Of all the African game meat, which is your favourite? How would you rank them?

[PeteG]

As many have said, most of our game here is tasty.
I didn’t have much time for lion/leopard and will not ask the chefs to cook that up for me.
Interesting was porcupine, tasty but I couldn’t get the picture out of my head that I was eating a big rat

Wasn’t fond of crocodile with the luangwa river being muddy that taste was evident slightly on the meat.

Hippo is better than expected.

All the plains game are good, especially when the cooks know what they’re doing.
Eland, hartebeest, Kudu, puku, roan, sable, reedbuck are all up at the top in my opinion.
Not that the rest aren’t good, just maybe not as good

Buffalo is ok, nothing special.

 

[DLSJR]

Most have already expounded on how great most plains game are, so I won’t spend much time on those. Leopard back straps are surprisingly good. Very similar to pork loin chops except you know you’re eating a cat. Lion isn’t very good at all based on my limited experience eating lion. They’re best eaten by hyenas at night out in front of camp while you watch the show with a cocktail in hand. Elephant is coarse and not much for flavor. We did have an interesting dish though from one elephant…. Trunk stew! Interesting but not good enough to seek out again.

One I haven’t tried yet but am really looking forward to is hippo. I’ve heard too many comments about how good hippo is, so looking forward to trying it next month.

 

[archer36]

1. Zebra
2. Blue Wildebeest
3. Warthog

Funny you have Warthog on the list. My Son shot one and was very interested in eating some chops from it. They refused to cook it. They give them away.

 

[Buffalo1]

Warthog, zebra and blue wildebeest are the meats of choice for lions- that aught to tell you something !

 

[Rare Breed]

Tenderloin of eland is maybe the best meat I have ever eaten. Buffalo T-bone steaks were surprisingly good and tender. Almost all the plains game makes great eating.

Eland hands down over all other for me!!!

 

[JimmyJack54]

Gemsbok loin has been my favorite, thus far. A nyala leg dish and wildebeest sausage are also memorable. I’ve not had a bad dish. (I’ve not had Eland but based on the previous comments I look forward to doing so.)

 

[cajunchefray]

Very interesting thread on African Game Meat. As an R&D Chef, but just a plain old
CoonAss (Louisiana Cajun in politically correct terms), this is an informative thread.

Still working on my first Safari.
I crave the thought of tasting so many game animals.

In 1997-98, work brought me to South Africa, and I really enjoyed Eland and Greater Kudu in some Pretoria restaurants. The roadside biltong was good too.

The comments here of so many experienced hunters, and carnivores is fascinating.
Some divergence in opinions, as expected; I suspect some reviews are based upon the actual circumstances of the harvest/ kill.

Having learned, after too many years, that the means of slaughter of an animal has a LOT to do with the quality and condition of the meat.

Halal slaughter is really the most humane and meat quality form of harvest.

In the game fields, a quick kill, upon an undisturbed animal, results in lowest lactic acid buildup in muscle. Game shot, run 40-50 meters, then drop, and then bleed them out, quick field dressing, removing the entrails, and any game specific glands, then a rapid chill of the carcass, will yield good meat.

Of course, aging, of various muscles, by species, can improve tenderness, but not as much as most people think. I am NOT a 28-day aged beef guy.

Good grass-fed Angus Cattle, finished on grain in the last 30 days, and properly slaughtered only need a couple of days in the cooler.

Same for Southern Whitetail Deer, Hogs and Elk.

 

[CBH Australia]

I'm surprised at some of the game that people have eaten.

In my only safari I tried various plains game meats . Mostly on the Brain.

I recall that Gemsbok was good and the others were fine. I don't eat a lot of game but it was part of the experience.

We had a Lamb Roast on arrival, that's partly from my messaging with the outfitter. Being an Aussie Lamb Roast ranks highly for me even at home.

I'm surprised how many eat Zebra, I didn't realise it was ranked for it's eating quality.

 

[375er]

I'm surprised at some of the game that people have eaten.

In my only safari I tried various plains game meats . Mostly on the Brain.

I recall that Gemsbok was good and the others were fine. I don't eat a lot of game but it was part of the experience.

We had a Lamb Roast on arrival, that's partly from my messaging with the outfitter. Being an Aussie Lamb Roast ranks highly for me even at home.

I'm surprised how many eat Zebra, I didn't realise it was ranked for it's eating quality.

Zebra is mind blowing!!

 

[HUNTROMANIA]

gemsbok Is on the top of my list

 

[Green Chile]

You can’t beat eland but zebra is indeed amazing.

 

[Nyati]

Eland, Bushbuck, Roan, I also ate an amazing Impala stew.

 

[Rare Breed]

Zebra is mind blowing!!

I just had zebra for the first time and it did blow me away!!! Big T Bone steak

 

[revturbo9967]

Bushbuck was my favorite

 

[Bapu]

Most African wild game are good to eat, as long as it is cooked properly. Some of the best are eland (as long as bulls are not in the rut). Also desert type game like gemsbok and hartebeest are excellent. Sable meat is good also. Of the smaller animals, most are good to eat, particularly reedbuck. Nyala are also good. A lot depends on the condition of the animal, and if it is shot well and not wounded before killing.

My favorite African wild game offal dish, is actually flame grilled Impala liver. Among game birds, I absolutely find guinea fowl potjie to be heaven on earth.

The only African game which I absolutely disgust... are spurwing goose & waterbuck. A waterbuck, particularly an old one, has a very oily substance that gets in the hairs of the skin. When skinning the animal, great care must be taken to avoid getting the hair or oil on the meat. An old trophy bull does taste a bit strong, but a young waterbuck tastes quite fine.

Cape buffalo is coarser than bison and tougher. However, the tenderloin (or fillet) are excellent when seasoned simply with coarse grained salt and grilled over the open camp fire. Especially with an ice cold African Castle Lager to wash it all down with.

Very well said depends on how the animal is shot. I have noticed a great difference in the meat between a well shot and a wounded animal.
Habib Saheb alot of experience goes in saying that.
Bapu.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Very well said depends on how the animal is shot. I have noticed a great difference in the meat between a well shot and a wounded animal.
Habib Saheb alot of experience goes in saying that.
Bapu.

Oh hi, Bapu. Haven’t seen you here in a while. Yes, very true. I suspect that the adrenaline of a wounded animal tends to impact the taste of the meat compared to one that was dispatched quickly (hunting ethics aside).

The one Indian wild game meat which I’ve always dreamt of trying would have to be Barasingha (or 12 horned stag as it’s called in English). I hear that it’s absolutely regal.

 

[Bapu]

Oh hi, Bapu. Haven’t seen you here in a while. Yes, very true. I suspect that the adrenaline of a wounded animal tends to impact the taste of the meat compared to one that was dispatched quickly (hunting ethics aside).

The one Indian wild game meat which I’ve always dreamt of trying would have to be Barasingha (or 12 horned stag as it’s called in English). I hear that it’s absolutely regal.

Yes absolutely, Adrenaline plays a great
role.
Barasingha is good eating but the Chowsingha ( Four horn ) is excellent and so is the Chinkara ( Indian Gazelle ) from the arid desert region.

 

[dchum]

Mountain zebra, Selective grazers. They choose the best grass just like cattle would.

In Namibia we ate zebra salami for apps
Zebra sausage and steaks as well as breaded schnitzel. Hartmanns zebra is just excellent red meat in my opinion.

Oryx also as they tend to graze more than browse. Yum

 

[dchum]

Oh hi, Bapu. Haven’t seen you here in a while. Yes, very true. I suspect that the adrenaline of a wounded animal tends to impact the taste of the meat compared to one that was dispatched quickly (hunting ethics aside).

The one Indian wild game meat which I’ve always dreamt of trying would have to be Barasingha (or 12 horned stag as it’s called in English). I hear that it’s absolutely regal.

Does anyone ever eat Nilgai over there?
We have big free ranging hers here on the coast in texas and we love to eat Nilgai. My favorite here in texas

 

[Doubleplay]

You can’t beat eland but zebra is indeed amazing.

Agreed.
If anyone ends up at the restaurant located at the Etosha National Park by the main gate try Zebra Schnitzel from the menu, you'll be blown away.