Author Topic: Where to buy exotic meat in Central Texas (Read 6137 times)

Prince Yamato · « **on:** July 01, 2009, 09:16:40 PM »

I live in Austin, TX and never realized how much I liked wild game until I ate at Hudson's on the Bend. I want to cook wild game on my own. Caveat: I don't hunt. Does anyone know where I can buy any of the following meats at a reasonable price in the Austin area? I realize that exotic game meat isn't cheap. When I say reasonable, I mean that I don't want to pay $80/snake or whatever the heck Central Market charges.

Rattlesnake
Deer
Bison
Antelope
Rabbit

I'm also open to other exotic meats. Someone told me that you can even find mountain lion. Heck, I'm up to eating that! I'll eat anything but dog (I love dogs too much).

Boomhauer · « **Reply #1 on:** July 01, 2009, 09:43:43 PM »

What about cat? I've got a young 'un here. Shipped live UPS.

(I kid, I kid

)

Gewehr98 · « **Reply #2 on:** July 02, 2009, 01:47:30 AM »

You can find Long Pork fairly cheap in some locations.

S. Williamson · « **Reply #3 on:** July 02, 2009, 03:30:16 AM »

Quote from: Prince Yamato on July 01, 2009, 09:16:40 PM

Rattlesnake
Deer
Bison
Antelope
Rabbit

I'm also open to other exotic meats. Someone told me that you can even find mountain lion. Heck, I'm up to eating that! I'll eat anything but dog (I love dogs too much).

You might ask a few ranchers not far away if they've got any for sale.

Also, I found this: http://www.yelp.com/biz/sunset-valley-farmers-market-sunset-valley

HankB · « **Reply #4 on:** July 02, 2009, 07:53:42 AM »

Check out the frozen food sections at HEB and Randall's - I've sometimes seen bison and even venison there. (I'm pretty sure bison shows up from time to time at the regular meat counters, too . . . I'm sure one of these stores was sampling bison burgers once.)

There's Whole Foods Market, too, although since it's popularly known as "HolierThanThou Foods Market," they may not carry game meat by choice.

If you drive out to Lakeway once in a while (early AM is best), you can almost certainly see some fresh-killed venison by the roadside . . . it's not too far west of Hudson's, and there are usually a couple of roadkill deer per week along 620 and/or Lakeway Boulevard; if you get to them before animal control does . . .

El Tejon · « **Reply #5 on:** July 02, 2009, 07:56:53 AM »

Hmmm, Austin? I suggest the highway between Austin and Kerrville.

I met an axis deer, who was in the middle of a board of directors meeting, on the road at about midnight back in 2004.

I introduced myself and the deer went back to his meeting.

coppertales · « **Reply #6 on:** July 02, 2009, 10:24:13 AM »

Market Street super markets carry bison, fresh. Rattlesnake can be found for free most anywhere in Texas......yum....chris3

SADShooter · « **Reply #7 on:** July 02, 2009, 10:46:11 AM »

Central market and Whole Foods should have bison and rabbit. Venison will, and antelope may, be available at area meat processors.

El Tejon · « **Reply #8 on:** July 02, 2009, 11:28:24 AM »

Is that the Whole Foods in downtown Austin? I have shopped there when I stayed at the Hilton near I-35.

Balog · « **Reply #9 on:** July 02, 2009, 11:31:31 AM »

Welcome aboard Prince! Have you ever considered taking up hunting? I find procuring the animal myself seems to add to the flavour, but ymmv. In any case, nice to see you joining us.

Brad Johnson · « **Reply #10 on:** July 02, 2009, 02:33:16 PM »

Quote

I'm also open to other exotic meats.

Allsups Chimichanga.

Brad

SADShooter · « **Reply #11 on:** July 02, 2009, 02:53:19 PM »

El Tejon:

Yup. The 6th Street location is the flagship store.

SADShooter

ETA: Brad, that's cold, man.

El Tejon · « **Reply #12 on:** July 02, 2009, 03:29:30 PM »

Quote

Yup. The 6th Street location is the flagship store.

I see. I miss Austin. Wish I could get back.

I only flew into Austin a few times when I regularly went to TR-Tejas. However, I had a great time (or at least think I did) every time. What was her name . . . Marcy perhaps?

SADShooter · « **Reply #13 on:** July 02, 2009, 03:42:50 PM »

It has its points, but I'm sure you largely avoided the human carnival that residents deal with daily.

KD5NRH · « **Reply #14 on:** July 02, 2009, 03:48:01 PM »

Quote from: Prince Yamato on July 01, 2009, 09:16:40 PM

I want to cook wild game on my own. Caveat: I don't hunt. Does anyone know where I can buy any of the following meats at a reasonable price in the Austin area?

Find phone books for the surrounding area and check with game processors. If nothing else, most can set you up with hunters who don't want all of their meat.

HankB · « **Reply #15 on:** July 02, 2009, 04:54:34 PM »

Update: I was shopping today at the HEB in Bee Cave, just outside Austin. Out of curiosity, I took a look and saw that they DID have rabbit in the frozen food section.

Thor · « **Reply #16 on:** July 02, 2009, 04:59:02 PM »

I hope I'm not stating the obvious, but what about hunting them?? Rattlesnakes are fairly common in Texas, as well as deer & rabbit. I've read in the recent past that farmers have been opening their fields for people to hunt feral hogs. I will admit that hunting preserves are somewhat spendy.

De Selby · « **Reply #17 on:** July 02, 2009, 07:29:22 PM »

You can get all kinds of unusual domestic animals in tacos at the roach coaches, usually labelled "goat"

slingshot · « **Reply #18 on:** July 03, 2009, 11:37:39 AM »

Raising rabbits is not hard if you have a place to put the cages.

There are a number of ranches in South Texas raising goat for sale as it's popularity has increased with the rising population of immigrants.

Try the homeless shelters during deer season for venison. :) Seriously, most hunters would be more than happy to shoot an extra doe for you if they knew you wanted the meat. You just need to hook up with a few folks that hunt.

Bison, you may be able to find some where they are raised for sale. Many are raised inside fences for sale just like regular cattle.

lupinus · « **Reply #19 on:** July 03, 2009, 12:29:54 PM »

Bison should be easily available in many grocery stores, especially higher end ones like whole foods.

Rabbit is actually fairly easy and cost effective to raise yourself. Not really "wild" at that point if you have raised them of course. But another meat source just the same.

Prince Yamato · « **Reply #20 on:** July 03, 2009, 11:44:53 PM »

Quote

Rabbit is actually fairly easy and cost effective to raise yourself.

I'm 99% sure that I cannot raise rabbits in my 3rd floor apartment.

Balog · « **Reply #21 on:** July 04, 2009, 03:56:15 PM »

Quote from: Prince Yamato on July 03, 2009, 11:44:53 PM

I'm 99% sure that I cannot raise rabbits in my 3rd floor apartment.

You just gotta try harder.

That being said, I actually do know people who keep pet rabbits in apts. I'd imagine one could do so for food purposes too, although where to slaughter them might be problematic...

lupinus · « **Reply #22 on:** July 04, 2009, 05:25:36 PM »

Rabbits take little space, so in all actuality an apartment is doable. Slaughter isn't to big an issue. Rabbits are small, hence they require only a small space to, uhm, bring to table.

Though if space is really an issue you could pretend you live in the Andes and raise guinea pigs. Cooked right it takes the mystery out of why a tailless is rat is called a pig

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Author Topic: Where to buy exotic meat in Central Texas (Read 6137 times)