Field to Fork at Vale House Kitchen - Game Butchery & Cookery Course

There are some kitchens that feel like they’ve been waiting for you. Vale House Kitchen is one of them - warm light on wooden tables, knives stacked neatly, the beautiful gardens just beyond the window reminding you where your food begins. I arrived on a typical autumnal morning, ready for a full immersion in game butchery and cookery with Bod and chef Kieran. I left with full hands (hello, dinner), a fuller recipe book, and a whole new outlook for cooking rabbit, partridge, and pheasant at home!

Why Game?

Game has a special place in my heart (and belly!): it’s seasonal, low-impact when sourced well, antibiotic free, and so tasty. Cooking it at Vale House Kitchen makes perfect sense because the ethos is the same - respect for the animal, respect for the land, and skills that make you more self-reliant in the kitchen. There’s nothing quite like preparing your own food knowing it came from the local area, and understanding each step between feather and fork. Game is also an incredible source of protein and minerals coming in much higher than most meats like chicken, pork, and even beef. And if you make friends with your local gamekeeper, you can take away a brace or two after a shoot day for next to nothing, or often free.

Lesson One: Rabbit, Two Ways

We began with rabbit. I’ve cooked rabbit for years, but there’s always more to learn when you’re standing next to an expert at butchery and a creative chef. We covered the essentials: skinning, where to joint cleanly, and how to portion for different styles of cooking.

Then we cooked rabbit two ways. The loin was hot-smoked and served just pink, perched on toasted soda bread with a spoon of creamy braised leg and a few dried grapes for sweetness. It was such a beautiful dish, done with easy to replicate techniques at home, and easily one of the best things I’ve eaten in a long time. It tasted like someone had put autumn on a plate: smoke, softness, a little tang, a little charm.

We settled down for lunch in a cosy dining room with a lit fire, and enjoyed our rabbit dishes, followed by apple crumble and custard prepared by Bod with fruits from their orchard.

Lesson Two: Partridge - From Feather to Feast

Next up: partridge. We talked about different breeds of the bird (did you know French partridge don't actually come from France but they were called that because of their red legs? French soldier used to wear red knee high socks - hence how it got its name! French partridge actually come from Spain). Then went hands-on with plucking - something I don't do as often as I'd like at home because I always found it fiddly - but with a few expert tips, I am now looking forward to my next birds to pluck. It’s strangely soothing when you get the rhythm - the kind of task that rewards patience. We prepared whole birds for the oven, then learned how to break one down neatly into breast, legs, and trimmings for stocks or sauces.

And the dish? Partridge spring rolls - crisp, savoury, outrageously moreish - served with a soy and sesame dipping sauce. I’m already plotting a big tray of these for the beaters on our next shoot day. They’re the kind of snack that disappears the moment you set them down!

Lesson Three: Pheasant - Elegant by Design

No game day is complete without pheasant. We breasted our birds, removed the legs (for slow cooking later), and then came the showstopper: pheasant saltimbocca. Wrapped with sage and cured ham, seared and basted, the meat stayed tender and tasted beautifully elegant - proof that pheasant deserves a place on any dinner-party table when handled properly. The best part? We boxed up our saltimbocca to take home. Dinner, sorted.

Pheasant gets a reputation for being gamey, but when dressed on day one the taste remains mild and gentle, and rivals any poultry available on supermarket shelves. It's a great source of protein and nutrients, and so versatile to cook with. Plus, you can cook any game a little pink meaning that you can have truly tasty meat without it drying out.

What I Took Home From Vale House Kitchen

• Knife confidence. Knowing where to cut and why makes you faster, tidier, and less wasteful. Also learning about the tools necessary to keep in the kitchen to make butchery much easier.

• Clever yet simple tricks. There is an art to butchery, for me especially I learned all about rabbit and realised i have been making my life harder at home by insinctively processing the animals rather than following a series of simple steps!

• Balanced flavours. Game’s lean character loves smart contrasts - creamy braises with smoked loin; crisp pastry with silky meat; sharp dressings against sweet, nutty notes.

• Community. A room full of like-minded cooks, exchanging stories while pans sizzle and plates circle - this is how knowledge keeps moving.

The Vale House Way

Bod and Kieran are incredible teachers. They demystify the “tricky” bits and keep everything grounded in real life: what works in a home kitchen, how to plan ahead, when to cook hot and quick, and when to go low and slow. We cooked, we tasted, we asked a dozen questions, and we left with recipe handouts and a clearer sense of how to make game part of our ordinary weeks - and how to serve game beautifully presented for guests.

What I’ll Be Cooking Next

• Hot-smoked rabbit loin with a little creamy leg on toast (dried grapes are non-negotiable now). I am actually looking for a smoker now - I think I'll get an indoor one so I can use it throughout the year, even in rainy seasons.

• Partridge spring rolls for the beaters - a tray baked in batches, dipping sauce ready in jam jars.

• Pheasant saltimbocca for a small dinner party, with something bright and bitter on the side.

• Stocks and sauces built from the trimmings; a tidy freezer box labelled “game gold.”

Practical Notes (If You’re Thinking of Booking)

• You don’t need to be an expert. You need curiosity and a willingness to learn. The rest arrives as you go.

• Wear something you can move in. You’ll be on your feet, hands on.

• You don't need to bring anything. Everything is provided on the course.

• Arrive hungry. You’ll want to taste everything.

Huge thank you to Bod, Kieran, and the Vale House team for a day that was welcoming and educational. The food was wonderful, the company better still, and the knowledge will last a long time - it was a wonderful experience.

If you’re game-curious - or if you just want to feel more connected to what’s on your plate - spend a day at Vale House Kitchen on one of their courses, like this Game Butchery & Cookery Course. You’ll never look at rabbit, partridge, or pheasant the same way again, and your dinner guests will thank you for it.