A girl’s guide to game

Hare

1st August-28th February. In addition, there are laws concerning where, by whom and when hare may be shot. For more details, see The Wild Life and Countryside Act 1981
Hare is not as appreciated in the UK - in the culinary sense - as it is in the rest of Europe, though its meat is lean and tasty and lends itself to many different recipes.

The most famous dish for hare is Jugged Hare, most notably because it uses the blood of the animal to thicken the sauce at the end of cooking. Hare can also be adapted to suit most venison recipes.

Rabbit
No Closed Season

Everyone knows what a rabbit looks like and most of us have seen them scampering around the countryside, if not in our own back gardens as pets. They are delicious eating, extremely lean and should be cooked either very, very slowly in a simmering casserole or very quickly (especially the fillets) much like a chicken breast.

Like hare, rabbit is popular throughout Europe. Lapin aux Pruneaux is a classic French country dish that uses prunes and beer in the cooking. In Spain, rabbit is almost a staple, either stewed in wine and served as a pie or simply roasted with the more robust herbs. Even in Britain, we're not averse to the odd rabbit stew or pie.

Recipe: Rabbit in White Wine and Prunes

Deer

Seasons vary depending on the type, sex and age of the animals, and which country you are hunting in (Scotland's seasons are different to England and Wales). In general terms, deer are mainly shot in autumn and winter.
Venison is probably the most common game meat available in the shops today, largely because much of it is farmed and controlled. Still, it is lean, healthy and full of flavour, and because there are so many different cuts to be had off the animal, it lends itself to countless cooking methods and recipes.

The prime cuts such as haunch, loin and best end are tastiest served rare, while the neck, shoulder and shin need long, slow cooking. Venison also makes excellent sausages.

Marinating is a good way to introduce more flavour into the meat - as well as tenderising it - but you must allow several days for it to have optimum affect.

When serving venison, make sure your plates are hot as the fat congeals at quite a high temperature and can become unsightly halfway through the meal.

Recipe: Venison Casserole

Wild Boar
Not hunted in Britain

As wild beasts, boars have been extinct in Britain since the 17th century, although they're still hunted on the continent. They're being farmed in this country and the meat is beginning to appear at game butchers and even some enterprising supermarkets. You can also special order boar from game suppliers.

Only younger boars are eaten (adults can weigh up to 300kg and are huge, ferocious beasts). The meat is dark and is best roasted, pot-roasted or braised and improves in a marinade.