Game meat, antelope, raw

Antelope meat is lean and fine-grained, milder in flavor than venison and closer to a very lean cut of beef, making it approachable for cooks new to game meats. It suits quick, high-heat cooking as steaks, chops, or kebabs marinated beforehand to add moisture, or it can be ground for burgers and meatballs, often blended with a little bacon fat or olive oil since the meat itself carries so little fat. Roasts benefit from a lower oven temperature and a meat thermometer, since lean antelope can go from medium-rare to dry in a matter of minutes, and thin cutlets pounded flat and quickly pan-seared make an easy weeknight dinner alongside a pan sauce built from the browned bits left in the skillet.

Source antelope from a reputable game butcher or hunter, keep it well chilled, and cook it within a few days or freeze it, since lean game meat has less fat to buffer against spoilage than well-marbled cuts. At 114 calories and 2.03 g of fat per ounce (28 g), it delivers 22.4 g of protein in that portion, 45% of the daily value, plus 18% of the daily value for iron and 51 mg of sodium, the lowest sodium among the game meats here. It is a straightforward substitute anywhere a recipe calls for a very lean cut of beef or venison, and a marinade of olive oil, garlic, and herbs before grilling helps keep the low-fat meat from tasting dry.