Cooking?

[PryorDaniel]

Anyone have any good recipes and/or tips for preparing Doves? Only way I know of is what my uncle showed me a long time ago...boil the bird and then rip all the feathers off and take the guts out. It's not bad, but it does take a little work. Anyone have any easier ways?

[longislandhunter]

I find doves to be one of the easiest birds to pluck. You can also skin them if you don't like plucking them, but they pluck so easily that it only takes perhaps 30 seconds and you have a clean whole bird with the skin on which I think helps keep them moist during cooking.

My 2 favorite ways to prepare them both involve bacon,,,,, of course :)

#1 fry up a good portion of bacon then leave the grease in the pan. split the doves in half, season with whatever seasoning you like and simply fry them in the grease quickly on both sides. You can coat them in a light dusting of flour prior to frying if you like.

#2 season the whole bird,,,, wrap a couple of strips of bacon around the bird, broil quickly until golden brown,,,,, serve up and eat.

Actually I thought of another way too.......... wrap birds in bacon and place them on the very top level of your barbeque grill. Put the grill flame on low to medium and place some mesquite wood or hickory wood in one of those metal boxes designed to hold the wood/chips and place the box on the coals. If you don't have one of those smoking boxes you can simply put a supply of chips or dust inside some heavy aluminum foil, poke some holes in the foil and place foil on coals. Let the birds cook slowly until they are nicely browned. mmmm mmmm good.....

And yes,,,,,, I will feely admit that my love affair with bacon continues :)

Jeff

[crazy4salmon]

I think it is time for Bacon and eggs. Bacon makes everything tasty. I have done two of those recipes one and three and they are delicious.

[PryorDaniel]

I know what Im having for breakfast now. Taking some ideas from you, Jeff.

I'll cook some bacon and then partially cook the birds in the grease. Then I'll take the birds and finish cooking them with some eggs. Kind of like an omlet. Sounds good to me at the moment. Time to hunt my breakfast!

[Splash]

My favorite way to prepare dove is to: take the breast only, season with a little salt/pepper, put on a thin slice of onion, wrap with bacon, coat with garlic butter and slow cook on a smoker.
Mike

[Progun]

Ya'll are making me hungry. Our dove season here in Tennessee opens on Sept. 1st and since the doves have been nesting since about the 1st of march I will have to leave them alone for about four more months. But come 9-1-08 they are on the menu. My favorite recipe for the dove breast: wrap a strip of bacon around the breast, secure with a toothpick, grill until the bacon is done. I do wild turkey breast the same way except I usually marinate the breast  before wrapping with bacon. mmmmmm.

[longislandhunter]

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who worships bacon :)

Jeff

[Splash]

Jeff, as you know a little bacon and,or fat makes most anything taste better. Even taste great wrapped around shrimp and cooked on the grill,hmmmm.
Mike

longislandhunter - 4/28/2008  8:55 AM



 ...And yes,,,,,, I will feely admit that my love affair with bacon continues  :)

Jeff

You and me both, Jeff, you and me both...

Both of your recipes are makin' my mouth water. I wonder how bacon-wrapped grackle might taste... hmmmm....

 ;~D

Bryan

[TCups]

I just save the breast meet.  Marinate in a little Italian dressing overnight, then wrap the breasts in half a strip of bacon, spear the individual dove breasts kabob style with new potatoes, mushrooms, baby onions, or what ever else you like on kabobs, and grill them outdoors.  Delicious!

I have also been know to take either a quail or dove or two (when there isn't enough for an entire meal), and dice the breast meat, pan sear it, and make myself a dove or quail omelet.  Both are wonderful

tec

[longislandhunter]

Hey Bryan,

Don't tell Peakchic this ,we all know how she feels about grackles :) ,, but out of curiosity last year I did actually clean a grackle that I shot and prepared it wrapped in some bacon. Tasted horrible :( it just had a bad "after taste" to it,,, but at least I found out how they tasted. I won't be trying that again anytime soon :) but it was an interesting taste test......

I'm sure I'll catch some grief for admitting I tried to eat a grackle, but hey,,,, ya never know till ya try :)

Jeff

That doesn't surprise me a lot, Jeff. As you say, you never know until you try it; it could have been tasty, then Stephanie would have to come up with some recipes for us (hopefully involving copious amounts of bacon ;~)

My Dad taught me to not be afraid to try new things, always using a little common sense of course. I guess a grackle's diet/lifestyle doesn't lend itself to being any kind of culinary delicacy. I'm kinda glad to hear your verdict- I think I'll assume starlings fall in the same category and leave it at that.

Thanks for going above and beyond the call of duty- LOL!!

Bryan

[longislandhunter]

Actually Bryan,,,,, and I know I'll catch grief for this admission also :) ,,,,, but believe it or not the starlings actually taste pretty good. I've breasted them out and simply quickly fried up a bunch of breasts in some herb seasoned butter,,,,, they were delicious... I don't eat them all the time but every once in a while, when I have a good day and kill a bunch of em, I'll have em for lunch and it's a meal I really do enjoy very much.....

The other bird I recently tried and found to be very tasty was crow. I had read quite a few articles about eating crows and finally decided to give it a try. The articles I read were correct,, they were very good.

Jeff

[Timmyj1959@yahoo.com]

Hey Guys, Tim here! I feel the need to share my favorite squirrel recipie with ya. Start with some carrots& taters in a crock pot& some beef broth. De bone some squirrels& cut into bite size peices add to the pot. cook on low for 3 days. Cut up an old leather belt into bite size pcs. add to pot, cook for aprox. 6 more hours& its done. Now feed the squirrel meat to the dogs & eat the rest!! Ok you may want to add some bacon! Enjoy. Tim.

[longislandhunter]

I think I'll stick with my tried and true recipes,,,, but thanks anyway LOL :)

Jeff