venison haunch

Where to buy, how to use. Stuffers, casings, spices, grinders, etc.

venison haunch

Postby aris » Sun Dec 04, 2005 1:46 pm

I went to a farmers market today. They had venison haunch there - 17.50 a kilo! Whoa...

Had sausages too, but I didn't buy any. I bought some free-range pork. Lets see if they're any better than what you get at the supermarket.
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Postby Wilf » Sun Dec 04, 2005 7:22 pm

Aris, I should hope your free range pork is better, we do a farmers market somewhere each Saturday with our chilli stuff and always get our meat there. We either get a Aberdeen angus rolled rib of beef, rare breed leg of pork which has a decent bit of fat on where the flavours is and gives good crackling, or a free range chicken or duck, there is no comparison to supermaket stuff which is bred with minimum fat hence no flavour......but for sausages we still make our own....some butchers are now getting the message and you usually have to queue as more people are realizing, you get what you pay for, we would rather have 1 good roast than 2 flavourless dry ones.
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Postby aris » Sun Dec 04, 2005 7:46 pm

Yes, we had the pork tonight and it was very nice indeed - much better than supermarket pork. Wasn't expensive either - 4.99 a kilo for loin chops (bone in and skin on - decent bit of fat too).

I asked what breed of pig they were and she said white-something-or-other which doesn't sound like a rare breed to me.

I'd like to try something different like a Tamworth - but I don't know where to find it where I live.

They company was http://www.grasmere-farm.co.uk/
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Postby Franco » Sun Dec 04, 2005 8:43 pm

Aris,

wy don't you buy some mail order off Barry from this forum? He delivers nationwide. www.pikefarm.com his site is currently being upgraded but you can still mail him.

Franco
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Postby markh » Sun Dec 04, 2005 11:31 pm

At the market I was at today, Venison Haunch (and Ostrich meat!) were both about �22 per kilo!! Sad thing is that I was tempted simply because it is quite rare to get venison (except for the 'supermarket steaks' that is) where I am - (unless anyone knows different and can recommend someone??)

On the plus side I picked up a superb free range, corn fed chicken for just over a fiver (currently being digested..) a nice leg joint and also a whole shoulder of suberb quality lamb for �7. ( about �2.60 per kilo )

I don't mind paying extra if it is good quality meat, but it does irritate when the 'cheap' cuts (e.g. belly or shoulder) cost the same as the 'prime' cuts!
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Postby welsh wizard » Wed Dec 07, 2005 8:15 am

Hi all.

Re venison, I am aware that if you purchase just the haunch or just the strip loin it can be expensive (but very yummy). Try doing what I do which is to purchase the whole beast. Try for a roe deer if possible as they are smaller, and butcher it out yourself, it really is not that difficult. From the beast you can get skirt, neck and shoulder for your sausages, strip loin, chops or saddle and two haunches. If you think 40lb of meat may be too much, get a friend involved, or a bigger freezer!

A freind of mine purchase his deer and pays a butcher to do the dressing out for him, it still works out one heck of a lot cheaper.

You should be able to purchase a whole beast for �1.20Lb - �1.50Lb with its skin off and this could be cheaper depending on the time of the season and the amount that are available. Try your local forrestry commission as most of them will have a cull or try your local sports shop (shot guns) as they often have contacts. If that does not come to fruition look in your telephone directory for a game dealer and purchase direct, it will be more expenxsive than the last two methods but it should still work out cheaper.

Hope this helps - WW.
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Postby Heather » Thu Dec 08, 2005 12:27 pm

WW, I thought that nowadays you could only buy venison from a registered game dealer, I don't think you are allowed to buy direct anymore. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

I bought a haunch roast of fallow deer, about 2.5kg weight, for �18 at the Tring Farmer's Market. The same game dealer advertised whole or half carcasses at about �5/kg but has said he can do cheaper if we call him and collect. I am about to call him now as he has offered "trim" for sausages at �2.40/kg.
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Postby welsh wizard » Thu Dec 08, 2005 1:16 pm

Hi Heather

Yep you are correct re registered game dealers and this has been the case for some time. The animial needs to be kept correctly and within the law but to become a registered game dealer is not difficult or expensive as most deer hunters have correct storage facilities. The game dealers I deal with are pucker and above board and sell their meat to commercial game dealers who then sell it on to the butchers, who then sell it on to the public, all of whom take a cut :lol: . To purchase direct is by far the best and cheapest option. There will be a difference in price if the deer are farmed or wild and I am not too sure what you are being offered but in my opinion �5 a kg for half a beast prepared is not too bad. Is that bagged and wrapped? �2.40 for trim is again quite good but again by far the cheapest way would be to take the whole beast and have a go yourself - it is not that difficult, just think of it as being a big rabbitt!

Cheers WW
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Postby Fallow Buck » Fri Dec 09, 2005 12:18 pm

Me and a couple of mates shoot close to 100 fallow a year, (all wild), and the game dealers are paying us under 50p/lb....

That's a hell of a cut!!
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Postby Heather » Fri Dec 09, 2005 1:26 pm

WW, thanks for the response.

The fallow deer are from the local National Trust estate (Ashridge Estate in Herts), I also thought his prices were quite reasonable, considering what the farm shop sells the same meat for (yes I know everyone has to make a living). He is the authorised game dealer for the Ashridge Estate, so I presume there are not too many middle-men involved.

I have ordered 5kg trim for collection tomorrow, he said this is the price he sells onto butchers, etc. so Sunday will be sausage-making day.

I have considered buying a whole or half carcass, time and freezer space are more of a constraint than the process of butchering. We used to hunt antelope in South Africa, and as I have a degree in biology and thus know how an animal fits together (OH's logic), I used to get the job of skinning and butchering, which I actually find quite rewarding. In fact, I've probably prepped more antelope than rabbits! However, the job is much easier on a friend's farm than in a relatively small kitchen, but that's not to say I may not give it a go toward the end of the season.
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Postby aris » Fri Dec 09, 2005 2:05 pm

Heather,

Care to pass on this guys details?
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Postby welsh wizard » Fri Dec 09, 2005 4:07 pm

Hi Fallow Buck

Yep 50p a Lb is a bit short. The cheapest i have ever purchased a fallow for is 75p a Lb in the skin and that was last year when my chap had 3 hanging, and little custom. Usually I pay c �1.20 - �1.50Lb

There are some shocking prices for venision on the internet which is a shame really when you consider what a reasonable price people can procure it for.

Hi Heather

Sunday sounds my kind of day - good luck - WW
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Postby Heather » Sun Dec 11, 2005 9:11 pm

WW - 2.5kg of venison sausages (mixed with 10% lamb breast for fat) with shallots, parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, bay, juniper and black pepper, and 2.5kg of "Christmas sausuage" with some leftover mulled wine, orange pulp and zest, cranberries, and extra cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ground ginger, plus a few burger patties of the bits left over in the stuffer.
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Postby welsh wizard » Mon Dec 12, 2005 9:04 am

Hi Heather

That sounds fantastic - have you tried them yet?

WW
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Postby Heather » Mon Dec 12, 2005 12:54 pm

Hi WW, we've only tried a small patty of each when we checked the seasoning, and they were lovely. The orange zest really came through in the "Christmas sausage", along with a hint of the traditional Christmas spices. The sausages have been in the fridge overnight but I may have to try a couple tonight before I freeze them.
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