H&C

2
Jul
2010

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HELP! What game shall I cook on my BBQ?

Game makes for fantastic fragrant barbeques

Dear Jose, I'd be really grateful if you can help me. I am a big game fan and am planning a BBQ for eight people. I always do duck breast, but I'm keen to try something more ambitious on the bbq. I am happy to marinade etc. What would you do on the BBQ and how can I ensure it is tender for eight people? Thanks, Louise.

Hi Louise,
Great to see you are using game in the summer on your BBQ as I tell everyone game is not just for the winter, its an all year food. Cretin joints work well cooked on a barbie. If you are keen to try something more ambitious, how about a haunch of venison. I have cooked this many times and I can tell you that the smell of this cooking will be a real treat for your guests. For eight people I would use a good sized fallow haunch or a small red haunch. Another good one is Cajun marinated pheasant breasts that can be grilled and served with guacamole and a good salsa. Finally you could try grilled rabbit loins with olive oil and rosemary. All these recipes cry out for Beers and wines to match and I am sure Carey Rilley-Ford will have some excellent matches. Please see recipes below and let us know how you get on.

Barbecued Hunch of Venison with a Thyme Garlic and Olive Oil Seasoning

1 Venison Hunch open boned and Butterflied
½ bunch fresh Thyme
5 large cloves Garlic
1 pack Maldon Salt
250 ml Organic Olive oil

1) Take the hunch and cut the shank off at the joint, keep this for another day as this is too tough to cook on a BBQ. Open bone the thigh by cutting down on to the bone and following it then cut around it.
2) Once the bone is out place a cut either side of where the bone had been to flatten out the Venison and make it all one thickness.( Ask you butcher to do this for you if you have any problems)
3) Place the Thyme, Garlic, Olive oil and Salt into a liquidizer and blitz to make a paste
4) Use Maldon salt as it has large flaky crystals that make a good paste without making the meat too salty. Use Spanish LA Organic Olive oil because it has a higher burning point and because it will also soften the Venison and give fantastic flavour as it marinade it.
5) Take the Marinade and rub well in to all the Venison.
6) Place Venison into a plastic bag and pour the rest of the marinade over then tie a knot in the bag and place in your Fridge over night.
7) The next day remove from fridge and allow to sit for an hour or so.
8) Light the BBQ and allow to get hot in the case of Charcoal allow to burn until white.
9) Scrape off the marinade from the Venison.
10) Place the Venison onto the BBQ and seal well on both sides, then remove from BBQ.
11) Take a large square of foil doubled over 4 times with the shiny side out to reflect a little heat.
12) Place the Foil in the centre of the BBQ and then place the Venison on top. Close the BBQ lid and allow to cook, turning after 15 to 20 min and then cook for a further 15min.
13) Venison should be cooked to Rare or medium then allowed to rest for 10 min before slicing and serving.

Grilled breast of Pheasant with Cajun spices

8 Pheasant Breasts
150g Cajun Spices
½ Bunch Coriander Chopped
200ml La Organic Olive oil
Salt & Pepper

1) Mix the Cajun Spices oil and Coriander together
2) Dip the Skinned Pheasant breast into the oil mix 1 at a time and place into a sandwich bag then add the rest of the mix.
3) Leave over night
4) Scrape off excess marinade and cook on BBQ for 3 to 4 min each side
5) Serve with Guacamole, Salsa or a tzatziki dip

Grilled Fillet of Rabbit Marinated in Garlic and Thyme

8 Saddles of Rabbit
200 ml La Organic Olive oil
½ Glass White Wine
1 Clove of Garlic
½ bunch of fresh Rosemary
Salt & Pepper

1) Take the Rabbit Saddle and look along each side of the backbone at the two long round pieces of meat either side of it (the Loins). Place your knife along the backbone and cut down keeping the knife as close to the backbone as possible so as to take all the meat off the bone.
2) Do the same the other side. Pull off the belly flaps and you will be left with a cylindrical piece of meat about 4 to 5 inches long depending on the size of your Rabbit.
3) On the top of these loins you will see a silver skin of sinew this needs to be removed, Lay the loin on the board sinew facing down then taking a sharp knife get under the sinew and slice it off just as you would skin a fish.
4) In a liquidizer blend the Olive Oil, Wine, Finely chopped Garlic, chopped Rosemary and seasoning.
5) Place the Rabbit into a sandwich bag and add the mix make sure the Rabbit is all well coated in marinade. Tie a knot in the bag and leave over night in the fridge.
6) Scrape off the marinade from the Rabbit.
7) Light the BBQ and allow to get hot in the case of Charcoal allow to burn until white. Cook the loins a few minutes each side like a sausage and serve with a crisp baby leaf salad dressed with Balsamic vinegar dressing. Ideal for the summer.