What is game?
Wild game (or game) means any animal hunted for food; it is also the generic name reserved for prey caught in the practice of sport hunting.
The game is consumed mainly as unworked meat, but there are many preserved preparations, such as: venison ham, wild boar salami etc.
Nutrition
Nutritional characteristics of wild game
The nutritional characteristics of the game cannot be summarized in a single description; this is because the meats of the various animals are quite different from each other and are common only in certain aspects.
Game, purines and uric acid
First of all the purine content; the game is, together with offal and with certain fishery products, an extremely purine food, that is rich in purines . These molecules, which are harmless to healthy subjects, are harmful to people who show a specific metabolic defect, known as hyperuricemia . This chronic disease causes the accumulation of uric acid in the blood, as a fundamental catabolite of purine degradation. The excess of uric acid is almost asymptomatic, but its accumulation, particularly in the form of crystals in the joints, can favor the appearance of gouty attacks (gout).
The diet against hyperuricemia is very complex and difficult to practice; maintaining a physiological weight and taking dedicated pharmacological therapies, nutritional therapy with a low purine content is today much more permissive. However, game is still considered a food to be avoided in case of hyperuricemia and gout.
Energy nutrients of wild game
Our local game has a variable caloric intake, tendentially of medium or low size. The most abundant energy macronutrients are proteins, followed by lipids; carbohydrates are absent.
Peptides, rich in essential amino acids, have a high biological value, while the nature of fats varies greatly depending on the species.
Cholesterol from wild game
Of note the abundance of cholesterol in many types of game. To limit its concentration it may be useful to eliminate the skin of small animals and avoid consuming offal.
Wild vitamins and minerals
The most abundant vitamins in game meat are those of group B; niacin (PP) is particularly abundant, but does not disappoint the concentrations of thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), pyridoxine (B6), biotin (H) and cobalamin (B12). Also consuming some offal of the game, such as the heart, liver and kidneys, high concentrations of vitamin A (retinol) and vitamin D (calciferol) are taken.
With regard to minerals, the concentrations of iron, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and sodium stand out.
Conclusions
Wild game is, in general, a set of foods that lends itself to the diet of healthy subjects. It belongs to the fundamental group of foods and is a useful alternative to replace the usual meat of chicken, turkey, beef and pork. It should be avoided only in case of hyperuricemia and it is not recommended for frequent use by those suffering from hypercholesterolemia.
It is obviously not relevant to vegetarian and vegan philosophies, but has the advantage of being free of molecules potentially subject to food intolerance (lactose, gluten, etc.); even allergic forms are very rare.
The average portion of game is the same as traditional meat, so around 100 g.
Types
Game in Italy
In some countries, the game is classified according to size and the practice of hunting is legally divided into small hunting (small game) and large game (large game). In Italy there is a tendency to divide the game according to the biological class, ie mammals and birds; in other continents reptiles are also included in the game.
Note : to be fair, we specify that conceptually, even fish caught in underwater hunting (improperly called underwater fishing) should be included in the game group; in English, all fish caught as a hobby or sport are called "game fish".
Since ancient times, in Italy, game has been a very important food resource. However, with the passage of time and the growing awareness of animals, game has progressively lost food and commercial value. Today, hunting is almost completely replaced by breeding and the figure of the professional hunter has disappeared.
Italian game includes species such as:
- Game from fur (mammals): hare, wild rabbit, wild boar, wild pig, fallow deer, deer, roe deer, chamois etc.
- Feathered game (birds): pheasant, duck, partridge, quail, woodcock etc.
Note : in times of famine, even in Italy it was used to hunt game with a lower gastronomic value, such as: porcupine, badger, fox, cat etc.
Food
Food characteristics of wild game
The various products grouped under the term of game have different characteristics; for this they need specific processing and treatments, which cannot be considered universally adequate.
Game or game also represents the famous category of dark meat . The main differences of the game, compared to white and red meat, are:
- Hard or elastic consistency, and intense flavor and aroma, which may require a maturation and marinating treatment
- Less fat content
- Poor relevance to quick cooking and greater predisposition to long ones
- Lower hygiene level.
Hygiene
Hygienic level of game
Bacteria, viruses and parasites in game
Many evaluate the consumption of game as a real panacea; wild animals are not treated pharmacologically and only eat natural foods. All this, however, does not safeguard the consumer from possible parasitic infestations, bacterial, viral infections, and lead contamination.
Wild animals are in fact constantly subjected to these diseases, some of which can be transferred to domestic animals or to humans. This last circumstance always requires you to cook the meat thoroughly before consumption and to avoid foods of dubious origin. Above all, children, the elderly and pregnant women should avoid homemade cured meats, beasts that are badly gutted (for example, animals hit on the street) and over-ripened meat (often received as a gift).
Game can be a potential vehicle for:
- Salmonellosis
- Campylobacteriosis
- Escherichia coli
- Listeriosis
- Toxoplasmosis
- trichinosis
- Hepatitis E
- Lead toxicity.
Lead contamination in game
Not in the form of an environmental pollutant, but because of the bullets used in hunting, lead can contaminate game meat.
The concern that this could affect human health is such that the "Norwegian Food Safety Authority" advises against the consumption of game in quantities exceeding one serving every 30 days, especially for pregnant women and small children.
Slaughtering of wild game
Large animals such as deer, fallow deer and wild boar can request a partial slaughter immediately after killing, even directly at the capture site. Removing the viscera and the testicles (in the case of a male specimen), and eventually peeling it and / or dissecting it, offers several advantages; some are practical, such as transport, others of an organoleptic nature (they improve the flavor and aroma of meat).
Maturing of game
All game of medium or large size should be subjected to maturation; only small birds (such as quails) are exempt from this treatment.
The maturation is a process that allows to drain all the blood from the carcass, dry the meat and soften it. The maturation time varies according to the condition of the carcass (with or without fur, sectioned or whole, age and sex of the animal, etc.), the place of maturation and the possible application of marinating, but this is too wide a topic and complex to be able to describe it in a few lines.
Note : in order to guarantee optimal maturation at not very low temperatures, in the wild game that allows it (eviscerated but whole) it can be very useful to preserve the fur. If, on the other hand, you have the possibility of placing the animal in a cold room, this is not necessary.
Wild and feathered game are aged differently. The pen type, like pheasants (especially males), requires to be eviscerated and plucked, it should never be sectioned and should be hung by the neck (maximum time 3-4 days). On the contrary, furred game (both with and without fur, both whole and sectioned - with variable temperatures) is preferably hung from the hind limbs. Small specimens, such as hare and wild rabbits, can take as little as a couple of days, while large animals should not be hung for less than a week.
Note : the maturation of the meat can also be carried out by freezing. This offers the advantage of less waste (fur-free meat), but has the contraindication to require very long times (a wild boar can be stored in the freezer even for 6-12 months).
Marination of game
The marinade, sometimes mistakenly confused with the maturation, is a procedure that has the function of eliminating the unpleasant odors of the game. But be careful, this does not mean "to change the taste of the meat", but to cancel those molecules (more abundant in the adult or old specimens, above all of the male sex) that tend to dominate the organoleptic qualities of the meat itself. Furthermore, marinating has the advantage of transferring certain odors and seasonings deeper into the tissues than is the case when flavoring the game only during cooking.
Some typical marinade ingredients are: extra virgin olive oil, salt, sugar or honey, wine (mainly red), laurel (leaves or berries), juniper berries, rosemary, thyme, oregano, rind and lemon juice, black pepper, garlic, onion, celery, carrots etc.
