounty.
Stick to the premium Cuts available from Gourmet Direct.
Expect a little blood in the packaging. Drain it off and pat the meat dry with a paper towel.
Venison is a Game meat so it carries a Venison smell, most evident when you open the package - this is not strong and should not be off-putting.
Venison has an extraordinary shelf-life when packaged under export conditions - this amounts to months not weeks so do not be alarmed - leave it in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
Plan to serve a little less Venison per person than you would for Beef or Lamb. The rich flavour and density of the very lean meat translates to less meat required per person.
You can marinate Venison for up to three days prior to cooking.
NEVER OVERCOOK VENISON - it is much better to undercook Vension and allow resting to finish the meat.
Winning Venison accompaniments include Cranberries, Tamarillos, Plums, Herbs, Red Wine, Port and raisins. The intense flavour of good Venison withstands rich plate partners!
Venison is the food of Kings so expect to pay a little more for it.
A small amount of Venison will provide you with your daily iron requirement effortlessly.
Venison is great cooked on the barbecue - try slicing a tenderloin thinly, drop slices onto a hot barbecue grill, baste with a little Gourmet Direct Venison Glaze. Quickly remove the meat (after two-three minutes) and serve on a bed of Spinach doused with balsamic drizzle. Grind some fresh Black Pepper over the top and share it with your friends if you can bear to!
Check out our Venison Recipes for more advice and ideas.