Venison is the meat of deer — most often red deer (Cervus elaphus) but also roe, fallow, sika and reindeer. Lean, fine-grained and deep brownish-red, it carries almost no marbling, a firm bite and a rich, savoury, gently "gamey" flavour; because it is so lean it overcooks to dryness fast, and is best served rare to medium or slow-braised.