As the country braces itself for a third heatwave, now is a good time to try something slightly different on the barbecue.
Paul Dowdeswell, owner of Country Quality Meat in Nailsworth, specialises in game, with venison being one of the favourites with his customers.
Paul supplied Stroud Times with a marinated venison kebab; a Moroccan-style lamb grill stick; and a wild boar and cider burger.
Paul explained: “The marinated venison kebab contains six prime chunks of locally shot venison. It starts with a Moroccan flavour followed by maple and finally a Thai sweet chilli. These flavours then repeat themselves for the remainder of the kebab. We use the venison loin and leg for these – use a nice hot barbecue and cook it pink.”
The meat was incredibly tender, and the flavours of the marinades combined perfectly. The kebabs sell for £6.98 per pound or 444 grams.
We also tried a Moroccan-style lamb grill stick and a wild boar, cider and apple burger. The wild boar is shot in Dumfries, Scotland and is subject to availability. The quarter pound burgers cost £1.25 each, or 10 for £11.
Paul describes the lamb grill stick as being ‘like a doner kebab’ and are also available in lamb and mint and Tandoori flavours and sell for £2 each or three for £5.
There’s no mistaking the freshness of the products and Paul prides himself on using locally sourced meat.
“At Country Quality Meat we try to sell venison 52 weeks of the year because we are passionate about deer and game. All deer have a season to shoot (this is to protect females with young and males during the mating season). We nearly always have stock of locally shot fallow, roe and muntjac,” added Paul.
