Meat
Venison
Venison is the lean red meat of deer species, fine-grained and low in fat with a clean, mildly gamey flavour that varies by species, age, and diet. Wild hill venison tastes more aromatic than farmed park deer; prime haunch and saddle suit roasting, while shoulder and shin excel in slow cooking. Culinary traditions from Scotland to New Zealand and continental Europe treat venison as a premium game meat for roasts, stews, sausages, and cured products.
Also known as: Chevreuil / Cerf
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History
Deer hunting supplied meat, hides, and antler tools to Ice Age and early Holocene societies across the northern hemisphere.
Norman forest law reserved deer hunting for elites, embedding venison in aristocratic English and European cuisine.
Deer were introduced to New Zealand, later establishing a major farmed venison export industry.
Farmed deer systems and vacuum-chilled export expanded global restaurant demand for consistent venison supply.