Bervini dedicates a line to the prized category of game, the so-called “dark meats”. The meat of deer, wild boar, roe deer and chamois is very valuable and rather rare because of the method of procurement.
Wild game is one of the most protein-rich meats and is low in fat. Compared to white and red meat, it has a hard or elastic consistency and a very intense flavour and aroma.
For these characteristics, it is suitable for long cooking, such as stews and braised meat, after having marinated it for several hours, and finally it is served with many spices to mitigate the strong taste.
The most appreciated mammal meat is the wild boar, with fibrous meat but low in calories, lean and rich in iron. The consumption of deer meat has very ancient origins, especially in the Northern countries. Rich in protein (20%) and low in fat (3%), this is a very tasty meat that lends itself to important courses: meat sauce for seasoning polenta or tagliatelle, stews and braised meats.
The chamois and roe deer meat, on the other hand, are completely different from deer meat and have a more delicate taste and the pleasant wild aroma is much less accentuated. To enhance its taste, the best aromatic herbs are laurel, juniper and thyme.