Game meat was a regular feature on the menu and a favourite among guests at Daniel Alps at Strathlynn’s restaurant and cooking school. Though he has moved on from the restaurant to run Alps and Amici Foodstore and Kitchen, Daniel Alps’ tips and tricks for cooking with game are timeless.

General game cooking
Young game is more suitable for roasting, frying and grilling whereas adult game is better stewed, braised and jugged (stewing meat usually involves whole animals for a long time in a tightly covered container). Jugged game is one of the most classic, traditional recipes.

The flavour of game often goes well with some fruits, such as cherries, grapes, blueberries and apples, which may be added to the pan during cooking or served separately as sauces.

Venison
Venison is virtually fat free, high in protein and low in cholesterol; it is an ideal meat for the diet conscious.

The leg meat of young, female deer is best. After denuding and muscle separation, pan sear the meat and rest it for a little bit. Put in the oven for three minutes on each side and rest again for 10 minutes. This gives all the muscles a chance to relax.

Wallaby
Wallaby meat has a rich burgundy colour and is very tender, with subtle flavour lending itself to diverse styles of preparation.  It is low in cholesterol and fat, perfect for the health conscious.

Wallaby has a mild game flavour and can be used as an alternative protein.

Brush the meat with oil (eg, olive, peanut or sesame) prior to cooking either by pan frying, barbecue or roasting. Place in a hot pan and quickly turn to ensure both sides are seared (browned).

Roasting is an ideal cooking method for wallaby meat.  For the best results, cook at controlled temperatures. It is not recommended to overcook wallaby meat, as the absence of fat makes the meat dry out.

Muscovy duck
Muscovy ducks are the finest available and have a unique taste that is both meaty and flavourful.

Naturally thin skinned, the breast meat is 99 per cent lean.

The skin of the duck has 50 per cent less fat than that of the Moulard or Pekin varieties.

A ‘red’ meat bird, the meat is dark in colour and high in fat. However, this lends to a good flavour and succulent meat.

Rabbit
Rabbit meat is white, lean, tender and tasty.  The best rabbits for eating are between three months and a year old and at this age they have short necks and feet.

Rabbit meat does not need hanging.

The best herbs for flavouring rabbit are rosemary, sage, bay leaf, thyme, fennel and basil.

Do not forget to add one or more garlic cloves to the pan.

Quail
Quail is a mild, sweet-tasting game bird, delicate in flavour and very lean.

Because they are so tiny, they cook quite quickly, so take care when cooking not to dry them out.

They can be broiled, roasted, or fried and are best served slightly rare.