The Complete Wild Game Cookbook

In Quebec

I have been fortunate to work in two kitchens in Quebec during my career and know first hand their respect for and love affair with wild game. In fact one of the restaurants had an all game menu in the fall and it is where I cut my teeth as a Saucier and new graduate from French cooking school.

Cross the border into Ontario and the same menu would not be touched but the deeper you delve into Quebec the more game shows up on the menu like venison, rabbit, quail, partridge and wild boar.

Quebec also has a strong hunting heritage which definitely bolsters the consumption of game and if you know any hunters in Quebec you will sooner or later be gifted a hunk of moose, bear or venison for your freezer.

Wild Game Cookbook

The Complete Wild Game Cookbook, written by Chef Jean-Paul Grappe captures the French chefs love affair with wild game and bursts with information on how to make the most of just about anything you can hunt, in Canada. It is instantly obvious that this book was written from a perspective of years of experience as a Chef with its “deep” and thoughtful dedication to cooks on the first page and praise from the godfather of French cooking, Paul Bocuse, in the foreword. The book anchors itself firmly with time honoured French classics like Haunch of Venison with Grand Veneur Sauce or the more obscure Poached Tongue with Gribiche Sauce and leaves absolutely no stone unturned in the pursuit of preparing each type of game to its fullest potential. Chapters on hunting and respect, gastronomy and an extremely in depth essay on the structure and tenderness of meat (written by Christina Blais, Department of Nutrition, University of Montreal) lead up to wonderful descriptions of over twenty game birds from ducks to woodcocks, followed by creative and delicious recipes. With tips and variations for each recipe that allow flexibility for the home chef and great sidebars of information that compel you to read on.

Roasted Beaver 

In the second half of the book, Grappe, examines game animals in the same detail, explaining how to exploit every cut of the animal and prepare it, applying time honoured French cooking techniques infused by a wonderful use of classic Canadian ingredients like maple, cloudberries, cedar, wild garlic, fiddleheads and apple cider. I bookmarked the Bison Ribeye with Wild Cherry Sauce and Venison Chops Sautéed with Blackcurrants and Shredded Green Papaya to make at some point and love knowing I now have a recipe for Roasted Beaver Loin Tartlets with Crayfish and Beaver Tail.

Proudly Canadian

Proudly Canadian/Québécois, this book could only have been written by a French chef in Canada with the bounty of our great forests to provide its unique inspiration. For any hunter or cook, this cookbook is an incredible resource of information and as Bocuse says “…is more like an encyclopedia than a simple book of recipes.” In fact the only complaint I have putting this book on my shelf is that the cover does not belie the amazing amount of information and respect & dedication Chef Grappe has given to this subject. I think a more classic, formal hard cover is better suited to what is well described as “The Complete Wild Game Cookbook” but you know the old saying never judge a book by its cover.

photos made available by the publisher Robert Rose Inc.

Disclosure: this book was  sent to us in exchange for an honest review.