Since the Ice Age deer have always been the principal game quarry. Size made them the most obvious target. There were and are still large numbers living in the wild and they provided both meat and a valuable hide.
By the thirteenth century, Royal hunting preserves covered a staggering amount of the country. Deer was mostly reserved for noblemen, treated as the spoils of sport. It is this history that often gives venison its slightly stuffy reputation and quite frankly uninspiring recipes; stews and roasts are what you will find most often when searching for inspiration, a shame as venison is such an incredibly versatile meat.
Venison is very lean and so lends itself to simple, fresh dishes. It's meaty, mineral richness begs for flavours to cut through and enhance.
We've created this super simple dish of tartare to capture and celebrate the wonderful carnivorous complexity of venison.
