Delicious and understated – we’re celebrating game this week at Big Barn

We’re going to go out on a limb and say that game is by far the most understated meat. You’ll often notice it tucked away on the menu of a local village pub during the winter months, but you’ll find it pricey if you go looking for it in the supermarket or in some butchers. If you keep looking though, Game is often inexpensive and delicious when cooked, begging the question why this winter tradition is avoided by the average shopper. Probably something to do with the fact supermarkets have completely detached us from where our food is actually sourced.

As a matter of fact game rearing and shooting has many benefits to British wildlife. The cover crops used to home the birds creates homes for other animals such as the hedgehog.

Pheasant, partridge, venison and pigeon are incredibly versatile and low fat meats, that can add something unique to the dinner table from September through until the end of January, and we’d be daft not to give them a go.

One thing you’ll probably notice on the Saturday morning cooking shows or on the menus of top chefs is that they’re all using the short game season as a way to liven up their menus, but game needed be the reserve of the rich and famous – it’s about time game became more commonplace at home. Realistically all this meat is easy to prepare and quick to cook, making it the perfect choice for time-strapped cooks.

The Game to Eat Campaign, run by the Countryside Alliance, has been working hard to push the versatility and health benefits of game and encourage more people to eat it since it was founded in 2000.

Working with chefs and those in the industry it supports retailers and restaurateurs with ideas and advice on making the most of the game season and its website is the perfect place to find recipe ideas and inspiration on how to cook delicious game dinners at home.

From pies to salads and hot pots to soups, game can be easily

Roast Pheasant gametoeat.co.uk

swapped in to replace your standard red or white meat and bring a whole new dimension to your cooking. .

BigBarn boasts a whole host of fantastic game suppliers, butchers and farm shops. Visit MarketPlace to buy online, or search for a producer or supplier on the local food map.

If you have a favourite game recipe that you’d like to share for the chance to win a prize, please video your recipe and add it to KIS (Keep it Simple) Cookery. Please have a look at existing videos here and try and keep your video less than 2 minutes long.