Brine and dine this season

With luck, you’ll soon be returning from the moors with your share of the bag, so Philippa Davis has some advice to ensure your culinary experience is every bit as good as your sporting one

I have the solution to one of your biggest shoot season conundrums. Sadly, it’s not how to get extra invites to the moor or guarantee your dog doesn’t embarrass you. No, it’s how to ensure the whole experience doesn’t end on a low. Bringing home some of the bag to eat is hugely rewarding, especially knowing how much work, love and skill went into getting it. So, the final stage, consuming it – which is, personally, my favourite bit – should be perfect.

We all know that lean meat, like game birds, can easily become dry and tough if not handled well. So, my top tip for this season is designed to stop that happening: brine the meat. Brining is a simple process that involves immersing an ingredient in a lightly salted solution. This allows extra moisture to be taken on and, in the case of lean meats such as game, helps the muscle fibres to relax and become more tender.