^{Photograph by Kenneth Chen; Food Styling by: Brett Kurzweil; Art Direction by: Brent Murray}

On the Menu: To best experience the stronger flavor of game, look for dishes that pair it with fruit or acid-based accompaniments. Tart berries like cranberries and huckleberries provide a pleasing contrast to the richness of the meat. Sauces or glazes featuring red wine or balsamic vinegar also show up frequently for the same reason. Game is often served with earthy vegetables like turnips, mushrooms, or even truffles. With white meats like pheasant and rabbit, milder vegetables like leeks or cabbage prevent the game from being overpowered.

Taking the Heat: Since game animals are generally leaner than their barnyard counterparts, it takes a deft touch to avoid overcooking. Two strategies for keeping game succulent are using quick heat, such as roasting or pan frying, or wrapping the meat in pastry or cabbage so it cooks more slowly and gently. Adding a layer of bacon or other fat to the meat is another popular way of keeping a dish moist, as is braising or submerging it in liquid during cooking.

A Rare Bird (or Chop or Steak): Because game dries out so easily, many chefs cringe at the thought of serving it anywhere beyond medium rare. If you can’t stomach your meat less than well done, a game dish might not be your best choice. One alternative: Wild boar sausage, which is generally cooked in tomato-based sauces and served over pasta, is browned and then cooked through the same way as conventional sausage.

The Perfect Pour: The bold flavors of game demand equally complex, robust wines. “In general, what I suggest is to think of matching the intensity level of the dish,” says Adam Rieger, wine director for Bobby Flay’s Bar American in New York. Zinfandel is great, he says, because its fruitiness and spiciness complement the meat as well as fruit-based sauces. Chefs say that wines from France’s Rhône region also bring out the strong, sweet taste of many game meats. There are a few exceptions: Pheasant and rabbit pair best with a full-bodied white wine or a much lighter red like pinot noir, while the typically Italian preparations of wild boar lend themselves to a robust Italian red wine.