CONTENTS
What is Game?
page 1
Game Calendar
page 2
Benefits of Game
page 3
A Game Shoot pages 4 - 7
Processing Game
at Braehead Foods
page 8 - 9
Game Recipes
page 10 - 13
What is Game?
Game meat is any meat which comes from animals that are not typically raised on farms
and that are hunted for as food.
There are a huge range of game meats available throughout the year that offer a great
alternative to more common meats such as chicken, beef and pork.
Game meats have become more popular with consumers in recent years due to their
delicious flavour and health benefits which include being low in fat, low in cholesterol and
high in protein. The meat comes from wild animals which means they forage for their food
making it richer in flavour and also much leaner than animals such as cows and chickens.
1
The Game Season
Grouse from 12th August until 10th December
Snipe from 12th August until 31st January
Partridge from 1st September until 1st February
Teal from 1st September until 31st January
Widgeon from 1st September until 31st January
Wild Mallard from 1st September until 31st January
Pheasant from 1st October until 1st February
Woodcock from 1st October until 31st January
2
Roe Deer (Bucks) from 1st April until 20th October
Roe Deer (Does) from 21st October until 31st March
Red Deer (Stags) from 1st July until 20th October
Red Deer (Hinds) from 21st October until 15th February
OPEN SEASON
Hare (excluding March), Wood Pigeon and Rabbit
Benefits of Game
•
•
•
•
•
Low in fat
Good source of protein
Good source of iron and zinc
Lower Omega 6 fatty acids
Higher Omega 3 fatty acids
3
A Game Shoot
For those who have not had the privilege of attending a shoot, we wanted to
let you know about the complete process that your meat goes through before
reaching your kitchen. Here is a short guide to a game shoot:
4
BRIEFING
Your opportunity to learn about what will happen throughout the day
and be given any local rules as well as a safety briefing.
PEOPLE AT THE SHOOT
The Gamekeeper - usually marshals the beaters
Shoot Captain - directs the gun team
Beaters - drive birds towards guns by beating sticks against trees and bushes
Flankers – carry flags to direct birds
Stops – prevent birds from going in a particular direction
Pickers up – dog handlers who find and collect the game
IN THE FIELD THERE ARE TWO FORMATS:
Walking – guns form a line which walks forward, perhaps across
moorland for grouse or over stubbles for partridges. When quarry is
flushed the line halts and shots may be fired. The walk does not
resume until anything shot has been gathered and stowed.
Driven - Guns are placed at a stand or peg usually marked by
number. The line of stands may be straight or may curve with
the ground or around the edge of a covert. At some shoots you
are instructed to load and be ready as soon as you have reached
your stand; at others a signal tells you when you may load your
gun. At the end of the drive the keeper will make a signal, either
on a whistle or a horn, telling Guns to unload and re-sleeve
their weapons. You collect any game that is nearby or indicate to
pickers where birds may have fallen.
BREAK FOR LUNCH
5
6
OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE SHOOTING
THE END OF THE DAY
At the end of the day everyone returns to the starting point and packs away their kit. The game keeper will count the bag, notify the shoot caption of the final count and may also lay out a display of the birds.
The game birds are then stored in a larder to be collected by Braehead Foods the following day. These are then processed in our state of the art factory in Kilmarnock.
7
Processing Game
The heritage of Braehead Foods originates from game processing and supply,
our aim is to offer fantastic quality wild fowl and game at excellent value.
During the game season as detailed earlier, processing of game includes grouse,
wild mallard, partridge and pheasant as they come into season, and pigeon,
rabbit and hare throughout the year.
Traceability is key and we ensure that estates and gamekeepers we work with
are legally certified, trained hunters, abiding to the seasons and that they protect
the welfare of the animals and their natural habitat.
8
We collect pheasants, partridge, grouse and mallard from estates throughout
Scotland. These are then brought back to our processing factory where we work
in accordance with FSA. We process to meet the requirements of our customers,
whether its oven ready, long legged or breast meat, we can accommodate the
various finishing styles and packaging required.
Our locally employed team have extensive training to ensure consistency and
high standards of processing throughout the season to maintain high standards
of finished product.
9
YOU WILL REQUIRE
Game Recipes
PREPARATION
30 MINUTES
COOKING
10 MINUTES
SERVES
4 PEOPLE
• 1 breast of pigeon
• 50g Stornoway black pudding
• 20g puy lentils cooked
• 20g pancetta cut into lardons
• 75g mixed leaves
•Salt
• Sunflower oil
• Aged Balsamic vinegar
• Extra virgin olive oil
WARM WOOD PIGEON
AND STORNOWAY BLACK PUDDING SALAD
1.
Heat non stick frying pan with a teaspoon of oil then add the pancetta.
Cook for 3-4 minutes over a moderate heat until golden in colour. Pour off
some of the fat, season pigeon and add to the hot pan. Seal pigeon well on
both sides for 2 minutes each. If necessary place into a hot oven 180°c for
a maximum of 2-3 minutes on an oven proof tray. Take out and allow to rest.
2. In the same pan add black pudding and cook for a minute on each side or
until cooked, again if necessary place into hot oven for 2 minutes to make
sure it is cooked.
3. Now warm lentils in this pan and add the pancetta.
4. Dress leaves with a drizzle of balsamic and oil, crumble in the black pudding,
lentils and pancetta and place in the centre of a bowl or plate. Slice pigeon and
place on top.
10
11
YOU WILL REQUIRE
PARTRIDGE, STUFFED SPROUTS,
ROASTED QUINCE AND CELERIAC
1.
Prepare the two partridges, remove the breasts and skin (keeping them joined)
and meat glue them together, chill and set aside until later. Chop all the bones
and fry off in hot oil, once nicely browned add mirepoix and brown that off then
add white chicken stock and reduce – repeat this further two times.
2. Mix the livers and hearts with black pudding and use a tablespoon or two of
partridge stock to help bind the mixture, roll into balls slightly smaller than a brussel sprout.
3. Prepare the brussel sprouts by taking the nice outer leaves off and halving the centres,
blanch these separately in salted water and refresh in iced water. Set aside
4. Wrap the nicer and bigger of the leaves around the black pudding and liver mixture,
then wrap this in cling film and set aside until later.
5. Score the foie gras and cut into two nice portions.
6. Make light stock syrup and bring it to the simmer, peel core and half the quinces
add to the stock syrup and poach gently.
7. Cut the celeriac in small pieces and cook in salted water until ready, drain and stick
back into the pan with cream milk and butter, slowly let this reduce around the celeriac
and then blend in a food processor and pass through a fine chiniose. And keep warm.
12
8. Cut the pancetta into lardons and blanch in salted water, set aside until later.
9. Make an emulsion.
10.Cut the quince into nice wedges and fry until nicely caramelized.
11.Cook the partridge sous vide for approx 20 minutes at 65c (depending on size)
12.Cook the sprout halves on the plancher until nicely charred.
13.Poach the stuffed sprouts for 4mins in boiling water.
14.Pan fry the lardons and chestnuts.
15.Gently fry the foie gras until nicely caramelized all over.
16.Heat the partridge jus and adjust with brown chicken stock if necessary.
17.Pan fry the partridge when out of the water bath to crispen the skin. Rest, trim and carve.
The dish will be presented in a diagonal fashion across the plate, with the foie gras being
in the centre and working the garnish away from the foie gras in an organised fashion,
the partridge will be sliced into two halves with each being placed either side of the foie gras,
sauce will be served on the side and served at the table.
• 2 long legged partridge
(feathers and wings removed)
• 100g of fresh rougie foie gras.
• 1 celeriac approx 1kg
•Milk
•Cream
•Butter
• 500g of good quality
brussel sprouts
• 200g of Stornaway black pudding
• 2 nice Quinces
• 300g sugar
• 900g water
• 200g of smoked pancetta
• 12 pre cooked chestnuts
• 1 carrot
• 1 onion
• 2 sticks of celery
• 8 sprigs of thyme
• 1 bulb of garlic
• White chicken stock
• Brown chicken stock
•Transglutaminase
• 250 g butter
PRESENTATION
13
For further information on Scottish Game, please get in touch:
7 Moorfield North Industrial Park, Kilmarnock, Ayrshire KA2 0FE
t. 01563 550 008 f. 01563 550 038 www.braeheadfoods.co.uk