Deer farmer targets poor performers, saves money
Management practices that aim to cull the poor performers rather than boost the best are a key to success for Canterbury deer farmer Stu Stokes.
The aim was to enthuse them about farm-raised venison and develop relationships with these influential people within German cuisine, says Deer Industry New Zealand (DINZ) marketing manager Innes Moffat.
Their feedback reveals there's an ongoing need to improve understanding of how NZ venison is grown and can be prepared, he adds.
The big difference is that NZ venison is farmed, processed in a meat plant, and comes from a young animal, whereas most European product is shot wild game.
"Farmed venison suits summer-style modern dishes and can be used in a less seasonal fashion than game venison which is traditionally cooked slowly with heavier sauces and flavourings."
It also has excellent hygiene, is consistently tender and mild flavoured.
The Germans, who left late last week, were taken to farms in Canterbury and Otago to see how deer are farmed, then taken through processing plants. They were surprised how quiet the deer were in a farmed environment, says Moffat.
Through meeting farmers the visitors put faces to the product and learnt about the venison supply chain, from farm to plant to market.
Five of the journalists are food and wine writers, and a television crew is producing a 12 minute lifestyle feature on NZ venison to be shown nation-wide on Germany's Kabel 1 station.
Moffat says they asked why Germany should import NZ venison. The answer was they should want to because of the taste and tenderness, and as Germany isn't self-sufficient in food, so they should be importing good food from trustworthy sources. And while the trend towards local and seasonal sourcing is very strong in Germany, a chef needs to put quality and consistency first, and NZ can provide that assurance.
The chefs were hosted by 12 restaurants, where they learned how to prepare venison from NZ's best. Meredith's, Clooney Restaurant, The Grill, Dine by Peter Gordon , Depot in Auckland, Logan Brown, Hippopotamus, The White House, and Martin Bosley's Yacht Club in Wellington, Blanket Bay, True South Dining Room, and Rata in Queenstown all had a chef working with them for several days.
The four chefs won their selection to the NZ Venison Young Chef Exchange by producing a stand-out recipe using NZ venison, and being recommended by their German employer. There were 60 entries for the 20-day trip, sponsored by DINZ. On their return to Germany they will pass on their
experiences with venison at cooking schools and via the German press. A series of interviews are currently being arranged.
"They said they had a wonderful trip, one of the best experiences of their lives, so we expect them to be enthusiastic about New Zealand," says Moffat.
The initiative is part of the NZ deer industry's aim to position NZ venison at a premium and to extend its consumption outside the traditional European game season. Four chefs from Belgium toured NZ in January and further similar visits are planned.
