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cleaning/preparing game birds

Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 10:14 pm
by BigTub
So, do/should you: :?:

1. Leave the skin on (pluck) or go skinless?
2. Cut all the fat off (yah, I know I'm talking pen raised birds)? Does it taste bad?
3. Leave the bird whole or cut up into pieces?
4. Brine the birds
5. Marinate the birds
6. Cheat and add fat (BACON!!!)

Any other comments except feed it to the dog ... I get enough of that from my wife.

Re: cleaning/preparing game birds

Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 11:15 pm
by northern cajun
What kind of birds are you talking some take more kindly to different cooking preps.

Re: cleaning/preparing game birds

Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2012 10:22 am
by BigTub
chukars, pheasant, and quail.

Re: cleaning/preparing game birds

Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2012 11:24 am
by nikegundog
With pheasants, I always take the skin off. For most recipes I just use the breast however sometimes I use the leg/thigh. I used never brine on a pheasant.

Re: cleaning/preparing game birds

Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2012 10:14 pm
by Ken Lynch
As far as chukars and pheasant go treat them just like the chicken you buy from the store. That is if you purchase skinless chicken, then take the shin off the birds. If you buy fillets then filet the birds. etc. etc. etc. The other source of flavor is a result of how you process the birds. I prefer to brine (salt water) the cleaned birds for 24 hours in refrigerator. It draws the blood out of shot birds. A stronger game taste results if you do not draw the blood out. Your choice. The only other word of advice is to use in any recipe you use chicken in only do not cook as much. Not sure if they are leaner or what but they tend to overcook when cooked the same as chicken.

Re: cleaning/preparing game birds

Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2012 8:23 pm
by northern cajun
I am a plucker I find it gives more flavor to the gravy. But I am old school and I hate to just breast out birds.


try a little cajun injector in those phez moist and great tasting.

Re: cleaning/preparing game birds

Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 8:35 pm
by Ken Lynch
I cannot argue with northern cajun. I got to hunt Woodcock and ducks with him last month. I cleaned the birds with skin on as per Frank and cooked them as directed by his friend Cal Guidry. It was a great meal. However, I must admit that I have an adventurist pallet and am willing to try new things. Some work out and some do not.

Re: cleaning/preparing game birds

Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 9:14 pm
by birddogger
How in the heck do you pluck game birds without ripping the skin off?? I have never had any success with it but if there is a trick to it, I would sure like to know. :)

Charlie

Re: cleaning/preparing game birds

Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 9:46 pm
by northern cajun
birddogger wrote:How in the heck do you pluck game birds without ripping the skin off?? I have never had any success with it but if there is a trick to it, I would sure like to know. :)

Charlie

Go with the grain and use your thumb to kinda rub the feathers off this well reduce skin breaking. Some spots you do have to pluck.

If you gonna do a lot of ducks an old fashion method is too dip em in wax let them dry and just crack the wax off and all feathers come with it can remelt strain and use it again.

Re: cleaning/preparing game birds

Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 10:31 pm
by birddogger
Ya, I have seen the wax method used on ducks and it works really well.

Thanks,
Charlie

Re: cleaning/preparing game birds

Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 9:41 am
by Ken Lynch
I would pluck grouse and phesants when I was not as old as I am now. Get a pail of hot water. Dunk the bird into the hot water. Put bird into hot water and count to 10 then remove bird and start working loose feathers. Repeat until done. If you leave the bird in the hot water to long it tends to set the feathers in the skin and then it is very difficult to get them off.

Re: cleaning/preparing game birds

Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2012 9:01 pm
by TRoberts
birddogger wrote:How in the heck do you pluck game birds without ripping the skin off?? I have never had any success with it but if there is a trick to it, I would sure like to know. :)

Charlie


Put in the frig and age them a few days. The feathers come out pretty easy and it enhances the favor.

Re: cleaning/preparing game birds

Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2012 9:34 pm
by BigTub
Guts and all? I can't tell if you're being serious or not! :oops:

Re: cleaning/preparing game birds

Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 8:40 am
by Ken Lynch
I would say guts and all. It is the enzymes from the breakdown of the intestines that cause "ageing" to occur.

Re: cleaning/preparing game birds

Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 9:58 am
by ezzy333
Ken Lynch wrote:I would say guts and all. It is the enzymes from the breakdown of the intestines that cause "ageing" to occur.
If that was true any buthchered animal's meat would never age. Probably wouldn't be all bad with an animal that was slaughtered and the intestines were never damaged but once you let the fluids and other intestinal fluids out and the meat soaks it up you are in trouble. The sooner they can be gutted after the kill the better. But then you can let the meat age with the skin and feathers left on. Same as with a deer or any other anial where the digestive track is damaged.

No.1 priorty is to get any animl field dressed and cleaned out quickly and well, then do with it what ever you like.

Ezzy

Re: cleaning/preparing game birds

Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 11:10 am
by Ken Lynch
Some European hunters would disagree. For proper aged bird they would hang by neck or lower beak, dead bird, guts and all until lower beak or head came off. Even aged beef is a controlled version of meat rotting.