How to prepare game meat

Cooking game meat on the BBQ is like a journey through time. There is something real, natural, libertine about it. This rivalry between man and his food. Respect in the preparation and the fire!

Nowadays, there are more and more intermediaries between the animal and our plate and we no longer feel the urgency that once animated the Aboriginals of Quebec. Before the arrival of the first Europeans towards the end of the 15th century, the Amerindians maintained a subsistence relationship with hunting to meet their basic needs of course, but also a religious and political relationship. It was in the 17th century, with the fur trade, that the activity became intensely commercial. It will remain so to this day.

In the 19th century, sport hunting began to be practiced. It was practiced by the bourgeois elite gathered in clubs. It was only at the beginning of the 20th century that hunting became democratized and that the territories became accessible to the population. However, livestock farming took over with the densification of the population and the industrialization of production methods. Certain animals such as pork, beef and chicken being predisposed to breeding, took the market by storm and wild meat became marginalized.

In the current context of standards related to the production of meat that can be distributed, wild meat is prohibited from sale in the vast majority of markets and restaurants in Quebec. Despite a pilot project in 2014 that was to allow 10 chefs from La Belle Province to put game meat on their menu, the lack of control over the safety of the production process scared the MAPAQ, which ultimately abandoned the project.

Almost all of the supply is now farmed game, even though the term "game" refers to meat from hunting. This practice allows many to enjoy the various subtleties of game meat without having to take up arms. Needless to say, given the limited market, these products are worth their weight in gold.

That said, whether you are an inveterate hunter, one of his friends or simply curious to discover new flavors, our expert Pierre-Luc Darveau gives you his tips and advice for preparing your catch on the BBQ.

For any information on hunting in Quebec: https://mffp.gouv.qc.ca/

Game meats, tips and tricks!

In Quebec, hunting has been part of our DNA for several generations and too often people ask me for tips to improve their cooking! Here is an easy-to-follow guide that will answer all your questions:

How to reduce the wood (iron) taste in your meat:

1. Use a smoker or smoker box in your BBQ to camouflage the strong flavors. Plus, when it's smoked, it's much better. However, be careful to keep your meat moist. I recommend maple, apple, cherry or hickory as smoking wood.

2. Remove as much fat as possible from your meat. Accumulated fat is rich in flavor.

3. Remove the bones from your cuts of meat, they also contain a lot of flavor.

4. Use good, strong spices. BBQ Québec dry marinades in collaboration with Ferme Monette are ideal for wood meat! Each of the 5 spices goes well with a specific type of game; moose, deer, fish, partridge, bear, etc. So you can choose the ones that suit your catch!

5. Injecting your cuts of meat. You can use your own mixtures or go with pre-made injections such as Butcher BBQ Prime Brisket Or Bird Booster .

6. Using apple cider vinegar also helps cut this taste and make the meat more tender.

7. Marinate your meats: however, don't forget to dry them thoroughly before cooking!

How to keep meat juicy?

1. First, use a thermometer like the Thermomax to cook your meat well and not overcook it. For rare meat, take it out at about 125°F internal so that it ends up at 130°F internal.

2. Add fat! Wrap your piece of meat with bacon or pancetta, inject it with butter flavored with cognac or herbs or simply with Butcher BBQ grilling oil.

3. Regularly baste your piece with broth or cooking juice.

4. Use injections containing phosphate to retain moisture.

5. Wrap your longer cooking times sooner than regular beef.

6. Keep the atmosphere in your smoker/BBQ nice and humid with a container of water.

7. Do not cook your meat over direct heat during the entire cooking process.

Some accompaniments for your wild meats:

1. Pan-fried mushrooms, bacon and shallots

2. Potatoes with duck fat and rosemary

3. Chestnut puree

4. Pepper sauce

5. Hunter's Sauce

List of photos: Grilling oil butcher, injections butcher, dry marinade Argentina BBQ Québec, BBQ Thermometer Québec, Bacon, dry marinade oakridge Wild Game. Smoking wood.