Wild game meats are becoming increasingly popular on dinner tables and restaurant menus, not only due to their lower fat and cholesterol content, but also because they are easy to cook. More and more people are trying such wild game meats like buffalo meat, ostrich meat, alligator meat, and even rattlesnake meat, which are all available via online specialty sources.
The biggest question most people have about wild game meats, other than “where can I buy them”, is how do wild game meats taste. Having developed one of the leading online resource sites for wild game meats, we’ve tasted literally dozens of wild game meats in various recipes. Let’s take a closer look at six popular wild game meats and how they taste.
First, buffalo (bison) meat. Bison is, of course, very similar to beef but without all the fat and calories. Buffalo meat is somewhat dense and benefits from slow, lower heat cooking. Buffalo steaks and buffalo burgers taste just like regular beef, but slightly sweeter. You’ll definitely notice the leanness too.
Alligator: You’ll see alligator meat at many restaurants in Florida, usually prepared as tenders or nuggets. Most of the alligator meat that’s sold or prepared in restaurants is tail meat, which is white meat with a taste similar to veal. Alligator meat is most commonly sold as tenders, but alligator steaks are available as well. You’d cook an alligator steak in much the same way as you’d grill a chicken breast.
Elk meat is extremely low in fat and benefits from cooking at a low heat level. The taste is similar to venison, somewhat sweet and quite pleasant. Elk is available as burgers, steaks, and roasts. Elk is a dark meat, usually a deep amber color. We prepared an elk roast, cooking it just as we would a pork roast, to a medium rare.
Pheasant has always been a popular choice for gourmet diners. Now, pheasant has become more of a mainstream choice due to its pleasant, mild flavor. Pheasant meat is pinkish white, very low in fat, and easy to prepare. We found pheasant to taste much like cornish hen.
Ostrich is usually available as burgers, but other cuts are becoming increasingly available as well. Ostrich is extremely lean, leaner even than buffalo meat. An ostrich burger seemed to us like a very lean ground sirloin burger, albeit without the fat and cholesterol levels. Ostrich is best cooked to medium rare.
Rattlesnake meat, like most wild game meats, is becoming more accepted outside the southwestern United States, where rattlesnake chili is a restaurant staple. A white meat quite similar to chicken breast, it is slightly chewier than chicken. Rattlesnake meat can be prepared numerous ways, including as nuggets or marinated as an appetizer or as part of a salad.
Wild game meats are quite fun to try, and we enjoyed every type we’ve tried. Hint: Don’t overcook! These meats are easy to prepare and especially appealing due to their low fat and cholesterol content. As a bonus, wild game meats are very versatile in recipes, and can be substituted for any recipe calling for traditional meats.