They Got Game

What restaurants offer wild meats in the Smokies?

I remember the first time I ever had wild game meat as a kid. Importantly, I didn’t come from a hunting family. But I’m sure we had cousins out in the wilds of Indiana hunting rabbits and squirrel and other such critters, varmints and such.

The details are somewhat fuzzy, but the upshot is that we ate roadkill. Dad either hit a deer with his car or saw someone hit a deer with their car. The deer fell into a stream and died. So, Dad loaded it into the trunk and took it to someone who specialized in processing game meat.

I’m going to tell you that as a child I believed some version of this story wholeheartedly, uncritically. However, as an adult I feel like the 6-year-old me didn’t ask enough follow up questions. I suppose I could call Dad and ask him, but this feels a lot like a thread I’m not sure I should pull.

That said, the upshot is we had a lot of deer meat. Deer steaks, deer hamburger and deer summer sausage. The deer summer sausage is what I remember. It was delicious. Skip ahead a few years and mom and dad had divorced. Unrelatedly, I suppose, to the deer hit and run incident, but who knows for sure?

Mom met Joe and I gained a whole new family, aunts and uncles and cousins for whom hunting was a way of life. My step-grandad Orville had been an MP in World War II and was an excellent shot. He passed the skill – and love of hunting down to his boys – my uncles and stepdad.

I went into the woods with them a few times myself. But I never took to hunting. I liked the woods and I liked shooting, but I never took to killing. Once, there was an unfortunate incident on a dove hunt that remains etched in my memory. I winged it and didn’t know what to do. So, I backed up a few paces, loaded a shell in the shotgun and put it out of its misery, and entirely obliterated the thing off the face of the Earth.

My stepdad told me later what I’d done was dangerous, one of the pellets could have ricocheted. I asked what I was supposed to do to put the animal out of its misery. He explained I was supposed to reach down with my hand and snap it’s neck. I never hunted again.

But I do enjoy some game animals when other people take care of the dirty work. Over the years at Orville’s place, I was introduced to all manner of game and while living in South Alabama there was an annual game cookoff event that drew massive crowds.

Now, however, when I’m in the mood for something exotic I go to the restaurants of Smoky Mountains where you can find all kinds of different flavors and meats. It’s not true game, I suppose. The State of Tennessee requires – wisely – that restaurants use game animals raised on farms and processed in federally inspected facilities. To have true wild meat, you either need a hunting license or to know someone with a hunting license and the willingness to share.

Which meats are game meats?

Basically, game is wild animals that are not chicken, beef or pork – though wild boar would be game. There are three basic kinds of game meat. They are:

• Winged – This includes pheasant, quail, duck, turkey, squab, partridge and Guinea fowl. In the mountains, the most common game bird is probably dove.
• Ground – Included are rabbit, squirrel and possum. I reckon frog legs would also fall into this category.
• Big game – This would be bison, bear, venison, elk, goat and wild boar. They also included water buffalo in the listing, but we ain’t got a lot of those.

I’ve had 11 of the game meats listed above. In general terms, the winged variety is by far the safest if you want to try game for the first time. For the love of God, don’t start with possum. For the most part, everything I’ve ever tried in terms of game have been good. But some of them, I have trouble getting past the stigma.

I had rabbit, for instance, while in France. Liked it. Would never do it again. Never had squirrel but don’t think I could even put a bite in my mouth. Didn’t have an issue with escargot but I could of these I will never try or, at least, will never try again.

Can I eat bear meat in the Smokies?

Not at a restaurant you can’t. There ain’t no bear meat farms around, you know? And if there were I don’t think people would really warm to the idea.

I have had bear meat once. One of our cousins or close family friends brought a crockpot of bear meat to a family gathering at Orville’s. I tried it. I can’t speak for the preparation technique. This person was more hunter than chef, I fear. It was greasy and … tangy? He may have prepared it in Sloppy Joe sauce. I was not a fan. Maybe bear meat is fantastic and I just had a bad recipe but I don’t think so. If you’ve never eaten bear, I recommend you keep it that way.

The best places to try game in Smokies

The Appalachian – Sevierville

This list is going to include a lot of the best restaurants in the area, which is nice if you’re just easing yourself into trying game meats. But also, game is either higher end, or exceptionally local and niche. You ain’t gettin’ a lot of squab at Applebees.

You can sample a few things knowing it will be expertly prepared and sourced. In fact, the staff at The Appalachian will likely be able to tell you precisely where it’s from. The menu does change seasonally, so maybe look ahead to make sure they have game for which you are game.

Currently, the have a Buffalo Frog Legs appetizer which – if you can get past the fact that they’re frog legs – are quite good. They also have an elk loin on the wood grilled meats menu. In the Spring, they had a quail dish with mushroom duxelles that was one of the best things I’ve ever had – game or not. If it comes back, you should absolutely try it.

Heirloom Room – Gatlinburg

Overlooking the river in Gatlinburg, the Heirloom room offers a wide variety of game meats including a frog legs option as well as smoked wild boar croquettes with roasted garlic aioli. They also have a Spicy Venison Loin – New Zealand red venison tenderloin with smoked chili rub, tarragon béarnaise with crispy heirloom fingerling potatoes. It’s New Zealand venison, so not only is it delicious, but it also has a surprising sense of humor.

Seasons 101 – Sevierville

Keep in mind that as you might expect from the name, Seasons 101’s menu changes from season to season. But if it’s available, the Hunters Platter is an excellent option for someone in the mood for game. For $44, you get elk tenderloin, rack of lamb, clove and shallot scented duck with prosciutto infused hunters sauce.

Greenbrier – Gatlinburg

At the Greenbrier, the main game of choice is duck. Start with the Duck and Dumplings – Parisian gnocchi, duck confit, rapini, blistered tomatoes, cracklings and duck consommé. Follow that with pan seared Duck, served with summer vegetable hash, parsnip purée and a blood orange reduction. They also have a very nice Buffalo Ribeye, 14 oz. hand cut American bison.

Local Goat – Pigeon Forge

Got a couple of buffalo options at the Local Goat – but no goat, which is probably for the best. The Bison Meatloaf is double-glazed bison meatloaf, rich demi-glace sauce, crispy onions, caramelized onion mashed potatoes is delicious. And the Jackson Hole Bison Burger is the same. I find having the meat ground up makes it easier for first timers.

Do you enjoy ordering game selections in the Smokies? If so, let us know in the comments and on the socials!