# Wild Game Birds Processing and Cooking



## Lifter (Oct 19, 2004)

Having had the experience of hunting wild duck, goose, partridge and grouse, its ineresting just "what" people do with the meat so "harvested"...

Coming from parents/grandparents who outlived the Dirty 30's and settled the area at the turn of the previous century, I do not mean to attract comment on how I just phrased that...anyone who hunts understands its very difficult to attract birds or animals to a reasonable range, and just as difficult to take them cleanly, and quickly, and retriee whatever you shoot, and use it...

Anyways, it was neat to hunt with my father, uncles and grandffather on occaision, and, when it was ducks that we were after, go through all of the production of plucking, dipping in wax to take off the down and pinfeathers, gutting and cleaning (usually late at night, after an early morning!), and the "hot toddy's that were on offer after this was completed, to come up with some admittedly small carcasses which were roasted whole...

As I aged, I got to shoot with some farm boys, who knew better  how to deke the bird in, and was once enthusiastically supported by a company president who flew in with his son-in-law, that man's father, and their field trials champion retriever...and with 2 or 3 co-workers we "lowered the population" of mallards that week (no difference, there's even more of them now!) but the funny part was that "Lloyd" and myself wound up in my basement with 6 guy's limit of ducks in front of us, and the prospect of an 0400 alarm the next day, to do it again...

This is where I learned to butcher the birds, taking the legs, thighs and breast meat, which, on a wild duck, you will appreciate is 93% of the usable meat...

"Lloyd" showed me how you placed this in a stainless steel bowl, covering it with water, and adding about a half cup of Kosher Salt to pull the blood out, that the next day, with this "aging" affected on the meat, you could drain, rinse, pre-season with seasoning salt, meat tenderiser, onion and garlic powder, etc, and bag and freeze the meat in meal size portions...

The seasoning and tenderisers worked the meat until freezing was achieved, and helped the thawing process, much as does a marinade by Rainee...and once thawed, coating it with a light bit of flour, you could saute it in cheap red wine, olive oil and garlic that even my wife demanded another package be opened and cooked up (her father was a meat inspector and she had major fears over wild meat!)

This "graduated" me to deer and moose in time, and it was neat to note how the handling of the animal in the field was, the careful removal of the digestive tract (okay, I'm being careful here to avoid censure from the BoardMaster!  Anyone who has ever field butchered will catch my point!) and avoidance of contact with hair, or mud to meat...

The importance of having a place to hang the carcass and again the VITAL importance of hanging at least 14 days, if not longer...and with deer and moose, cutting away ALL the fat and bone....

Steaks and "roasts" are all you'll get in a solid piece, the rest is a long couple days with a flensing/boning knife, and you better have the sharpening stone handy...as you WILL be using it!  And the resultant mass is good for hamburger or sausage only...unless you have the skill to cut away "cutlets", which should be treated (IMO) exactly like the goose breasts, and cooked the same too!

Anyways, its late, and will see if there are respondents to this and if we can take the cooking methods forwards for others...

Lifter


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## Juliev (Oct 19, 2004)

I have never had wild game, except wild turkey.. I was invited over to a friend's Thanksgiving festivities one year... my family was out of town for a wedding.  Her father is a big hunter, and I think wild turkey is moister and more flavorful than regular.  I wish I had some good recipes for you.. I think I would like all kinds of wild game.


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## crewsk (Oct 19, 2004)

The only wild bird I have ever had the joy of hunting, cleaning, cooking, & eating is dove. We only use the breast because they are so small. I have 2 methods of cooking these & IMHO, slow & long cooking is what it takes because they tend to be tough. The first method is to dredge the breasts in seasoned flour & brown in a small amount of hot oil, then add a can of cream of mushroom soup + 1/2 to 1 can of milk to the skillet & cover & cook until the meat is tender & cooked through(about 20-30 minutes on medium low heat). The second methid is to wrap each breast in a piece of bacon & place in a 275F oven for 20-30 minutes & then turn to broil to crisp the bacon & serve with sauted onions & mushrooms.


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## buckytom (Oct 19, 2004)

geez, i sure hope marge doesn't read this.


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## crewsk (Oct 19, 2004)

LOL, not that Dove! Her Dove is cute & furrry.


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## buckytom (Oct 19, 2004)

not if lifter gets anywhere near her...lol.


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## crewsk (Oct 19, 2004)

LOL!


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## Lifter (Oct 20, 2004)

Thanks for ruining what was hoped to be a good column, guys...

Lifter


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## crewsk (Oct 20, 2004)

Lifter I apologize if we ruined your thread. Bucky & I were just having a little harmless fun.


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## mudbug (Oct 20, 2004)

To get back on topic, Lifter, please give me some ideas on for the venison roast languishing away in the freezer (someone gave it to us).  I don't really like the taste of venison, so what can I doctor it up with?

And please go on in your description of animal disassembly and prep.  Hope you attract some other hunters to your campfire.


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## crewsk (Oct 20, 2004)

I found this in my Zebco Fish & Wild Game cookbook. I have not tried it but it looks pretty good.

Venison Roast in Beer

1 venison ham, deboned*
1 large onion, sliced
1/2C. ketchup
2Tbsp. brown sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can beer

*Note: Almost any wild game can be used.
On a doubled piece of heavy duty foil, place the ham & slices of onion. Mix ketchup, brown sugar, garlic, & beer. This has no salt, so add salt only if you wish. Shape foil so sides will hold in liquid. Add sauce & wrap meat very securely. Bake at least 6 hours at 250F. Slice meat across grain & serve hot with thickened sauce or serve cold for sandwiches. When cold this is just as good as deli roast beef.


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## mudbug (Oct 20, 2004)

thanks, crewsk.  I've heard that soaking venison in milk will take some of the wild taste out.  Is this true, anyone?


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## crewsk (Oct 20, 2004)

Well since you said anyone I'll answer. Yes it does work. Buttermilk works, IMO, works better than regular milk, but they both do a good job. Plus it tenderizes the meat some.

I hope Lifter gets here soon with more ideas for you mudbug. I really think Lifter is more of an expert on this subject than I am! I'd love some of his ideas as well.


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## mudbug (Oct 20, 2004)

Paging Mr. Lifter!!


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## Lifter (Oct 21, 2004)

Sorry to be late Mudbug...

The important thing(s) with game are to cut it off the bones, and to eliminate any and all "fat", plus, of course, to hang it for as long as possible...14 days is the absolute minimum, 21 days would be a lot better....

Coming up to cooking it, I'd go the marinading route, probably (today) with a teriyaki or garlic herb mix, adding a good deal more oil to the mix, as you have depleted the fats...and marinate it longer than you would beef or pork...this is wild meat and it's going to be tougher...

Bacon fats or a shell of pork rind around it, do NOT be afraid to baste it, or put a separate container of water in the oven for a "steaming" effect", and ABSOLUTELY cook this no more than "medium rare" on a digital probe, and don't count on a usable gravy....

A red wine (medium sweet?) in the marinade, and/or with dinner, avoid over-browning of the meat (it dries up terribly quickly!) at all costs...

Of course if you don't like this prospect, use at least some of it, and segue on to the "Stews" section of the Board, and look in on Audeo's posts with mine on "Chili", and grind the marinated meat coarsely and make some variant of the right hand extreme as she suggests from the 1800's or the left wing Canadian version that I posted, and try to enjoy it...

The animal that involuntarily donated the roast would take this as the "final compliment" on how it tried to live its life...

Lifter


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Oct 22, 2004)

When I was about 12 years old, my dad made some boiled dinner with venison.  It was very tasty.  But _my eyes were bigger than my stomach_, as the saying goes.  I couldn't finish my bowl-full.  I had been dipping bread into the bowl and enjoying myself.  I wanted to let the food in my stomach digest some so I set the bowl to the side and promised to come back later.  Now you have to remember that this was before microwave ovens were first made available to the public.

To make a long story short, the food got cold.  I removed the bread from the bowl, not paying much attention to what I was doing, and took a bite.  It was like biting into a candle.  The venison tallow had hardened.

For those who don't know, venison fat was rendered to give early settlers, and native americans, wax for candles and fuel.  It was easily stored.  The tallow-wax, when burned, is rather smokey.  

As Lifter said, the venison fat must be removed before cooking the meat to help remove the wild flavor, and to get rid of the tallow.

Personally, I like the wild flavor.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


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## Lifter (Oct 22, 2004)

Ergo sum, quid pluribus...

And I mentioned to marinate it well, put some olive oil into it, etc...?

Am being borne out here, I expect...

Lifter


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## mudbug (Oct 22, 2004)

Thanks for the additional instructions, Lifter.  You were not late (I'm in no hurry); I suspect we keep different hours.  A question and a comment:

My venison roast is frozen, so do I hang it anyway, after it's thawed?  Hanging surely is only for freshly killed animals?

The guy who gave us the roast also gave us several sleeves of ground venison, which we have used to make chili with good results.  Still have some of that too, so I will try one or other of the chili recipes you and Audeo have kindly provided.


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## Lifter (Oct 22, 2004)

No, 'Bug, you don't hang it after its thawed...it will (hopefully!) have been hung some time before it was butchered.  You might add a bit of age to it by defrosting it very slowly, in the fridge, perhaps in a plastic bag, with some marinade?

Let us all know which method(s) you follow, and what you thought of the results!

PS 
If using ground venison for chili, if they haven't added pork fat, do so when you cook it up, otherwise it'll be very dry and tough

Lifter


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## buckytom (Oct 22, 2004)

hey lifter, just read your complaint, sorry, just having fun. relax dude.

to stay on topic, i always soak wild game and fishes, (except buffalo because it's not really wild, it's farm raised on the same stuff as cows) in buttermilk to remove some of the gaminess. this is especially effective with bluefish and shark. i can't stomach that gamey taste in bluefish unless it has been soaked, then grilled over a smokey hardwood fire.


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## Lifter (Oct 22, 2004)

Buckytom, no offence taken...

Could you carry on, or post something on the bluefish/shark cooking method?

I can't seem to get that meat to come out worth....well, "peanuts"?

Thanks in advance!

Lifter


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## Konditor (Oct 24, 2004)

> Having had the experience of hunting wild duck, goose, partridge and grouse, its ineresting just "what" people do with the meat so "harvested"...



*Lifter*: _A rich wine, mushroom & pearl onion sauce makes this dish true dinner-party fare.  This sauce cries for crusty bread at the table so as not to lose a drop of its savor!  I have served this meal with steamed carrots, white turnips, and broccoli florets; followed with a Boston lettuce salad dressed by a light lemony vinaigrette._

*Partridge Bourguignonne*

2 small partridges
salt & pepper
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 large garlic clove
2 Tbsp clarified butter
8 fl. oz. dry red wine (Use a wine relatively low in tannin, such as Côtes du Rhône)
8 fl. oz. chicken stock
1 tsp tomato paste
¼ tsp salt
pinch of pepper
2 sprigs parsley
1 bay leaf
1 5-inch rib celery
3 strips bacon
¼ lb. each pearl onions & mushrooms
2 oz. unsalted butter
1 flour

French or Italian-bread croûtons, for garnish

Wipe partridges inside & out with damp cloth.  Cut off necks.  Season each cavity lightly with salt & pepper.; add 1 sprig thyme & ½ garlic clove per cavity; truss birds firmly.

In heavy saucepan, heat clarified butter.  Dry partridges thoroughly and, over med-high heat, brown them on all sides.  Turn birds breast-sides down; add wine & stock, stir in tomato paste, salt & pepper.  Tie remaining sprig of thyme with parsley, bay leaf & celery, add to pan.

Bring to boil; cover, reduce heat, simmer 10 minutes.  Turn bird onto backs, simmer 10 minutes longer.

Meanwhile cut bacon into pieces.  In medium saucepan, boil 1-inch of water, add bacon, boil 1 minutes, then drain, leaving bacon in pan.

Peel onions, score “X” in bases.  Wipe & trim mushrooms.  Melt 1 oz. butter in pan with bacon; add onions & mushrooms; sauté 5 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add to partridge; simmer, covered, 30-40 minutes, or until partridges are tender.  Turn birds once or twice as they cook.  Taste & adjust seasoning.  Blend together the remaining butter w/ flour; whisk into sauce.

To serve:  Untruss partridges and transfer to deep, warm serving dish.  Spoon sauce with onions & mushrooms over & around birds; garnish with croûtons.


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## buckytom (Oct 25, 2004)

lifter, i haven't made shark in a long time because if it's not super fresh, it has that ammonia smell i can't stand.

as far as the blue fish, after soaking fillets in buttermilk, i would make a dry rub out of cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and black pepper, or use emeril's original essence, then grill the fillets over hardwood charcoal. bluefish is stinky, so the rub and smoke help the flavor.


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## minnesotan (Nov 14, 2004)

*venison*

Hi.......

I'm new to this forum.  I was looking for information on venison tallow and happened upon this site.  I have a 20 year history of eating venison.  I'd never tasted it until my husband and I married.  We just finished processing our venison for the season.  It usually takes us(my husband, myself and our 2 teenage children and our 4 year old) about 6 hours(per deer) to cut up our roasts, steaks, etc and to grind up the rest for burger. It's quite a family affair for us....we have a regular assembly line to get the deer from hoof to freezer.

We cook the venison a lot of ways.....kabobs, jerky, roasts....the ground 
venison we use just like we would ground beef.
We're always on the lookout for new recipes.  Think I will try the one
I saw here using kethup, garlic, brown sugar and beer.  Sounds good!!!

minnesotan


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## doctorfood (Nov 15, 2004)

*Wild Game*

Today is the start of rifle hunting deer season U.P. here in Michigan (LOL). As is always the case the guys get together and decide who gets what deer blind. Usually within a few days I have more then enough venison to last the rest of the year.

Some of my more inventive ideas for venison use have been a sauerbraten with potatoe pancakes on the side. I have cut the shanks to use as one would for Osso Bucco.  I have butchered the saddle for rib chops. I "French" the chop and leave it two bones wide. I divide the hind quarters into their respective roasts (sirloin tip, bottom round, top round, etc....) The backstrap, I save to make "filets". Of course the tenderloins make great rumaki with a burnt orange marmalade glaze.

As for other game meats, I have made wild goose, wood duck, chucker
( species of partridge), racoon, squirrel, rabbit, and dove.

I have at my disposal a feather plucking device, that a friend of mine concocted. He took a 5 horsepower motor, and created a device that uses a cylindrical rubber tube with little rubber "fingers" on it. I just hold the bird over these fingers and the feathers are gently plucked off. They run down to a tube I have connected to a wet/dry vacuum. Some species of bird are harder to pluck then others. I find I have to be very careful with pheasant because those little fingers can rip the skin right off the carcass if I am not careful.

As a chef I am able to utilize many game birds for some pretty cool presentations. I roast my goose breast wrapped in bacon and slathered with butter to medium, and serve it with a merlot sauce. I will make confit from the leg/thigh, and as long as I keep it submerged in the duck fat, I can save it all year. I can make gallotines, ballotines, terraines, and pates from all sorts of game meats as well.  

You know only 6 short years ago, I was totally clueless about all of this. The mere thought of shooting a "Bambi" turned me off. Now,..................You give it to me and I'll cook it.  I can bone out an entire deer carcass within an hour. I taught myself how to bone out a duck without having to pluck it first...same goes for all the other birds. I know I am nothing special, but I am fascinated by it all.


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## mudbug (Nov 15, 2004)

Hey, doc, I think it's cool you've recently discoverd a walk on the "wild" side.  It's another skill that is rapidly disappearing from from our collective abilities.  And your friend's gizmo sounds neat.  Another notch on the bow for our mechanically inclined tinkerers!


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## GaArt (Nov 16, 2004)

I fixed this for my dad the other day, I have it posted over on my board too. 
Chipotle Dove

Preheat oven to 400

In a smokin hot cast iron pan add:
olive oil with, 
5 strips of bacon-chopped
1/2 onion -chopped
4 green onions- chopped
1 small bell pepper -chopped
! tsp garlic, -minced


Then I added the (about 12) doves to the cast iron skillet
browned them
added
2 chopped chipotle peppers (less if you don't do hot...)
3 chopped sun dried tomatoes in oil.
salt and pepper. 

When the dove are browned really good, and the vegetables are just about to burn. 
add a can of chicken broth and bring up to a boil. 
Cover and put in hot oven. Done in about 30 min to 45 min. 

Serve over yellow grits (polenta)


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## Psiguyy (Nov 17, 2004)

Not a fan of wild tukey.  Have you ever seen what a wild turkey eats?  They eat anything and everything.  Yes, even things with 4 feet, two beady eyes, and a tail.


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## buckytom (Nov 18, 2004)

mmmm, that sounds good psiguyyy. how do the turkey's catch them???


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## Psiguyy (Nov 18, 2004)

buckytom said:
			
		

> mmmm, that sounds good psiguyyy. how do the turkey's catch them???



Dunno.  All I know is what I saw come out of a wild turkey's stomach years ago.  Never ate another one since. I know it's irrational, but it's just one of those things that just sets your mind.


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## Lifter (Nov 28, 2004)

Hi Psiguyy et all...

Sorry that the "wild" turkeys will upset you on their "menu's", I guess you are going with the turkey's that are "rendered" on the forced feed lot!  Guess this lets you out of ducks, geese, partridge, pheasant, etc, too?

From "personal knowledge" that even things like "milk" could taste "off" when the heifers were eating "early season"s stinkweed, well this isn't an issue today!

The "wild" stuff will indeed taste a bit "different" from the stuff on the grocer's shelves, but in my own opinion, it is well worth it...

"Wild" turkey, deer, moose, buffalo, goose, duck, partridge, et al...just literally WONDERFUL  foods...

Lifter


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## Psiguyy (Nov 29, 2004)

OK. I'll admit it.  I like the factory raised turkey.  It's got lots of meat.  It's tender.  Tastes like I always remembered it.  It's cheap.  

I do hunt pheasants and I enjoy eating them.  Have yet to see any furry animals in the pheasant belly.


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## Lifter (Nov 29, 2004)

(Chuckling)

Ever eat bear meat, "farm raised pork", or fish caught from a northern lake?

Those stomachs will have contents that will scare the bejeebers out of you!

Lifter

(Its all just protein!)


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## Psiguyy (Nov 30, 2004)

Never ate bear and have no intention to ever eat bear.  

Lots of things I won't eat, even if I actually like it.  For instance, I won't eat veal even though there was a time I liked it.  I won't eat foie gras anymore even though I love it.  I haven't eaten Beluga caviar in over two years, even though I can sit and eat a half kilo without having to come up for air (slight exageration).


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