Hunting in Scotland

The glorious twelfth (12th August), when the grouse season opens, doesn’t really have an equivalent in New Zealand. So it was with great interest that Mark & Felicity headed over to the Scottish borders to be part of this tradition. They were hosted by Christian and Tessa, the owners of Chirnside Hall Hotel. Besides running a private hotel, they also run a roe deer hunt and bird shooting operation.

Historic houses and rambling ruins, traditional patchwork patterns of heather, game keepers in matching tweeds and amazingly trained spaniels made this a memorable place to enjoy. The careful management of both hunting areas and farms contrasts with the ruggedness of New Zealand.

Many of the animals introduced to New Zealand for hunting have come from the UK. Our visit showed us how much we have forged distinctly Kiwi style hunting downunder.

Christmas time sees the stags starting to reappear with their new antlers. Sunshine makes the velvet grow in leaps and bounds giving us glimpses of the heads for next roar.

This year we have particularly enjoyed hosting hunting couples. A group of two hunters and their wives lends itself to a great social and hunting weekend. When it comes time to take their venison home, it’s great to see so many people enjoying cooking venison and relishing eating it.

In the Kitchen

Venison Shanks

The shanks are often discarded when butchering a deer for the table. However, with some slow cooking and Italian flavours, shanks can become a real treat. Time and herbs transform this meal into a dish that melts in the mouth and feeds the hungriest of hunters.

• 4 venison shanks
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 finely diced onions
• 8 coarsely chopped carrots
• 1 tablespoon each of finely chopped sage, thyme and rosemary
• 1 cup (250ml) of good quality port
• 1 x 400g tin of tomatoes
• 1 ½ cups chicken stock
• salt and black pepper

1. Brown shanks in a heavy casserole dish on stove top. Remove from the pan.
2. Add more oil and soften the onion and carrots. Add the herbs and cook for 5 minutes. Add the port, tomatoes and chicken stock and bring to the boil. Put shanks back in the casserole dish and cover.
3. Place in oven and cook for 3-4 hours on low heat about 150°C. It’s cooked when the venison comes away from the bones easily. It can be cooked ahead of time and put in fridge for serving later that day or the next. Serve with mashed or new potatoes and broccoli.

Have a safe and enjoyable Christmas.

Happy hunting,
Mark, Felicity and the team at Ranginui Hunting.