Deer Bologna Is The Unique Meat That Belongs On Your Next Charcuterie Board

The best way to successfully entertain in your home is to simply make people feel comfortable. To remember your guests' allergies, favorite cocktails, and Spotify preferences. But your gatherings will be all the more memorable when you also add unexpected elements, which you can often incorporate into your menu plan. Including even a few less common foodstuffs is a great way to get people chatting, while also doing the more important work of expanding their palates. Deer bologna is certainly among those less common foodstuffs, and it could not be easier to add a bit to your next charcuterie board. It is also a far cry from the lunchtime staple bologna sandwiches you might be more familiar with.

All bologna is a type of sausage, and the deer variety is often closer to what is more broadly categorized as the latter meat in appearance. It is also sometimes sold under its culinary name, venison. (Similar to the use of beef versus cow.) It is made by mixing ground deer meat with other ingredients and fitting it all into a casing to create a cylinder before slicing. It's typically as savory and salty as your other charcuterie staples, but with that singular, oft-cited gaminess unique to venison that stands out from everyday prosciutto or soppressata.

Depending on your geographic area, it is unlikely that deer bologna will be abundant on your local market's shelves. There are plenty of recipes online for hunters who might want to make their own version or for anyone with access to a relatively easy-to-come-by pre-butchered pack. There are ways to prepare your venison so it tastes less gamey in either case, but you should aim to retain some of that earthy quality so the headlining protein stands out. You can also order deer bologna online from places like Pennsylvania's Highbourne Deer Farms.

Once you've extracted or purchased your deer bologna, you'll want to serve it in optimal conditions. Neutral toast points, meaning absent herbs or allium infusions, will let the venison sing. Milder cheeses, of course, will do the same. But you needn't keep all your accompanying flavors subdued. Tart cornichons would cut through the deer's earthiness — likewise, dabs of bright, grainy mustard or stone fruit compote. That balance of flavors and textures will keep you right in line with the golden rule for filling any charcuterie board.