Without a thermometer, the classic way to test is to push a spoon under the leg of the bird so that it pierces the skin (or use a skewer), and inspect the juices that collect in the spoon. The juices should be pale gold and clear; if there are traces of blood return to the oven allow 10-15 mins then test again.
The safe cooked temp is 74 °C. Use a food thermometer to probe the bird in a few of the thickest places, between the breast and thigh. The temperature will continue to rise as the bird rests. This is called carryover cooking. A top tip is to remove your bird from the oven a little early, around 67 °C, and it will rise to the cooked temp as it rests. This will ensure it's perfectly cooked and juicy.
Baste with butter and wrap in bacon before roasting as you would a chicken.
Returns & Refunds
We want you to buy our goods with complete confidence. We take great pride in the quality of our goods but if you are not completely satisfied with the meat you receive, please contact us, sending photographs, to explain what has gone wrong and we will endeavour to replace, refund or give credit for any defective goods (according to your wishes). You also have statutory rights to return certain types of goods, set out in our terms and conditions.
Please note that because small game is usually shot with a shotgun it is likely to have some blemishes, pellet holes and/or bruises. Our quality control process means that we filter out any birds with more than three pellet holes or 10% bruising on the breast meat. If you notice more bruising or pellet holes on your products, please do contact us attaching a photo so we can review accordingly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are your products supplied fresh or frozen?
We often freeze our game so that we are able to supply seasonal meat all year round.
Typically we thaw the meat for one to two days (depending on the weight/size of the product) in a 2ºC environment (for cutting and/or packing) prior to dispatch to you. Read more...
Can you tell me the ingredients of your stuffings and processed products?
Yes, full ingredient lists are available. Read more
Do your products contain shot?
All our meat in the game meat and game bird categories may contain some shot or shot fragments, as they are culled by hunters using shotguns or rifles. The only exception is squirrel, which is humanely trapped. In most cases the shot is not found in the meat, as shotgun pellets normally rest in the bone or the internal cavity and bullets usually travel right through the body. Shot is made from copper, steel, tungsten, bismuth or lead. For more information on the phasing out of lead, please read our blog.
How long will game meat keep for?
All our products have a use by date on their packaging. In general products which contain minced meat (such as sausages and burgers) have a shelf life of 7 days whereas it will be 10 days from the date of packing for most other fresh meat. Depending on the courier and delivery schedules, the shelf life from the date of delivery for sausages/burgers will be 3/4 days, and 6/7 days for all other meats. Smoked products will have a shelf life of up to 21 days and most fish have a shelf life of 6 days (2/3 days from day of delivery depending on courier schedules).
Ingredients and allergen information can be found for all our products on our ingredients page.
