Resting Bitch Face, Raymond Blanc & Rescue Roadkill

Almost 20 years ago I was managing a pub in rural Wiltshire that I won’t name here for reasons that will come apparent.

I was and remain a terrible publican because I have what the kids call a ‘resting bitch face’ and try as I might I simply couldn’t engage in small talk with locals without looking bored. My ears perked up one Friday night though, when one of the locals (let’s call him Gaz) hopped up onto his usual stool, ordered a pint of 3B and said ‘stupid furry bastard smashed my nearside headlight didn't he’. You what Gaz? I said, for once intrigued. ‘Bloody great deer! Jumped right in front of me’. 

Anyway, long story short, I jumped in my Fiat 500 and drove a mile down the road and slung a dead deer over my back seat. 

As this was the olden days before umm, hygiene, we skinned it on one of the garden tables, hung it in a shed and later butchered it into primals for use in the pub. We had the offal though that night - liver and kidneys cooked in butter with lots of salt and pepper on some fried bread. 

The reason I mention this is because some (a lot of) people were a bit squeamish about this- I posted a picture of the deer on my new Facebook (poking was still a thing) account and was inundated with abuse until Facebook took the picture down because of community something or other.

And I find that sad - Venison is a glorious meat - healthy, nutritious, plentiful and delicious. It lives a significantly better life than the average chicken or pig in this country and it’s relatively inexpensive. We should eat SO much more of it and it should be on sale in every butcher and supermarket in the country. We buy NZ legs of lamb, flown halfway across the world but we baulk at a haunch of venison shot a mile down the road. It’s nuts. 

We’re collaborating with Chris at The BBQ Shack in Bovey Tracey to bring you ‘Deer in a Day’ this November - We’ll start with a cooked breakfast on our mighty Vulcanus Grill then get to grips with a whole deer together. We’ll use lots of different firepits, barbecues, techniques and cuts to inspire you to eat and cook more venison. Perhaps we’ll hot-smoke those beautiful butter-soft loins over apple twigs? Bake the haunches under ground with bay and juniper? There will definitely be a curry in a heavy cast iron pot over embers and maybe some sausages or salamis with the off cuts. And of course a roast! A wellington?! We’ll finish the day with a great feast around our mighty oak table - enjoying the fruits of our labour with a glass or two of something red and boozy. 

We’d love to make this a regular annual event at High Grange. We care very passionately about using seasonal, local produce and venison is absolutely perfect in every regard. I promise that it won’t be roadkill and that I’m now much better at looking interested.


Deer In A Day Fire School, Friday 8th and Saturday 9th November, 10am - 5pm, £225

High Grange Devon