What is venison? Game meat in South Africa explained

What does venison mean?

Venison is the meat of wild or free-roaming game animals. The word comes from the old practice of hunting, and for most of the English-speaking world it now means deer: red deer, fallow deer and roe deer. If you read a menu in London or New York, venison almost always means deer.

South Africa has few native deer, but it has an enormous variety of antelope. Over time, South African cooks, butchers and menus started using venison as a general word for the meat of these animals. So when someone here says venison, they usually mean kudu, springbok, blesbok, eland, impala or a similar antelope. The word you will also hear is "game meat", which covers everything.

What meat is venison in South Africa?

Here is how the common species line up. Each has its own character, but they share the same basic traits: dark red meat, very little fat, and a clean, slightly sweet flavour.

• Kudu: the largest of the common game meats. Deep flavour, fine grain, and big muscles that suit steaks and stews alike.
• Springbok: smaller and delicate. The most popular for braai chops, sosaties and biltong.
• Blesbok: milder than kudu and a good everyday game meat.
• Eland: the biggest antelope, with meat that is often compared to beef in texture but with more depth.
• Impala: lean and tender, a good place to start if you have never cooked game.

Is ostrich venison?

No. Ostrich is a bird, not a deer or an antelope, so strictly it is not venison. It is red meat that cooks and looks a lot like game, which is why people often group it with game. If you want to read more, see our guide on whether ostrich is game meat.

How venison differs from beef

Beef comes from animals bred for size and marbling. Game animals roam, browse and run, and their meat reflects that. These are the differences you will notice in your kitchen:

• Colour: venison is darker and redder than beef.
• Fat: game carries very little intramuscular fat, and what fat it has sits mostly around the outside. That means less natural basting.
• Flavour: richer, more mineral and a little sweeter. It is not "gamey" in a bad way when it is fresh and handled well.
• Cooking behaviour: lean meat dries out faster than beef. It forgives less when overcooked, and it needs help from added fat or moisture on long cooks.

If you are curious about the nutrition side, we cover it in is game meat healthy.

Venison cuts and how to cook them

Match the cut to the cooking method and venison turns out well every time. The rule is simple: tender cuts from the back cook fast, and hard-working cuts from the neck, shoulder and shank cook slowly.

Venison steak and backstrap

Steaks and backstrap are the tender cuts. Cook them hot and fast in a pan or over coals, and rest them before you cut. Pull them off while they are still pink in the middle. Past that point they turn dry and tough, because there is no fat to protect them.

Venison stew and goulash

Venison stew is where game is at its best. Shoulder cut into cubes breaks down into soft, deeply flavoured meat after a couple of hours of gentle simmering. Brown the cubes first, add onion, garlic, a splash of wine or stock, and keep the heat low. A few strips of bacon or a spoon of oil in the pot gives lean meat the fat it lacks. Our full method is in how to cook kudu stew.

Neck and skenkels

Neck and shank are the cheapest, most flavourful cuts for a potjie or oven braise. They have connective tissue and bone, which turn into body and richness once they have had enough time. Plan for several hours on a low heat.

Venison mince

Venison mince is the easiest way into game meat. It works anywhere you would use beef mince: bolognese, cottage pie, meatballs, burgers and chilli. Because it is so lean, keep the cooking gentle, add a little oil or grated onion for moisture, and do not cook it until it is dry and crumbly. Recipes are in our game mince recipes guide.

Wors, sosaties and patties

Processed game cuts are made for the braai. Sausages, sosaties and patties already have seasoning and some added fat, so they are very forgiving on the coals.

Which venison should you try first?

If you are new to game, the right first purchase depends on how you like to cook. Each of these is a different route in, and none needs special skills.

• Venison mince, if you cook bolognese, burgers or cottage pie most weeks. Swap it in one for one for beef mince and add a little oil.
• Venison stir fry strips, if you want a quick weeknight meal. Cooked hot and fast, the meat is done in minutes.
• Venison goulash, if you have a lazy Sunday. Brown it, add liquid, and leave it on a low heat while you do something else.
• Venison wors or patties, if you braai. They are seasoned already and easy to get right over the coals.

Whatever you pick, remember the one rule that applies to all venison. It is lean, so it rewards patience on slow cuts and a light touch on quick cuts. Treat it like beef and it will let you down. Treat it like lean game and it will become a regular on your table.

How to buy good venison

Look for dark, even red meat with no grey patches and no sour smell. Ask where the animals were raised. Free-roaming game that lived on open veld has a cleaner flavour than meat from animals that were fed up in a pen. Check that it was cut and handled cold, and that it was sealed properly. Vacuum sealing keeps meat fresh and stops freezer burn.

At Premium Game Meat the game is free-roaming South African game with no feedlots. It is cut to order by hand, vacuum sealed and shipped nationwide in sealed cold boxes held at 0-5°C. Our Game Mince is the easiest first order, and the Goulash is made for stews. You can browse everything under game meat.