Health-conscious eaters are going for game

By Stett Holbrook (Special to the Mercury News)

For a nation born of revolution we're pretty conservative when it comes to dinner. We like our hamburgers, boneless chicken breasts and pork chops.

Despite recent attempts to bring buffalo and ostrich into the mainstream, wild and farmed game remains exotic fare. But that’s changing, say retailers and restaurateurs. And for good reason. Not only are game meats high in protein, low in fat and cholesterol and typically raised without the steroids and antibiotics found in domesticated animals, they're also full of flavor and offer a break from the same old thing.

Although the price per pound is higher than meat from domesticated animals, greater availability and variety warrant giving game another look. Contrary to common belief, commercially sold "game" can be ranch or farm raised. Animals such as pheasant, venison and bison roam about and graze on a diet that mimics their natural one but that imparts a less assertive flavor than truly wild game. Plus, animals usually are slaughtered young, which makes their flesh more tender and mild.