See our Roast Rack of Venison with Port and Blueberry Sauce recipe here. And read on for our Venison Guide:

What is venison?

  • Venison is the collective name given to any of the species of deer sold as meat in the UK.
  • High in protein, venison is dark red and lean, with a fine texture and fairly strong flavour. Meat from older deer has a better flavour, but requires long, slow cooking to achieve tender results. The meat from younger animals can be cooked more quickly. As it’s a lean meat from a wild animal, it’s best served pink to avoid it drying out.
  • Venison is sold as joints and in smaller cuts, cubed, minced or processed into products such as sausages and jerky.

How much do I need?

What to read next
  • We used 2 venison racks to serve 8 people for our Venison Racks with Port and Blueberry Sauce recipe, but as venison racks are cut from one saddle joint, the number of bones per rack may vary. Additionally, the size of the initial saddle joint will vary significantly depending on species, so ask for about 1.5kg (3lb 3½oz) of racks rather than 2.

How do I use it?

  • Venison suits fruity sauces such as cherry, blueberry and redcurrant, as well as earthier flavours such as mushrooms, marjoram and red wine. To keep venison meat moist and tender, marinate and then baste regularly during cooking. For smaller cuts taken from the saddle, loin or fillet, pan-fry or grill. Roast larger joints such as saddle, leg or haunch. Otherwise braise, casserole, stew or add to pie fillings.
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