The Game Is On

Game it's what's for dinner. More and more two-legged carnivores who find themselves either bored with beef or concerned about healthy eating are turning to a herd of exotic meats. How about a medaillon of elk leg? Zebra steak? Or some rabbit saddles and quail satay?

Americans tend to be queasy about game meats on their dinner plates. Rabbit conjures up visions of Bugs and the Easter bunny; venison, of Bambi's mom. It doesn't help that many diners' first (and often only) experience with game is from chewing on strong and, well, gamy-tasting meat from tough old deer hunted for sport. But the increasing number of game farms over the past decade means that the deer, bison and caribou that make it to consumers' plates these days were probably raised on ranches. And, like beef cattle, they tend to be slaughtered after about two years, resulting in tenderer cuts with milder flavor than game found in the wild.

Some diners are also drawn to game meats for the health benefits. Game is nature's Lean Cuisine: it's often lower in fat and cholesterol than traditional choices. Concerns about mad-cow disease and antibiotics in beef are also causing health-conscious diners to explore game. The ethical code of the National Bison Association precludes feed with animal by-products or antibiotics.

"There is definitely a significant increase in people interested in eating game meat," says Geoff Latham, president of Nicky USA, a game distributor in Portland, Ore. "Our sales have grown from approximately $250,000 in 1990 to at least $3.5 million last year." That's far less than the $210 billion in sales of the U.S. beef industry, but the numbers are rising. D'Artagnan, another game source, has seen its sales of farmed rabbit leap almost 20% over the past few years.

Latham is also the founder of the annual Wild About Game Cook-Off in Welches, Ore. At its 2000 debut, about 50 people showed up. In 2003 more than 600 checked out the creations of such top chefs as Joseba Jimenez of Seattle's Harvest Vine restaurant, who made a pheasant braised in Cabernet Franc and sherry vinegar with foie gras. It's not just chefs in the outdoorsy West who are serving unconventional meats. In Houston, Ziggy's Healthy Grill faced a storm of animal-rights protests after adding kangaroo burgers to its menu. And in New York City, Thalassa features wild boar marinated in Greek mountain honey. The next time you hear the call of the wild, it may be a restaurant confirming your reservation.