Game Cookery

José Souto celebrates wild British venison with this tasty stew and dumpling recipe — perfect comfort food after a long day out in the field

The stalking season is well under way now and the weather is certainly getting cooler. It’s time to seek out the recipes that will warm us up on autumn evenings, especially after a long day of shooting or stalking. I think venison is having a renaissance. With the cost of living crisis seeing beef, lamb, chicken and pork all increasing in price, wild venison is becoming an increasingly good option for restaurants and retailers.

Venison has also featured in some renowned food competitions and events.

The Craft Guild of Chefs has added the meat to its National Chef of the Year competition, one of the most highly rated and acclaimed chef competitions of its kind. And this year, with the help of Lincolnshire Game, I set the task of boning a haunch of venison for the Craft Guild’s graduate awards. We have also seen interest from NHS trusts, some of which are already using it, as well as other end users now getting on board with wild British venison.

There are some classic flavours in this dish, but they will fail to deliver if the meat

“I think venison is having a renaissance. It is a good option for restaurants and retailers”

is served dry or tough. For a perfect result, you will need to seal the meat well on all sides to lock in the moisture and flavour, while cooking it slowly keeps it tender.