African Game Meat - the good the bad and the ugly!

[sestoppelman]

Yep, had zebra too, in RSA. My PH said they had it often. Its weird because it seems to look rare even when cooked, but it was good. Best for me is gemsbuck, eland, kudu, and everything else pretty much, but gemsbuck is my favorite. I have had giraffe, seemed good to me, bushpig tastes like a side of beef, not at all like pork. Warthog..had good, some not so much, depends on age and the cooking. I bet not too many on here have had gerenuk meatballs in spaghetti! Good stuff! The spiral horns are all good eating. Had some wildebeest sausage last trip that my boy and I made some pretty funny faces over! PH Phil thought it was great, us..well, not so much. It amazes me still how often one has to ask for game meat in Africa. Couple trips ago it was like a flashback to '96 on my first trip to Zim. First few dinners, chicken and beef, chicken and beef! I put a stop to that crap and told my PH I could eat that crap at home, bring on the game meat!! I was once told by the outfitter and also a booking agent that quite a few hunters going over don't even want to try the game!! Hard to imagine not trying it. Mostly its all really great. My boy is well lets just say possessed of a "hearty" appetite, being nearly 6'3 and 300 pounds and still growing. On his trip over with me last summer to RSA, he really got into the gemsbuck chicken fried steak. So when they said that was coming up for dinner, we said make lots! The boy ate 6 of them! I could only manage 3.

 

[siml]

Sable is fantastic, make the best burger patty I have tasted, maybe its just that we get tired of chicken.

 

[bluey]

hoping to try sable in the near future
what about lechwe?
puku?

 

[Norwegianwoods]

I have liked all African game meat I have eaten.
Kudu, Blue Wildebeest, Black Wildebeest, Springbok, Gemsbok, Blesbok, Impala, Warthog and Ostrich.
Some better than others, but all have been nice.

Next time I go, I really want to taste Eland and Zebra.
I also want to taste Waterbuck as I have been told it is nice if you skin it correctly.

 

[Hank2211]

glad you mentioned what your bongo tasted like hank , always wondered ....
and figured they would be good

Bluey, bongo was the only meat in camp when I was hunting in Cameroon. It was delicious, but it was 10 days before the other fellow in camp got one (12 for me). As the days went on, well, let's just say that meat ages over time but in that heat, not in a good way!

Closest thing I'd compare it to is probably sable.

 

[blackdog001blackdog001]

Kudu excellent, as is Eland.

Sitting around bushman TV, wife is eating appetizer out of bowl. I'm watching her and she is not liking it at all. Mentions it is kind of chewy and fatty. PH says "Eh Leigh. Remember the buff John shot yesterday? You are eating his testicles." She was not a happy camper . . . .

 

[Diamondhitch]

...I admit to rather enjoying our pronghorn as table fare and our deer as pretty good (if not stinky old buck in the rut) so, perhaps my taste buds are askew.

I have only taken 2 pronghorn and enjoyed both, both dropped it their tracks and had not been run at all. Maybe, as stated above, that is the difference?

 

[Diamondhitch]

After a morning of chasing Kudu through the Koppies its hard to beat a Braii of fresh Lamb and Boerworst with the rancher that raised it. Very friendly people over there to be sure.

 

[bluey]

After a morning of chasing Kudu through the Koppies its hard to beat a Braii of fresh Lamb and Boerworst with the rancher that raised it. Very friendly people over there to be sure.

mmmmm, dorper chops , is a fine meal

 

[Diamondhitch]

mmmmm, dorper chops , is a fine meal

 

[Nyati]

Eland loin, just grilled on the braai is fantastic, just add some aromatic herbs.

Bushbuck tenderloin, properly cooked, is a delicacy !

 

[James.Grage]

Wart hog bacon
Eland sausage
Reedbuck roast

Were very good

 

[siml]

All these cuts of meat, only enjoyed with a cold Castle..

 

[Amflyer]

On our 20th anniversary, we were treated to combination of the previous day's Zebra (Hartmanns) and fresh Kudu. Both were good. I preferred, as did my wife, the Zebra tenderloin. I have been called a liar when I told people that it was very, very good, but it was.

Least favorite was Duiker liver, but glad to have tried it. Kori bustard is interesting.

Hoping for some Eland with fresh roasted marrow for this trip.

 

[Diamondhitch]

On our 20th anniversary, we were treated to combination of the previous day's Zebra (Hartmanns) and fresh Kudu. Both were good. I preferred, as did my wife, the Zebra tenderloin. I have been called a liar when I told people that it was very, very good, but it was.

Looks like I have something new to try.

 

[siml]

Only when the chicken and bully beef has run out, will I try the zebra, zebra does make good chilli bites(jerky).

 

[gillettehunter]

First of all I'll talk about Pronghorn. I have been in Wy for 28 yrs and have killed a antelope for 26 yrs. They can be good when taken care of properly. The worst I had was a old buck so worn out from the rut I killed him in his bed on opening day after looking over 27 bucks on that ranch. I could smell him from 15 ft away. Once I got him home and skinned the smell got down to acceptable levels. I aged him a couple of days and cut him up. He was OK. Many are very good. A good friend of mine and my 2nd son both prefer doe antelope to mule deer. Their meet is dark and sorta sweet. When you kill an antelope immediately dress him and get him cool. Best is to wash him out. I usually take 5 gal of water with me. I used to hunt on a ranch that had water flowing into a tank that I could divert to my antelope. Always a good thing to do. I kill one and head for home to get the hide off. Or hang and skin at the ranchers house. Some skin and quarter at the kill site and put them on ice. The faster they get cool the better eating they are.
As to africa Kudu is a favorite. First trip we had some mushroom sauce and Kudu steak that was terrific. It was so good my wife ordered it off of the menu in a restaurant at the end of the hunt. Sable tenderloin is good too. I always want to try some of the animals that we take on a trip. Adds to the overall experience. Bruce

 

[ack]

Wife and I liked the oryx best and zebra was right there with it in Namibia...Me no eat no monkey(baboon),,too much like relatives...

 

[Diamondhitch]

When you kill an antelope immediately dress him and get him cool. Best is to wash him out. I usually take 5 gal of water with me. I used to hunt on a ranch that had water flowing into a tank that I could divert to my antelope. Always a good thing to do. I kill one and head for home to get the hide off. Or hang and skin at the ranchers house. Some skin and quarter at the kill site and put them on ice. The faster they get cool the better eating they are.

Thas exactly how I treat all my game.

 

[Mr. 16 gauge]

We had kudu, wildebeest, and gemsbok when we were in S.A. last summer.......enjoyed all of them.

....but then again, I like pronghorn antelope as well!