Wild game dishes in nj

I didn’t want to derail the heirloom kitchen thread so here is a new topic…

To start, has anyone had any good wild game dishes in NJ and if so, where? I found this place on a Google search:

I specifically want to try axis deer.

From the heirloom thread sockster mentioned wild boar. I have had quite a few dishes claiming to be wild boar. They simply tasted like “regular” pig to me. I didn’t get any other gamey flavor or difference in taste. I wonder if they are boar or just wild hog.

Where do NJ places get these boar from and what is the inspection process in nj? Here is an interesting article I found too.

@JoeBabbitt

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If your local situation is anything like that in the UK, then you may find that the “wild boar” is more the name of the animal, rather than a description as to how it has lived - and it will be a farmed product. That said, it’s usually much fuller flavoured than normal pig.

I’m sure you are correct. I am almost positive that they are farm raised and just labeled “wild” …somehow. I just haven’t tasted a discernable difference in boar vs pig at local restaurants. In fact, I have no clue what I’m eating. I’d guess just incorrectly labeled regular “farm” pig, or perhaps a hybrid of a wild European boar and farm pig.

Recently I saw an “organic Scottish salmon” on a menu. It turns out it is farm raised here in the US and they feed it organic pellets.

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Now, I suppose this must depend on what your local laws are about marketing claims. If it was the UK, the “organic” bit of the description would have to have been approved by one of the certification bodies. I assume that would require organic feed but, also, may require other stipulations about how the fish were raised. And if there was a claim that it was Scottish, then there would have to be some evidence. In that, UK law has some holes in it - my understanding being that, if the last process was in Scotland that would be enough for it to be called Scottish. So, you might have a fish raised anywhere in the world, but if it was cut into portions in Scotland, then it’s Scottish. It’d be interesting to know how your US farm raised fish gets to be Scottish - do you not have laws against misrepresentation?

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John, it doesn’t appear that there is any law regarding the term “wild” here in the US.

I believe “local” is different and must be grown in a certain radius (for produce.)

I just found this and it is an interesting read. It brings up Scotland, while we are on the topic.

Another abomination here in the US is the term “kobe.” It irks me! Restaurants claim to serve kobe beef all over the place but they don’t have the genuine product. There are no regulations regarding this term so anyone can use the term loosely and get away with it.

For reasons I can’t fathom, Firefox doesnt like that site and is blocking me.

I’m not sure that we actually have laws governing the use of “local” or “wild”. Which leaves a big wide open door for anyone wanting to throw a vague reference to “local”. We are a small country so I suppose it could be used for something that was British rather than, say, another European country - although I suspect most customers would expect local to at least mean our region. Other than “wild boar”, the only reference I can think of using “wild” on a restaurant menu is in connection with fish (to distinguish from farmed).

Hope we’re not taking this too far away from your original intent. I am interested in responses you have from the state - knowing that in many (all?) part of the US there is much greater control on the sale/use of wild game in than we have here. I’m thinking of things such as me being able to visit my local farmers market and buying locally shot pigeons for instance.

Well this thread didn’t take off at all John. I’d love to discuss this situation, but I do not think it will gain much traction in the nj boards.

Maybe we can move it to a global topic.

I see some some Dover sole going for top dollar here. A local place maybe 5 km from my house is charging 60+ usd for a damn sole dinner! I don’t get it. How much will that run in the UK? I have seen some blind taste tests and our "winter flounder " comes close to the Dover sole for significantly less. The issue is our winter flounder is being fished to extinction, or close to it.

I read somewhere that few restaurants fly in European Dover sole, most places use the similar version that’s available closer (TJ sells frozen wild for $6.99#).

“Bronzino” is another one.

It’s always an expensive fish here so doesnt appear on menus at any of my regular places. Rules Restaurant (London’s oldest and my favourite place in the capital) does regularly have it. It’s currently priced at £42 (48€, $54) and is the most expensive item on the menu by far. By the by, Rules is excellent for game dishes - they currently have rabbit and venison but much more in autumn.

There’s probably no traction because there’s no place that serves wild game. Years ago The Student Prince in Springfield, Massachusetts, used to do wild game one month a year, but I think they went defunct a while ago.

We’ve had wild game in Africa a few times. The warthog was tender, but most of the game (eland, okapi, giraffe, lion, etc.) was fairly tough. One eats it more to be able to say one has eaten it than for a fine culinary experience.

Oh, we also had fried insects and spiders in Cambodia; does that count as wild game?:grinning:

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Every now and then, maybe once a year, Piccola Italia in Ocean does a wild game dinner. The one I attended was terrific.

Apparently, it’s because I’m in Europe. However, I’ve been sent a copy and it is indeed an interesting article.

I knew that the general availability of game in America was much more restricted than it is on the eastern side of the Atlantic. What I hadnt appreciated that “wild game” is simply unavailable, unless it’s been imported from somewhere outside the US.

Not that there is anything wrong, as such, with farmed “wild” game. One of the arguments in favour of farmed venison in the UK is that it can be shot at a known age and, therefore, a consistent product can be pretty much guaranteed.

Evelyn, yes it appears that is the case after doing some research. The issue I have is that restaurants claim to have “wild” animals such as the aforementioned boar, and put this on menus. So you have a farm raised animal that is either a domesticated pig, a domesticated boar, or a hybrid of the species. I’m just wondering what the hell they are serving us lol.

It seems people are using the term wild and the animal was bred in captivity.

Jeff, that sounds interesting. Do you recall what type of meat they had?

John, do they have to inspect every harvested animal as they do here? After reading up on this, it appears the nomenclature “wild” is simply a marketing gimmick (in my eyes at least.)

I don’t think so. Businesses would be subject to periodic inspection by the local authority to ensure compliance with food hygiene regulations, as would any food handling business.

I saw a post about a dinner in Marlboro with this description:

Are you interested in hunting? Fishing? Culinary preparation of wild game? Eating off the land instead of from the grocery store? Join us for an educational and indulgent evening dedicated to wild caught meat, poultry and seafood. We are teaming up with local hunters and fishermen to connect us to the true experience of knowing where your food comes from. Join the tribe as we explore Land. Air and Sea.

Here is a link. No idea about how it is https://www.eventbrite.com/e/air-land-sea-supper-tickets-60151995237