Which is the best game meat?

[Dewald]

I don’t think you can single out a specific species as the best. In South Africa the common and mountain reedbuck, springbuck and eland are usually regarded as the best table fare. The preparation of the meat from when the animal was shot, right up to the aging of the meat and cooking has a much bigger influence. Any wounded animal’s meat will be tough. Likewise for animals shot as trophies and first propped up for photos, then left without being bled out, gutted and hung in a coldroom.

I’ve come to a point where I enjoy my trophy hunting, but use the meat from those animals for biltong, wors, dry wors and mince. Early in the season I shoot two or three young impala or reedbuck, as well as a fat young bushpig sow with headshots and gut, bleed and hang them in a coldroom for a while to mature. Their meat is then used for venison stews, curries, roasts, steaks carpaccio etc etc.

A fresh impala or springbuck liver on the coles deserves an honorable mention, as do buffalo tail stew, made similar to oxtail.

 

[John J]

When we did the buffalo hunt, the manageress of the camp was an elderly German lady, very refined. She asked "were there any special culinary requests?" I replied that if we should get a buff then we would like its tongue, its tripe and its balls. She nodded as she sipped her chardonnay and we knew that the challenge had been accepted. The buff was duly collected, and on our second last dinner these delicacies were presented, and oh how well cooked they were! The best camp meal so far.

Besides the above cuts, the tail would have been good too. Never thought of this when I was there.

 

[KAROO WILD Safaris]

Anything that eats a Karoo bush. That bush gives game meat and lamb a very distinctive flavor.

 

[spike.t]

LOL. No, but if you are invited to a "goat grab" - same deal but with a goat in the place of honor atop the rice (called kabsa) - your host is likely to pluck out an eyeball and hand it to you as an act of respect. They are slightly crunchy on the outside and gooey on the inside.

That is seriously in the line of duty stuff....

 

[Red Leg]

Weakling!

Nope. I don't even let my dogs eat guts. And with a particularly nice backstrap just inches away, I'm not about to start.

 

[Dee S]

I loved Mt Zebra, was told Burchells was not good to eat. As far as giraffe, we didn't get to eat any, but we were told that you only eat the ones under ten feet in height, in other words, the youngsters.

 

[Ridgewalker]

Interesting topic!

Difficult choice especially when game meat tends to be older trophies that are usually tough. But some I have enjoyed were eland and gemsbok. Oh I truly enjoyed the lion from last year! It was very tasty even though it was older.
In the US I’ll have to say moose has been the best, but a bobcat was also very tasty!
One of my wife’s favorite is smothered antelope steaks (she’s an exceptional cook!) It’s critical that they are taken early in the day before running around.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

You kidding me, you eat cats! Seriously, is it good or are you pulling our legs?

 

[Ridgewalker]

You kidding me, you eat cats! Seriously, is it good or are you pulling our legs?

I liked both the bobcat and lion! I plan to eat a cougar if/when I take one.
Toby458 had some lion as well and he too went back for seconds.

 

[cls]

Nope. I don't even let my dogs eat guts. And with a particularly nice backstrap just inches away, I'm not about to start.

Nothing better than fresh deer liver and onions, my two favorite meals were seal liver followed closely by stuffed caribou heart. I believe the best fare from Southern Africa has been mountain reedbuck.

 

[Whitworth375]

Wild turkey, farm land whitetails more specifically tenderloins on the bbq with melted butter, montreal steak spice and blue cheese. Venison summer sausage. Deer heart with stuffing. Moose and mule deer are also very good. Pheasants. Squirrel. Pigeon.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Interesting Giraffe has only appeared once. And nobody so far has mentioned hippo. In an old Lawrence Greene book re relates the tale of the early days of the Victoria Falls Hotel, I think in the days when the bridge was being built. Christmas arrived and there was no ham, so a hippo was duly dispatched and they produced a 90 pound ham, apparently delicious.

John J mentioned eating hippo? With an animal that size, must be a real party pleaser! Pass the Tabasco!

 

[CoElkHunter]

Trichinosis, as with any animal which eats other animals. Make sure to cook at 165 degrees for 3 minutes. The center of the meat has to reach this temperature. That steak that's still pink in the middle. Could be trouble.
I will cook some steaks on the grill but most go into the slow cooker

Trichinosis is a worm found in pork/bear. Yes, it must be cooked thoroughly.

 

[1dirthawker]

zebra tenderloins and nyala steaks on the brai were the best i have had to date. i intend to eat a bunch of eland the next time i go back, i have heard its the best.

in NA moose is good, dall sheep is better, and bison is the best i have eaten. caribou is very good if well cared for. black tailed deer is very good as well.

it bums me out, but to my palate, african game is much better than NA game in taste, not sure why. almost everything i have had in africa was very good. sure be nice to bring a pile of it back but alas, will never happen due to importation rules that i suspect will never become more lenient in MY lifetime.

 

[1dirthawker]

You kidding me, you eat cats! Seriously, is it good or are you pulling our legs?

i have eaten lynx and bobcat. the bobcat was not very good. the lynx was outstanding! in fact, i collect the meat from every lynx since and it is always good.

 

[steve white]

+1 on the tail of African animals--it is always tender, and you pick the chunks of meat from between the vertebrae.

 

[deepwater]

You kidding me, you eat cats! Seriously, is it good or are you pulling our legs?

I forgot to add in my previous post...
A few days after I arrived in the Olympic Peninsula ('72) I wandered into the lodge on the west end of Lake Crescent, which was pretty much closed. The female owner was eating at the restaurant counter and I asked what she was having. She replied "cougar. Want to eat my pussy?" Well, the cougar was tough and tasteless, and I slept on the sofa in the lobby!

 

[Saul]

Except for cats and pork, there is not much I will not eat at last once, including human

Tough call between pheasant and Hungarian partridge. I have probably killed more pheasant than any other game, except for dove.

Duck, goat, and venison, when done right. A creamy, smooth liver spread on rye is an unparalleled delight.

One of the more surprising for me was red stag I had in Scotland. I still do not know how they got it so tender. Perfectly paired with a red too.

Hopefully, the day will come when I will be able to taste my Kudu...

 

[Dr Ray]

Interesting Giraffe has only appeared once. And nobody so far has mentioned hippo. In an old Lawrence Greene book re relates the tale of the early days of the Victoria Falls Hotel, I think in the days when the bridge was being built. Christmas arrived and there was no ham, so a hippo was duly dispatched and they produced a 90 pound ham, apparently delicious.

I imagine hippo would taste a lot like pork.

 

[CBH Australia]

Weakling!

I noted with my outfitter that we did not want any Offal.

Those eating cats I’m surprised. I honestly didn’t buy think people ate animals that ate meat. Farmed croc may be an exception I know of.

Bobcats, Lynx Lion?

I was surprised when I learned people eat Bear, I looked into and they use
A lot in sausage , mostly black bear but I’m surprised.

@Saul pork is great if it’s processed, Ham, Bacon, Salami

The bit about eating human is almost written as a statement as though it will happen, it may have happened in survival situations but if you set out to eat it it should be illegal. Doesn’t matter how you source it if it was survival no one would enforce the law but otherwise it’s just sick, no one would do that. Andrew Zimmerman was quoted as saying he would but he gets paid to eat shit.