Grab and Cook Meals - Game Style
This week, from 3 - 9 November 2025, is Great British Game Week. A national celebration of the versatility, sustainability and taste of Game. Have you ever wondered where to start? Well I am excited to be able to share three recipes from The Batch Lady as my inaugural guest blog post!
Suzanne Mulholland, aka The Batch Lady, is the genius behind the ‘Grab and Cook’ bags (which are a necessity in my household). Every cookbook she releases soars to the top of the bestseller charts because, not only are the recipes amazing, but so many of us rely on her guidance to help make your life easier during the working week!
If you know me, you will appreciate how busy my life is. Suzanne’s batching approach helps my post-school routine and dinner time run so much smoother. Her recipes show two different methods: (1) how to cook immediately and (2) if you are looking to batch and create your own freezable ‘Grab and Cook’ bags for a later date.
At any given time you can find multiple of the these Grab and Cook bags in my freezer. If I have been away or the demands of work mean I have lost track of time - I always have something healthy and home-cooked to grab!
Suzanne has adapted three of her recipes from her recent ‘Grab and Cook’ book to support British Game. Read on for some inspiration for using venison and pheasant, either immediately for tonight’s dinner, or for your freezer. Maybe you could even gift one to friends and family and help share the word for Great British Game Week 2025? Over to you Suzanne!
Hi I’m Suzanne Mulholland also known as ‘The Batch Lady’. I’m the author of 7 Sunday Times Bestselling books and the host and co/creator of Channel 4’s hit show ‘Batch from Scratch’. I’m a country girl living in the Scottish Borders and was delighted when asked to convert some of my recipes from my ‘Grab and Cook’ book into game recipes in honour of British Game Week this week.
Photography by Andrew Hayes-Watkins & The Batch Lady books are published by Ebury Penguin Random House.
If you want to make mealtimes easier, my ‘Grab and Cook’ recipes are for you. These simple recipes have minimal cooking involved and are quick and easy to make and store for whenever they're needed, saving you time, money and headspace.
‘Grab and Cook’ does exactly what it says on the tin – it’s your own personalised ready meal, just waiting to be grabbed and cooked! All the raw ingredients for the recipe have been prepped, then refrigerated or frozen, ready for you to grab and cook whenever you like.
Still getting your head around what they are? Well, just think of all the ready meals you find in the refrigerated section of the supermarket. Little foil or plastic trays, normally containing two ready-prepared portions of a meal. Maybe two chicken breasts stuffed and wrapped in bacon, served with rice on the side. Prepped and ready to go straight in the oven. The appeal is obvious – convenience – they’re a great time saver! You don’t have to think about buying different ingredients and they’re portion-controlled, so you know exactly what you buy. But that convenience comes at a significant price, reflected on your shopping receipt.
My ‘Grab and Cook’ recipes offer those same benefits but at a fraction of the cost. All the recipes are personalised to your needs, and all can be made in 5–15 minutes. My recipes use convenient short-cuts to save time, such as ready rolled puff pastry etc but you get to decide the exact produce that goes into them; such as any delicious game you have. If you have a glut of Pheasant, or venison why not try my 3 recipes included in this blog to have a go at batching your game, so your seasonal produce can be the gift that keeps on giving all year round!
You can follow Suzanne across social media: @thebatchlady and find her range of cookbooks and acessories on her website.
Venison Kleftiko
This delicious spiced venison recipe is a real taste of Greece. It is slow cooked so it is beautifully tender and melts in the mouth. This recipe is a one pot meal with all the veggies and potatoes included, making it a simple and easy crowd pleaser.
Prep time: 5-10 minutes
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon honey
6 teaspoons frozen chopped garlic
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried rosemary
1 chicken or venison stock cube, crumbled
2 teaspoons salt
1.2kg joint boneless venison shoulder
2 red peppers, sliced
2 onions, cut into rough chunks
600g new potatoes, halved
200g pack feta cheese
To cook:
1 cup (240ml) boiling water
If making ahead to freeze:
Add the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, garlic, oregano, rosemary, crumbled stock cube and salt to a very large freezer bag and mix the marinade together.
Add the shoulder of venison to the bag and coat in the marinade before adding the sliced peppers, onions and potatoes.
Crumble the feta cheese into a small freezer bag and slot inside the larger bag with everything else, seal and freeze flat.
Oven time: Remove from the freezer and allow to fully defrost (this may take up to 24 hours) Preheat the oven to 150°c. Add the vegetables to the bottom of the roasting pan and lay the lamb over the top. Pour in the boiling water and then cover with a sheet of baking parchment and then a sheet of foil on top and seal really well all around. Place into the oven for 3 hours. Remove from the oven, sprinkle over the feta then cook uncovered for a further 30 minutes.
Slow Cooker: Remove from the freezer and allow to fully defrost (this may take up to 24 hours) Add the vegetables to the bottom of the slow cooker and lay the lamb over the top. Add the boiling water and place the lid on. Turn the slow cooker on and cook for 4 hours on high or 7 hours on low. Sprinkle the feta cheese over the top and cook for a further 15 minutes.
If cooking now:
Add the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, garlic, oregano, rosemary, crumbled stock cube and salt to a small bowl and mix the marinade together.
Oven : Preheat the oven to 150°c. Add the sliced peppers, onions and new potatoes to the bottom of a roasting tray then lay over the Venison. Pour the marinade over the venison, rubbing it all over. Pour in the boiling water and then cover with a sheet of baking parchment and then a sheet of foil on top and seal really well all around. Place into the oven for 3 hours. Remove from the oven, sprinkle over the feta then cook uncovered for a further 30 minutes.
Slow Cooker: Add the sliced peppers, onions and new potatoes to the bottom of the slow cooker and then lay the venison on top. Pour the marinade over the venison, rubbing it all over. Add the boiling water and place the lid on. Turn the slow cooker on and cook for 4 hours on high or 7 hours on low. Sprinkle the feta cheese over the top and cook for a further 15 minutes.
Slow Cooked BBQ Chipotle Pheasant and Black Beans
This is the most delicious and easy slow cooked pheasant recipe! It is a proper crowd pleaser and brilliant to serve if you have lots of people coming over. I like to serve this with tacos and all the sides!
Prep time: 5 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients
6-8 pheasant breasts
2 teaspoons frozen chopped garlic
½ cup (120ml) BBQ sauce
1 teaspoon onion granules
2 teaspoons chipotle paste
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 chicken stock cube, crumbled
1 x 400g tin black beans, drained
To Cook:
½ cup (120ml) boiling water
If making ahead to freeze:
Add the pheasant, garlic, bbq sauce, onion granules, chipotle paste, smoked paprika, white wine vinegar and crumbled stock cube to a large labelled freezer bag. Mix well.
Add the drained black beans to a smaller freezer bag and slot inside the larger freezer bag containing the marinated pheasant. Place flat in the freezer.
Oven: Remove from the freezer and allow to fully defrost. Preheat the oven to 160°c. Pour the pheasant mix into an ovenproof dish and pour over the boiling water. Cover with tin foil and then place into the oven for 45 min. . Remove the foil and shred the pheasant with two forks, stir through the black beans and place back into the oven for 15 minutes uncovered.
Slow cooker: Remove from the freezer and leave to defrost. Once defrosted, pour the pheasant mix into the slow cooker along with the boiling water and leave to cook for 2 hours on high or 4 hours on low.
Once cooked, shred the pheasant using two forks and stir through the drained black beans. Cook for a further 15 minutes.
If cooking now
Oven: Preheat the oven to 160oc. Add the pheasant breasts, garlic, bbq sauce, onion granules, chipotle paste, smoked paprika, white wine vinegar and crumbled stock cube to an ovenproof dish and cover with the boiling water. Cover with tin foil and then place into the oven for 45 min. Remove the foil and shred the pheasant with two forks, stir through the drained black beans and place back into the oven for 15 minutes uncovered.
Pheasant breasts, garlic, bbq sauce, onion granules, chipotle paste, smoked paprika, white wine vinegar and crumbled stock cube to the slow cooker, add the boiling water and leave to cook for 2 hours on high or 4 hours on low.
Once cooked, shred the pheasant using two forks and stir through the drained black beans. Cook for a further 15 minutes.
Serving suggestions: Serve with corn tacos, sour cream, pickled red onion and some avocado!
Slow Cooked Korean Venison
I love the flavours in this Korean one pot, it is seriously tender and super easy to make! Delicious served over fluffy rice with lots of sesame seeds.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients
1 kg diced venison
¼ cup (60ml) soy sauce
5 tsp frozen chopped garlic
3 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 red onion, finely diced
1 beef or venison stock cube, crumbled
1 tablespoon cornflour
To cook:
1 tablespoon oil
1 cup (240ml) boiling water
If making ahead to freeze:
Add the diced Venison to a large labelled freezer bag.
Add all of the other ingredients to a smaller freezer bag and mix. Place the small freezer bag inside the large bag with the venison. Seal and freeze flat.
Hob: Remove from the freezer and leave to fully defrost. Once defrosted, heat the oil in a large casserole dish then add the bag of venison and brown in batches. To the browned meat add in the rest of the ingredients and the boiling water. Mix well and bring to the boil then reduce the heat to a simmer and leave to cook for 2 ½ hours.
Slow Cooker: Remove from the freezer and leave to fully defrost. Add the oil to the slow cooker and turn on to saute. Add the bag of venison and brown all over in batches. To the browned meat, add the rest of the ingredients and the boiling water. Mix well and then cook for 3 hours on high or 6 on low.
If cooking now:
Hob: Heat the oil in a large casserole dish then add the venison and brown in batches. To the browned meat add in the rest of the ingredients and the boiling water. Mix well and bring to the boil then reduce the heat to a simmer and leave to cook for 2 ½ hours.
Slow Cooker: Add the oil to the slow cooker and turn on to saute. Add the venison and brown all over in batches. To the browned meat, add the rest of the ingredients and the boiling water. Mix well and then cook for 3 hours on high or 6 on low.
Serving suggestions: Serve with fluffy rice, chopped spring onions and lots of sesame seeds