Venison is virtually fat-free and has a wonderful flavour that lends itself to a variety of cooking methods. It can be treated in much the same way as beef - with the haunch or saddle best for roasting, and steaks and chops fried or barbecued.
Venison is fast becoming the food of the moment, becoming ever so popular because of its versality and tastes. The meat of the red deer is the one that is generally found in supermarkets and butchers. But roe, fallow and sika are also sometimes available and also make good eating.
The fat of a young animal is whiter than that of an older one, and the flesh is dark red and finely grained. Older deer are best marinated and slow cooked.
The shooting seasons for deer vary according to species, sex and country, but venison is widely available, fresh or frozen, from butchers and gamedealers thoughout the year.
To learn even more about the six different deer species in the UK go to the British Deer Society website.
For a variety of venison recipes click HERE.
To watch a video by Scott Rea butchering a deer click here.