Food Lovers' Guide: Venison

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Red deer are native to Europe.

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Raising Deer: Vegetables or Venison, It's Your Call

Joseph and Patricia de Almeida are flatlanders from Massachusetts living their dream on the 140-acre Corn Hill Farm in Boscawen where they raise deer.

"It's been quite an adventure," says Pat. "It has changed how we see our food, how we use our resources and mostly how we view our planet as a whole."

The couple raise red deer, a breed native to Europe and the Scandinavian countries as well as parts of Africa. "They're very different from the white tail deer native to the region," she says. "They're larger, though smaller than an elk, and wouldn't mate with the locals even if they got loose."

Pat, a food service worker, and Joseph, a former postal worker, now have a herd of about 30 head of deer. "Our venison is naturally raised - we never use hormones or any drug to stimulate growth," she says.

The de Almeidas had fond memories of growing up in Danvers, Mass. "I can still remember going to Cherry Hill Farm and seeing the cows, but those days have gone. It got crowded and busy. We came up here looking for a more simple life."

They sell a wide range of venison including bone-in rib roasts, steaks and burger patties in their store, which is open on weekends and by appointment.

"Venison is absolutely the leanest meat, there's not a lot of fat, which makes it a little tricky to cook, but it's not gamey tasting because it's farm-raised and its diet has been controlled and it has not been running through the woods and eating bark and berries," she says.

Pat says some have asked them to make venison hot dogs or sausages, but they have resisted the temptation: "The meat has such a such a wonderful taste that we don't want to fuss with it too much."

She's an advocate of the local food movement and an admirer of Michael Pollan, the author whose "The Omnivore's Dilemma" serves as an instruction manual for those concerned about chemically enhanced agricultural techniques and industrial agriculture. "We think the meat we eat should have a great life and have just one bad day," she says.

Corn Hill Farm
130 Corn Hill Rd., Boscawen
(603) 796-2283
cornhillfarm.com

Cooking Tip: The De Almeidas suggest that chefs unfamiliar with venison try cooking a steak on a grill. "I like to put on a little Montreal seasoning, but not too much, so you can really enjoy the taste of the meat," Pat says, adding that venison requires less cooking time because it has less fat than beef. She also suggests using it in recipes that call for veal, because the qualities of the meat are similar. "It makes a great schnitzel," she says. "Just fry it up and add a squirt of lemon. It is to die for."

More Places to Find Venison

Bonnie Brae Farms
Venison
601 Daniel Webster Hwy.
Plymouth
(603) 536-3880
bonniebraefarms.com

Healthy Buffalo
Ostrich, alligator, buffalo, elk and other exotic meats.
250 Dover Rd.
Chichester
(603) 369-3611
healthybuffalo.com

Velvet Pastures
Elk Ranch
Raises elk with no growth hormones or antibiotics and grass-fed animals.
Lee
(603) 659-6972
velvetpastures.com

Yankee Farmer's Market
360 Rte. 103 East, Warner
(603) 456-2833
yankeefarmersmarket.com