Where to Buy Venison in Massachusetts: Your Guide to Finding Delicious Deer Meat

As a longtime Massachusetts resident and hunting enthusiast I get asked a lot about where to find and buy quality venison in this state. Venison or deer meat, has a delicious rich and gamey flavor that’s quite different from beef. So where can you purchase this tasty wild protein if you don’t hunt or know a hunter willing to share their prized venison harvest?

In this guide for Massachusetts venison lovers, I’ll cover:

• An overview of venison and its health benefits
• Where to buy venison from stores and butcher shops
• How to order venison online and get it shipped
• Tips for cooking and serving venison

Let’s start with what makes venison such a great meat choice in the first place

What is Venison?

Venison refers to meat from elk, caribou, moose, and deer family animals. In Massachusetts, it primarily comes from white-tailed deer hunted each fall.

Compared to beef, venison offers a healthier protein option

• Extremely lean with less fat and calories
• High in iron, zinc, selenium, vitamin B, and omega-3s
• Lower in cholesterol than beef, pork, and chicken
• A good source of protein for low-carb, paleo, or primal diets

Beyond nutrition, venison delivers a delicious meaty depth with notes of juniper and black pepper. It’s perfect for stews, sausage, burgers, roasts, and grilling.

Buying Venison at Massachusetts Stores and Butcher Shops

It can be tricky finding venison at regular grocery stores in Massachusetts since wild game meats are lightly regulated. Here are some good options for buying fresh or frozen venison locally:

• Butcher shops – Many old-school butcher shops carry venison harvested by local hunters. Check any family-owned butcher shops in your area or ask for recommendations from hunter friends.

• Specialty grocers – Some gourmet stores like Wegmans may stock venison cuts like ground meat, stew cubes, and tenderloin. Supply depends on local sources.

• Farmers markets – Look for vendors selling locally sourced meats. They may offer venison seasonally after fall hunting season.

• Hunter donations – If you have hunter friends, ask if they’d be willing to share extra venison from their fall harvests. This meat is free except for processing costs.

• Order from farms – Buy directly from local venison farms in MA like Tall Pines Farm for cuts like sausage, stew meat, and more.

Check ingredients and sourcing when buying venison, as some products may mix in beef or other meat.

Ordering Venison Online and Getting Home Delivery

If local stores don’t offer much venison variety, consider ordering it online. Nationwide venison purveyors ship neatly packaged cuts, sausage, and more right to your door.

Here are some top online sources for home-delivered venison:

• D’Artagnan – Carries premium New Zealand venison like tenderloin, striploin, ground venison, osso buco, and more.

• Exotic Meat Market – Sells both domestic and imported venison cuts.

• Local Harvest – Directory for finding local venison farms that ship.

• Fossil Farms – Offers venison sausage, chops, roasts, and ground meat.

• Snake River Farms – American venison cuts like loins, chops, roasts, and more.

For the best quality, look for farm-raised venison produced without hormones or antibiotics. Properly wrapped and iced, venison meat ships well frozen.

Tips for Cooking Venison

To enjoy the best venison flavor, keep these cooking tips in mind:

• Use dry heat – Grill, roast, or pan-sear venison to medium rare doneness to keep it tender and prevent drying out.

• Try marinades – Soak venison in wine, vinegar, yogurt or oil-based marinades which tenderize and impart flavor.

• Slow cook tough cuts – Braise shoulders or shanks low and slow into stews or ragus.

• Balance with fat – Add bacon, olive oil, butter or lard when cooking lean venison to provide moisture.

• Make sausages – Grind venison into sausage adding pork fatback for juiciness.

• Use spices – Cocoa, juniper, thyme, sage and black pepper nicely complement venison.

While not as easy to find as beef or chicken, seeking out quality venison in Massachusetts offers a tasty and healthy alternative red meat. With such great hunting in this state, ask local hunters about scoring some venison. Or place an online order and have farm-fresh cuts conveniently shipped to your home.