Hind

Biche

What it is

Kitchens buy the hind under her own name because of the rut: from mid-September a stag runs himself down, all but stops feeding and empties his muscle of glycogen, and the meat comes out dark, musky and tough. The hind goes through none of that, so her flesh stays pale and fine-grained — which is why she is roasted where stag meat is braised.

In the kitchen

The saddle takes twelve minutes at high heat and not a moment more; a hind carries even less fat than roe deer and there is no marbling to forgive an extra minute. Serve at 52 °C internal, and keep any marinade to a few hours — there is no gaminess here to cover up.

Goes with

Juniper berry Cranberry Chanterelle Celeriac Pear Thyme Cream Blackcurrant

In season alongside

Roe deer Fallow deer Young wild boar Grey partridge Amethyst deceiver Snipe

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