HAHNDORF
VENISON

-since 1884-

MAKES YOUR KITCHEN RULE!

Deer are as graceful in the field as they are elegant on the plate

SOME IMPORTANT VENISON FACTS image
Applying the Master Recipe

Respect the Deer
Venison has long been regarded as seasonal and should the Game Keeper not get it right, the prized venison will be tainted with a robust smack of strong game flavours and pungent odours, to the point of being unpleasant & objectionable. Read more about our definition of game in our Q&A.   It makes perfect sense to only select prime deer of known source and history.  Hahndorf Venison's controlled integration of field to kitchen production principles provide for your enjoyment of the very best venison available, all year round.

Honour the Deer.  Waste not - want not.  At Hahndorf Venison we aim for Zero Waste.  We believe that to waste any part of the deer is dishonourable.  We try very hard for Cheek to Shank processing - and beyond.  Our recovery includes much of the delightful offals such as heart, liver, kidneys, cheeks, tongue, bones and marrow for stocks... We produce fine leather and raw hide.  Stag bladders are used in bio-dynamic farming. Tails & tendons are prized oriental delicacies.  The hoofs and long bones are diverted to pet treats, and the list goes on.  To help you in your kitchen, we do the hard work for you.  Much of the Venison that leaves our chillers has been "denvered", meaning membranes and heavy sinews are removed. You can read more about Denvering on our Q&A page.  Denvered Hahndorf Venison makes it much easier on your end to consistently achieve superior results  and with minimal to zero waste.

Work within limitations
Venison is incredibly lean. While this is definitely a desirable feature, it influences how Venison is to be handled in the kitchen. In addition to the leaness, many cuts vary in tenderness, flavour and texture. Every Venison cut has a place on the menu but each one must be used within it's limitations. Each of our recommended recipes takes the combined attributes of each cut and portion into account. Just as you wouldn't pan fry a Venison shank, it's overkill to make a curry with Venison rump. Some cuts are best long and slow, like Osso Buco for instance. Others are as simple as a quick flash in hot pan. And don't forget the bones for the most awesome stocks. If you're unsure, we'll step you through.

Let the Venison be the star.
Tradition says marinade - not so!  Strong marinades are only required to mask the  potent flavours and pungent odours, the "gaminess" of poorly handled venison.
Each of our featured recipes have been tried and tested only with Hahndorf Farmed Venison. They sing and so does the Hahndorf Venison. The results taste great and we're confident you'll achieve the same outcome. Gentle marinades are used occasionally, to enrich flavours and enhance the lean attributes during the preparation and aid the Venison during cooking process. As with all added ingredients, only use quality products, this is especially so where pork fat or bacon is recommended, always select the freshest quality pork back-fat and first grade streaky bacon.





the key...

100 YEARS image
WATCH THIS SPACE
AN EXCITING NEW & UNIQUE  PRODUCT IS  IN THE FINAL STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT AND WILL BE COMING VERY SOON!

SLOW-COOK & BRAISE

Shanks, diced, bolar...

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THE DELICATE

A little for care for elegant dishes

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THE SIMPLE

Easy no fuss prep and cook

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CHARCUTERIE

Fresh Smallgoods & Ready to Eat

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Never think of SLOW COOK as being inferior. Some choice cuts are well suited for SLOW FOOD. Bolar makes for a delicious roasting piece. Then of course, the shanks. Slow cooked shank meat is the perfect filling for a flavour rich high protein low fat gourmet pie! Diced for curries, ragouts & goulash. Osso Buco - an all time traditional.

FORE-QUARTER SHANKS

Best results are slow cooked/braised

NEED A RECIPE FOR THE SLOW COOKER?

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BOLAR

Easy prep Pot Roast

This is an easy one for the pot roast. It can be further worked and some very tender pan fry steaks are hiding under the silverskin!

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OYSTER BLADE & MORE...

Slow cook, BBQ, Stir-Fry & Roast

A shoulder sub cut from the larger carcasses are certainly worth the effort. Elk Oyster - tender and packed with flavour...

HAND CUT DICED HAHNDORF VENISON

Firm but flavoursome

Hand Cut Hahndorf Diced Venison is lean and clean, suited to sensational pies, ragout or goulash - especially Hungarian Goulash Soup.

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OSSO BUCO

PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES

STRIPLOIN

CHOICE!

The Striplon, also known as Backstrap, is one of the choice cuts of Venison. Removed from the 3rd rib of the point end to the last Lumbar Vertebrae, a 55 kg carcass striploin will yield approx 1.6 kg of deep red full flavoured choice tender venison.

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TENDERLOIN

CHOICE!

Tucked right away on the underside of the the saddle, the tenderloin is carefully removed with just minor two knife scores. Trimmed of the sidestrap, the Hahndorf Venison Tenderloin yields two very Chef friendly portions at around 400+ grams each.

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THE ONGLET & BABETTE

FANCY!

Both these Venison cuts remain unknown, mainly because they are non recoverable from the smaller fallow deer carcasses. At Hahndorf Venison, our larger 60+ kg Sika, Red and Elk carcasses make these cuts possible and offer chefs the opportunity of presenting specialised dishes.

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BRISKET AND RIBS

Spare ribs, brisket and trim

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RACK OF VENISON

All about presentation

Recipe coming very soon!

Most leg cuts are presented "Denvered". Denvering is the term used to describe the removal of sinew and silverskin membrane from individual muscle portions. At Hahndorf Venison we use an air assisted membrane skinner to efficiently remove silverskin and sinew with reduced waste in a fraction of the time when using a knife. The result is considerable time savings & no waste in your kitchen.

PRIME LEG CUTS

CHOICE!

Removed correctly and carefully trimmed, leg cuts can be presented either whole or broken down to individual muscles. At it's awesome best when denvered!

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SILVERSIDE

Stir-fry, dicing, sliced thin across the grain for a flash fry Hahndorf Venison steak sandwich. Also perfect for a slow cook Hahndorf Venison pie filling.

Full of flavour hard working long grained muscle. Highly recommend denvered and side-strap removed for 100% muscle without silverskin or sinew. The silverside must be handled within it's limitations.

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GIRELLO - EYE OF SILVERSIDE

SPECIALIST CUT

Presented denvered, the Girello is an excellent cut for Carpaccio. At Hahndorf Venison we prepare the Girello specifically for convenience in the kitchen.

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MINCE & DICED

A wide variety: Burgers, snags

antler for all occasions

ANTLER CRAFT

DECOR DESIGNS. Different antler for unique designs, suitable for hat & coat racks, chandeliers, table art

ANTLER FOR PETS

ANTLER TREATS FOR DOGS

FUNCTIONAL ANTLER

Antler for cutlery, from simple to elegant carving sets. Each piece have unique characteristics.

GETTING TO KNOW US We're family owned & operated South Australia's original & only on-farm venison producer

We're primary producers and specialist venison processors.  Located in the Adelaide Hills, in the Onkaparinga Valley, just out of Hahndorf .  It all started in the family many, many years ago, as far back as the mid 1800's in fact.

Some 100 years later, 1977, we diversified into deer farming.  One year on, 1978, we began processing venison.
We see it from the farm to the kitchen, cheek to shank.
The guy that makes the sausages, he fixes fences as well! And the fella who helps him mend the fences, he processes the carcasses.

We're still making history - and bringing you the finest venison available!

KNOW THE ORIGIN

We have an open invitation policy for Chefs and their staff to personally visit and view our farm to kitchen journey.

REDUCING THE FOOD MILES

Our central location integrates efficiencies and minimises the environmental impact.

The residents of Highland Valley

ELK

Elk Bulls at 450+kg are impressive animals!

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CHITAL

Considered the most handsome of all deer

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SIKA

Back from the brink with superior velvet

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FALLOW DEER

Fallow Bucks in mid summer

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HOG DEER

Pocket sized dynamos, don't look at me!

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RED DEER

Chef's firm favourite of superior venison

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BLACKBUCK

I'm an Antelope, not a Deer!

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  • 57 River Road, Hahndorf South Australia, Australia

BLOG-O-LOG image
Deer farming continues to come under heavy fire by the authorities.  
Many "experts" are of the opinion that the feral populations are a result of escapes from commercial deer farms.  These experts conveniently overlook that feral deer have been roaming around South Australia since the 1800s.  Deer liberations were on the basis of establishing wild deer populations and improving the trophy quality for recreational hunters with no commercial interest.  To suggest deer farmers are responsible for the deliberate release of deer is counterintuitive.  Deer farming had its very beginnings with feral deer capture from the mid-1970s to mid-80s, 100 years after the first releases of deer.  


the most frequent & interesting questions we get