Nothing heralds the beginning of game season and the change of the summer to autumn than the first venison in our kitchens. It is one of the most delicious meats, with a distinctive gamey flavour, and while it may not be for everyone, for those who love wild meat, it is unbeatable.

Venison can have a reputation as a dry and tough meat, but if it is properly sourced, stored and cooked, it can be moist, tender ad pink inside, making it a spectacular red meat cut to serve at this time of year. Venison is also one of the most sustainable and ethical meats you can purchase as deer numbers need to be strictly controlled. So, if you are someone who tends to avoid red meat for reasons of conscience, venison is a great choice for your autumn table.

When cooking venison, think steak and act accordingly. The meat of the deer though, has a lot less fat than a domestically raised cow, because the animal is wild. Deer graze on wild acorns, berries and young shoots, while cows are raised on grass or corn meal feed, so the meat you get from deer has significantly less marbling, or veins of fat running through it. This can cause venison to become dry if overcooked.

Venison cuts and their uses

Different parts of the animal obviously, yield different cuts, with different characteristics. The tenderloin and loin are the most tender cuts and can be braised, grilled and pan fried. Ribs can be marinated or smoked and treated like pork ribs while the neck, which has come back into fashion, can be slow roasted.

Main body cuts include the tenderloin, loin and brisket cuts, and are the most used venison cuts. When you eat venison in a restaurant it most likely comes from the tenderloin, which has a similar consistency to a beef fillet steak, but is smaller. It is usually served in medallions for this r for this reason. The brisket is cut from the chest and is a thin slab of meat. It is quite tough, so it is usually marinated or smoked and cooked for a long time – a slow cooker works will for this cut.

The rear leg cuts offer high quantities of meat but are much tougher and need slow cooking and marinating. They can be cut into chunks for soups and stews and cooked at low temperatures for a long time. They have some of the best flavour of any game meat. The shank, often called the venison ossobuco, is good for slow braising, The front leg cuts have less meat on them, the shoulder gives us shanks for slow braising, while the rest is chuck meat and should be stewed or slow cooked.

The organs of the deer are becoming more widely used in restaurants, but it is very important that you have a good understanding of how and where your venison is sourced and whether there are any parasites or diseases to be aware of. However, the tongue, heart, intestines and liver make delicious and interesting ingredients.

How to cook venison

There are multiple ways to cook venison and as always, the best way to understand your meat cut and cook it in the best way is to ask your butcher when you buy it. Here are few of the classic ways to cook venison for delicious, moist and tender results.

Classic pan-fried venison

Use the tenderloin for classic pan-fried venison. You will cook it in a similar way to a beef steak, so take a cast iron skillet and add a generous glug of good olive oil. Put the pan on a medium to high heat, until the oil starts to smoke. In the meantime, season your venison with plenty of sea salt and black pepper. Add the venison and sear for about 30 seconds on each side. Reduce the heat and add a generous chunk of butter. Remember that the venison needs more fat than beef, so double or triple up on the butter at this stage. Add a bunch of aromatics like rosemary and thyme and then when the butter starts to foam, baste the venison with the butter, adding more butter when you flip it over.

As always, the most important part of cooking a steak is to let it rest. The steak should rest for the time equal to cooking time, so if that is 15 minutes, then let the steak rest for the same time. Then the best part: place the steak on a wooed chopping board and slice to expose the delicious pink meat inside Venison should be served medium-rare to rare.

Sous vide venison

Venison is one of those meats that seems made for the sous vide. It is the perfect way to make the meat soft and tender while getting the best from all the gamey flavour. A double sear is vital for venison in the sous vide, so pan sear your steak before and after the sous vide. After the pre sear, place the venison in a sous vide bag with your aromatics, choose your temperature and cook according to your sous vide machine’s instructions. When done, post-sear the steak, add butter, along with the aromatics from the sous vide bag and baste. Again, allow the steak to rest for more time than you think is necessary.

Venison in the slow cooker

Clean your piece of venison and allow it to sit overnight or from the morning to bring it up to room temperature. Season your venison with salt and pepper and a good shake of Worcestershire sauce. Cover with onions and add two glasses of red wine. Cook on the lowest setting for 6 hours.

Venison recipes

Venison ragout

Try this delicious seasonal, warming venison ragout that incorporates flavours of autumn. Use shoulder or neck cuts for best results and marinade overnight.

Venison soup with mushrooms

This soup is a good way to use up any off cuts of venison you might have, but is good enough to be the main event itself.

Venison loin steak with red wine shallots

A classic presentation of venison loin steak. Easy to do and unbeatable for flavour and texture.

Venison with parsnip foam and truffles

Rich and comforting, this gourmet take on venison ticks all the autumnal boxes in one dish.