A girl’s guide to game

Hanging game
Most game must be hung, the process during which the meat matures, tenderises and develops its full flavour. This 'improving' can be controlled by time and temperature, and is a matter of taste.

Those who hunt and eat game regularly usually like it well hung, or 'high'. This means that the meat has a very strong gamey smell and flavour.

Game offered for sale, particularly in supermarkets, is more likely to be mild, though hopefully still full of the animal's individual flavour.

Age
Another important consideration is the age of the beast you are cooking. This is especially true of birds, but generally applies to all animals (think of lamb and mutton). It's not always easy to tell the age of game, and even gamekeepers can be unsure.

It's almost impossible to tell how old a bird is once it's been plucked and packaged for sale, so you'll need to trust your butcher or supermarket and hope for the best.

Cooking game
Because game is quite lean to begin with, care must be taken so as not to dry it out. 'Barding' a roasting bird is a good way to help protect the meat during cooking. This means laying a piece of pork back-fat (if you can find any) or fatty, streaky bacon over the breast to render slowly as it cooks, keeping the bird moist. You can also smear it with butter and lay a piece of baking paper over the top, which will help retain meat juices.

Over the page: Identifying and choosing game