Dove Challenge 2012

[TAFKAP]

The time is nearly upon us to head to the field with our shotguns and blast tasty critters out of the sky. But this year, with the guidance of Poser, I have decided to cook my game meat as game, and not try to temper its flavor or turn it into something it's not. As much as I enjoy poppers, it's time to branch out and cook our critters as our ancestors did...not with bacon, no Italian dressing, and no over-salted marinades that turn a quality natural meat into a mushy pile of mealy muscle.

So in that spirit, how about we start posting new recipes for dove to try this year that don't involve bottles of Italian dressing, heavily wrapped bacon, and cream cheese. Let's reach back into our history and utilize our meat to stand on its own.

Here's where I'll start:

1) Brine & smoke a number of breasts on the bone
2) I tried it a couple years ago, but a dove "osso bucco"
3) Breasted-out meat sauteed in duck fat
4) Dove stock

What are your thoughts?

 

[Deck78]

Hank Shaw is the man!

 

[TAFKAP]

How would you gut a whole bird without destroying everything?

 

[TAFKAP]

My wife found that exact roulade recipe last night. I think it'll be one we'll try with the "filleted" out breast meat.

http://honest-food.net/wild-game/dove-p ... orn-sauce/

 

[TAFKAP]

Do like they do eggs. Cut a hole at the bottom and blow hard

 

[Trapper John]

How would you gut a whole bird without destroying everything?

Pluck. Cut a slit where the base of the breast meets the tail. Insert pinkie finger. Grip and pull.

 

[mike243]

They have a bunch of bird hunting knives out tbere.it has a hook to pull the guts out.no finger needed lol

 

[TAFKAP]

How would you gut a whole bird without destroying everything?

Pluck. Cut a slit where the base of the breast meets the tail. Insert pinkie finger. Grip and pull.

Thanks Trapper! That'll be my method this year. I'll be the only one toting whole birds out of the field this year.

 

[elkman]

Simple but awesome dove recipe:

use only the breast with bone
salt dove
roll in flour
drop in HOG LARD at approx. 325 deg.
Cook till golden in color and floating



eat with White bread and Ketchup

enjoy

 

[Trapper John]

Trapper John,

Are those two birds sitting on Polenta?

I think so. I made that last year and can't remember if I used fine ground hominy or regular polenta. I like the corn/dove combo.

 

[TAFKAP]

Looks like hummus to me. That'd be a good one too.

 

[BamaProud]

I have plucked thousands of doves. They are very tasty fried. Fried and smothered in Gravy. Good on the grill too without all of the cheese/bacon/peppers etc...

A good sturdy pair of kitchen shears works great in cleaning. Pluck the bird, except for the head and 2nd half of the wings. Clip the wings off at the middle joint, cut off the feet leaving little drumsticks, cut off the head/neck. Cut off the butt, then run your shears up the rear end along each side of the spine, cutting it out. Gut and move on. If I have some help, we usually do it on an assembly line. If you try to do one bird at a time, you will fight with feathers a lot.

*Picking doves is NOT something you want to try to do indoors or even your yard(Unless you live in the country)...its tough to keep feathers from getting everywhere. We pick them in the field a lot right after the hunt but picking them on a dock while catching a few bream or on the water in a duck blind makes for easy cleanup too. After picking, the rest can be done anywhere.

Picking Doves Circa 1980(?)

 

[TAFKAP]

Thanks for the info Bama. That'll help a lot.

 

[mike243]

dangit trapperjohn, i done talked my self into 1 of these,been thinking about it for a few years,may try to get 1 tomorrow http://www.basspro.com/Case-Bird-Hunter ... 2483/84032

 

[trealtree]

Here is my very simple recipe I posted a while back. I can see our ancestors doing this recipe out by the garden.

http://www.tndeer.com/tndeertalk/ubbthr ... ost2564418