Game Meat

Why game meat is rated low

Plain game meat is low FODMAP. The rating is estimated from what it is made of rather than from a measured serving: venison, rabbit, wild boar, pheasant and the like are protein and fat with next to no carbohydrate, so they come in low at "Any typical portion". Larger amounts than a typical portion are not rated here, and the real risk sits elsewhere: game is often marinated, slow cooked in stock, made into sausages or sold as jerky, and those forms are where onion, garlic and wheat creep in.

What changes your risk

• Marinades and braises Game is often marinated or braised with onion, garlic, shallot or red wine reductions built on them. Those ingredients bring the FODMAPs, not the meat, so build the braise on garlic-infused oil, the green tops of spring onions and herbs.
• Stock and gravy Ordinary stock and gravy mixes commonly contain onion and garlic, and gravy is often thickened with wheat flour. Use a stock made without them and thicken with cornflour.
• Processed forms Game sausages, burgers, pies and jerky usually include onion or garlic powder, breadcrumbs or a wheat pastry. Read the label rather than assuming they match the plain meat.
• Whole-meal load The meat adds nothing to the FODMAP total, but traditional sides such as bread sauce, stuffing or a fruit sauce made with apple or plum can tip the plate over.

What else works

Other plain meats sit in the same low place: beef, lamb, pork, chicken and turkey all fill the same role when cooked without onion and garlic. The lookalikes that are NOT low are the prepared versions: venison sausages and burgers with onion and breadcrumbs, game pie in a wheat pastry, jerky seasoned with onion or garlic powder, and stews built on an onion base. For sauce, a reduction of low FODMAP stock with herbs or a red currant style glaze sweetened with table sugar or maple syrup works in place of fruit sauces made with apple or plum.

How to keep it low

Buy game as plain cuts, such as steaks, loin, haunch or whole birds, so you control every ingredient. Because game is lean, it does well seared quickly or cooked low and slow with plenty of liquid. For the liquid, use water or a stock you know is free of onion and garlic, add rosemary, thyme or juniper for depth, and finish with garlic-infused oil. With sausages, burgers and jerky, check the ingredient list for onion powder, garlic powder and wheat before buying.

Common questions

is venison low fodmap

Plain venison and other plain game meats are rated low at "Any typical portion", estimated from what they are made of, since they are protein and fat with next to no carbohydrate.

can i eat game meat on the elimination phase

Plain cuts fit the elimination phase at "Any typical portion". Marinades, stocks and gravies built on onion, garlic or wheat flour are what change the picture.

are venison sausages low fodmap

Not necessarily. Many contain onion, garlic or breadcrumbs, so the label decides, not the meat.

is game jerky low fodmap

The meat itself is low, but jerky is often seasoned with onion or garlic powder. Check the ingredient list before treating it like plain game meat.