It’s lean, clean and not made by a machine. Hand-reared Mandagery Creek Farmed Venison is shedding the meat’s 1980s reputation, coming back into fashion on the menus at Sydney hotspots like Marque, Guillaume at Bennelong and Quay.

Venison's gamey goodness reads like a diet dream; low in calories and cholesterol, with less than half the fat content of beef and chicken, venison is like the goji berry of the meat world.

From the family farm in Orange, Tim Hansen works hard to maintain the quality of his hand reared charges. The pasture-fed produce comes straight from the farm and other carefully sourced areas in NSW and Victoria.

The meat is antibiotic, stimulant and hormone free, but full of iron, vitamins and protein. Its gamey goodness reads like a diet dream; low in calories and cholesterol, with less than half the fat content of beef and chicken, venison is like the goji berry of the meat world.

The racks, bone, shoulder, loin, cheek and even trimming cuts have a delicate flavour brought out best with light sauces and fruit glazes. Tim’s favourite recipes are listed on the website, and he recommends staying away from heavy sauces so the subtle flavours can shine.

The meat is sold in butchers and farmers markets around NSW and Victoria. Now if it could just lose the Bambi connotations . . .

Where: Mandagery Creek, near Orange NSW. (02) 6365 6171, www.mandagerycreek.com.au  

Did you know: The strong, gamey flavour of venison can be avoided by cooking the meat medium to rare.