Scotland: National Rural Network
Connecting Rural Scotland - Promoting Rural Growth

This Saturday, 4th September, is Eat Scottish Venison Day 2010. Following a successful launch last year, the day will feature promotions, events, signature dishes, cooking schools and special menus from some of the UK's top restaurants and suppliers.

Scottish venison is sold throughout the UK and Europe, and the industry, including deer management, is worth £105m to the Scottish economy annually and accounts for over 2500 jobs. And venison is a healthy meat too - with less than two percent fat it's even leaner than skinless chicken. It's also a great source of iron.

Chairman of the Scottish Venison Working Group, Stephen Gibbs, said, "Venison isn't a new food, we have been eating it for hundreds of years - longer than we have been eating beef. But now Scottish venison is really taking off as availability grows and butchers and supermarkets are stocking it all year round. It is one of the best foods to come out of Scotland and we should all be singing its praises."

Highlights of Eat Scottish Venison Day include:

• Venison specials on the menu of Jamie Oliver's new restaurant in Glasgow
• Scottish venison at the Ivy in London and Rivington Grill, Shoreditch
• A venison cookery school hosted by award-winning chef Tom Lewis at his restaurant Monachyle Mhor
• The National Trust for Scotland serving venison at several of its properties
• The Blackface Meat company is e-mailing its members with venison recipes
• Great Glen Game is tweeting about the launch of its new venison salamis and chorizos
• A new venison haggis burger is being launched by West Highland Hunting
• Simple Simon's Honey Venison Collops Pie will be on sale in Waitrose regional stores
• Highland Game venison will feature in Maxine Clark's cookery demonstrations at the Dundee Food and Flower Festival
• Deans@Lets Eat in Perth are offering a specially priced dish of Highland Venison Collop with a red wine and garlic sauce
• The Green Inn at Ballater will be featuring a seared fillet of Aberdeenshire roe deer dish with cherries and sweet peppercorn sauce

You can find out more on the Scottish Venison website.

Food and Drink Fortnight

Scottish Food and Drink Fortnight runs from 4th - 19th September 2010. You can find out more in Scottish Food and Drink Fortnight coming soon where you can also tell us about your favourite Scottish restaurant, producer, produce or dish.

How do you cook yours? 

Stewed, roasted, or in a burger? What's your favourite way to cook, or eat, venison? You can share your top venison recipes and serving ideas by adding a comment to this article.