Charcuterie, but make it wild
To our minds wild venison is one of the most sustainable, low-impact (and delicious) meat sources out there, and we’re proud to use it at The Real Cure. Wild deer enjoy a natural diet, made up of foraged plants, nuts and berries from field and hedgerow, in turn making them a nutrient dense and lean form of protein.
Deer; secretive and illusive, many of us will go about our lives and never really bump in to one in the wild, however research shows that over the last 50 years populations have soared from under 450,000 to over 2 million in the UK. In the past we’ve wiped out their apex predators, mostly bears, lynx and wolves, and so herds have grown, spreading further and wider and encroaching on urban areas in some cases. What does this mean for our environment? A few key things. Firstly, deer in too large a number can decimate ground flora, deciduous trees suffer the most, with their saplings nibbled to a point of no return, and therefore the future of our woodlands and forests can be greatly impacted by these wild beasts. Thinking back to a ‘BBC Winterwatch’ episode we watched that covered this very topic just a year or so ago.
The right number of deer however can support a healthy environment, spreading and treading in seed as they roam. Keeping the right balance is crucial. Something else to consider... fledgeling forests being in a poor state in turn puts other species of animal at risk, those that would have lived in, amongst, or fed on the vegetation the deer are eradicating. We now must actively monitor and safeguard our biodiversity.
What’s great about deer? Well, lots of things, but in terms of food systems, they are wonderful animals for turning land that can’t be farmed for crops, into an edible product. They happily turn grass, hardy vegetation, trees, acorns, berries and other fallen fruit and nuts into muscle, they’ll hoover up most things they come across. Their varied and natural diet combined with the slow speed in which they grow results in meat that is nutrient rich with a close delicate texture, in other words, great for eating.
For some people, deer, are the backbone of their livelihood. Bringing money into rural industries that is vital for economies. We are all for more people buying British wild venison, or venison from managed estates. Stalkers and land managers are highly skilled individuals with a passion for their craft, deer, and the environment; realising that both must be nurtured in harmony with our natural eco-systems to flourish. Survival of these animals, and our landscape is no longer a given, we took out those top-line predators and have urbanised and populated so much of our country that we must now hold the responsibility for this system’s management.
Another fact - if you’re eating British wild venison you aren’t eating less sustainable food options which may have been unmindfully farmed or imported from countries which may have different food safety and human welfare policies than the UK. Venison is a more ethical alternative to some farmed meat. In addition to wild venison, we only use high welfare, free range British pork and British beef to produce our charcuterie.
We currently make four cured meats with venison. A Wild Venison Chorizo, a Wild Venison Pepperoni, Wild Venison Beer Sticks and a Sloe and Garlic Wild Venison Salami. The sliced meats are also available in our Wild Venison Sharing Platter for those who want to experience the core range.
No longer is venison only for special occasions, we can utilise this readily available, low impact, good-for-you, nutrient dense, delicious meat far more often than we do whilst supporting essential management of this great British animal.
NEW PRODUCT:
In this recipe
Stock your cupboard, ready to make this recipe. You can rest assured that we only use British free range pork, wild venison and grass fed beef in all of our great British charcuterie products. We believe our sustainable sourcing and traditional preserving methods make the best tasting charcuterie in the UK.
More about Us
About The Real Cure
We are an artisanal charcuterie producer based in Dorset, delivering our British charcuterie to your doorstep. We also run charcuterie courses and provide our award-winning charcuterie to trade suppliers including delis, farmshops, pubs and restaurants.