Shizuoka's food cultureKnow

In recent years, gibier has been attracting a lot of attention. Gibier refers to the meat of wild birds and animals captured through hunting, such as wild boar, deer, pheasant, and duck.

The reason for its popularity is that it has a rich, nutritious flavor that can only be found in animals raised in nature, and is high in protein, low in calories, and nutritious.

As the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is promoting the increased use of gibier, gibier dishes that take advantage of local characteristics are being served all over the country, and Shizuoka Prefecture is also starting up various initiatives to utilize gibier.

One of them is "Izu Venison," which is served in Izu City, located in the central part of the Izu Peninsula.

Izu deer is venison processed by the Izu deer wholesaler at the Izu City Meat Processing Center, which is solely responsible for the production of Izu deer.

"Izu Deer Wholesaler is a publicly owned and operated meat processing facility run by Izu City. Currently, there are more deer in the Izu Peninsula than the population of Izu City.2Ten thousand5000~3It is said that there are 10,000 deer living here.

Due to the past ban on hunting female deer and the decline in the number of hunters, the population of Japanese deer has increased significantly, and the damage to crops has also increased, resulting in the amount of1The deer have also been eating the buds, bark, and undergrowth of forest trees, causing trees to wither and soil erosion, deteriorating the mountain environment.

there,2008In 2004, in cooperation with the hunting association and others, the Izu City Harmful Bird and Animal Capture Team was formed, and the team has been working with the capturers and the local government to capture deer and wild boar.

However, after capture, the deer and wild boars were either eaten by the catchers themselves or buried at the capture site. Digging holes in the mountains is a huge burden for the catchers, and throwing away the lives given to them by the deer and wild boars is a wrong decision.

Izu Deer Wholesaler aims to reduce the burden on hunters and increase their motivation to hunt, and to convey gratitude for the lives they have been given in the form of food.2011It began operations in

This is what Watanabe Tatsuki, chief of the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Division of the Industry Department of Izu City, said.

Approximately 100,000 deer are processed annually at Izu Deer Wholesaler.900The head. Members of the local hunting association or the Izu City Harmful Bird and Animal Capture Team are registered and bring in captured deer and wild boars. The most common capture method is a "snare trap," in which the animals' legs are tied with wire.

The day of the interview9The average number of deer brought in varied depending on the season.1Sun3~4The head is being brought in.

"30kgWe purchase the above deer at a price according to their weight. After capturing, we drain the blood and2We ask that fish be brought in within the designated time frame, but as the taste changes significantly depending on the method of bleeding, we require all our staff to attend training sessions on bleeding and hygiene management," says Watanabe.

The deer brought to the Izu Deer Wholesaler are skinned and their organs removed, and every last bit of the animal is used, with the skin sold to leather craft businesses and the organs used as an ingredient in pet food.

Venison has an image of being tough and smelly, but Izu Deer Wholesaler has implemented unique methods to eliminate this.The biggest feature is aging.

Izushika Wholesaler has a aging warehouse,2In a cabinet set at °C7~10It is aged for days, during which excess moisture is removed and the odor is reduced.

In addition, the amino acids in the bones permeate the meat, increasing the flavor and making the meat more tender.

Once the venison has finished aging, it is cut into individual parts and processed by hand into meat.

Venison has many small sinews, so they are carefully removed to make it easier to eat.

The thigh meat is slightly firm and has a mild flavor, while the loin is soft and has a strong umami flavor, and the flavor of each is brought out by the appropriate cooking method.

The cut venison is flash frozen under vacuum to keep it fresh and delicious.

It is shipped to local butcher shops and other businesses.

"The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has established a domestic gibier certification system that sets out hygiene management standards, etc., with the aim of providing safe and secure gibier. Izu Shika Wholesaler has obtained this certification, but currently,600Among the above gibier processing facilities, the following have been certified:18There are only a few places.

We also have thorough traceability (a system that allows us to investigate the cause of any problems, quickly recall products, and prove quality and safety), and by scanning the 2D code on the label attached to the product, we can determine when, where, and by whom the venison was caught, and how it was processed.

2011The Izu Deer initiative began in 2013, and the amount of damage to agricultural products caused by birds and animals has so far been approximately11 billion yen to approximately2The effects are clearly being seen, with costs reduced to 10 million yen.

"Our ultimate goal is to drastically reduce damage caused by wild animals, eliminate the need to capture deer as harmful birds and animals, and eliminate the need for facilities like Izu Deer Wholesalers. Until then, we would like to cherish the life we ​​have received from nature and make the most of it as a local specialty product," says Watanabe.

 "The local chamber of commerce has teamed up with the local government to launch an organization called the Izu Deer Fan Club to promote the Izu deer.

However, to properly popularize it, we first need to get local consumers to know about it. That's why we started selling Izu deer in our store," says store manager Hiroyuki Yamamoto.

The store's refrigerator is lined with Izu deer meat, including thigh meat, shank meat, and cut pieces, as well as a wide selection of processed products such as Izu deer prosciutto, Izu deer corned beef, and Izu deer sausage.

The prepared food section also offers roast Izu venison, croquettes, and fried chicken.

"Before Izu Deer Wholesaler opened, venison had a strong smell and was tough, and frankly, it wasn't very tasty. However, thanks to Izu Deer Wholesaler's innovative aging and processing methods, the meat has become odorless, sweet, and delicious for everyone to enjoy.

At first, even local people didn't buy it, but now it has become a popular product. Izu deer has gone from being 'meat that can be eaten' to 'meat that people want to eat'."

The thick cuts of Izu venison are perfect for roasting. They also make excellent cutlets. The bone-in loin is popular with tourists who enjoy barbecuing.

"Having heard how delicious Izu venison is, more and more people are coming to our store from other prefectures. We also receive many inquiries from restaurants in Tokyo. We would like to continue to increase the number of visitors to Izu City through the sale of Izu venison," says Yamamoto.

 There are also restaurants in Izu City that serve dishes using Izu deer.

That is the Italian restaurant "The Crank(The Crank) is a popular shop for cyclists, with a cycle rack at the entrance where you can store your bike. Inside, there are rare bicycles on display, and the walls are autographed by famous riders, making it a very unique shop.

Such "The CrankThe specialty of this restaurant is "Izu Venison Bolognese (1800yen)

"I wanted more people to know how delicious Izu venison is, so I made it into a Bolognese sauce that is popular with people of all ages," says owner chef Iwata.

The flat tagliatelle pasta is coated in a rich sauce and topped with plenty of minced venison. Combined with the sprinkling of cheese and parsley, the appearance alone is enough to whet your appetite.

When you put it in your mouth, the chewy pasta and the chunky texture of the minced meat are in perfect harmony. The minced meat has a firm texture and the unique flavor and umami of venison is palpable. The mild flavor makes it easy to eat and truly delicious.

"Because the meat is low in fat, we add a little cream to prevent it from being too bland. It's popular among the cyclists who visit our restaurant as a high-protein, low-calorie athlete's meal. We have many repeat customers, and it's our most popular pasta dish," says Iwata.

Izu deer was created as an effort to make effective use of captured deer, and is now a local food that is loved by many people. Once you try it, you will surely be hooked on its deliciousness.