Lean game meat packed with flavor
Ghibier has long been valued as a luxury ingredient in French cuisine. Although sometimes considered peculiar and difficult to eat, it is a very tasty meat, depending on the type of animal and how it is processed. Animals raised in the wild are more athletic and less fatty, making it a particularly good choice for those who like lean, lean meat.
Venison is one of the easiest gibier to eat for beginners because it is beautifully lean, relatively tender, and has no peculiarities. High in protein, iron and other nutrients, and low in calories, it is a great meat for women and athletes. Because of its low fat content, cooking it slowly over low heat is fundamental to its delicious flavor. Roasted or stewed venison is the standard.
Fatty boar meat is juicy but not cloying. Sliced and served in botan nabe or sukiyaki, the bright red meat overflows with flavor as it is chewed.
Animals living in nature do not always eat a constant diet, so the taste and texture of gibier meat changes with the seasons. The best time to enjoy venison is from early summer to autumn, when it has eaten the buds of trees that sprouted in spring and stored high-quality protein and abundant nutrients. Wild boar is at its best from fall to winter, when it has fattened up and become fuller and fattier for the winter.
Eating gibier and getting to know Irokawa
Originally, people in Irokawa ate gibier, which is the meat of captured deer and wild boar, for their own use or to share with people in the surrounding area. However, the damage caused by wild animals to crops did not decrease, and villagers voiced the need for measures to prevent damage from wild animals. In response to these calls, Mr. Hiroshi Hara, a native of Shikokawa, established “Damonomichi,” a facility for dismantling and processing wild game that can be managed under hygienic conditions as part of measures to prevent damage from wild animals. In addition to selling the meat of captured wild animals, Hara says his goal is “to build a good coexistence between people and beasts.
Currently, most of the meat sold at Damonomichi is venison. When he receives a call from a hunter in the village about the capture, Mr. Hara, who himself is a licensed hunter, rushes directly to the scene. This is to check the capture situation and the condition of the meat, and to consider how to process it afterwards. Good quality meat is disassembled and butchered for slaughter. Meat of lower quality, but still edible, is not wasted, but is processed and sold as pet food.
In addition to running the dismantling and processing facility, Mr. Hara also organizes hunting experience tours to “think about how to live and how to live,” and when there is an event, he serves ramen noodles made with organic vegetables from Irokawa and wild game under the name of “Ramen Hiroshi. Next to the dismantling facility, there is also the “Experiential Restaurant Aima,” open only on Saturdays, where visitors can actually eat the gibier that Mr. Hara has dismantled.
If you are interested in trying gibier, please visit the official website of “Damonomichi” or contact Mr. Hara by e-mail. Those who wish to visit the demolition facility in Irokawa in person are also advised to contact Mr. Hara in advance before visiting, as he may not be able to accommodate them due to his schedule.