which of you hangs birds like ruffed grouse before cooking

[mobeasto123]

Hi there, I was reading some recipes there on the .net and lots of them requires that the birds are hung for 4-5 days at 45-50 deg. before cooking.. Do some of you are really making it like that ??? Does it taste better like this or what ?? How do you prepare yours ??

Thanks
David

[GUNDOGS]

my husbands pip use to hang his until they fell that meant they were ready to cook and eat, usually a week.. ive heard of some that still do that but not me..i like to put mine in a pan with some bacon, cook lightly and then put it into a roaster with the bacon and the grease with some gravy, bake for about 45 minutes and serve with roasted potatoes and asparagus....mmmm.....ruth

[kensfishing]

The old cookbooks say hang pheasants for four to five days by the neck. With insides drawn out. The meat pulls the oils from the feathers. It's like hanging beef. It ages.

[Vision]

I have hung Canadian Geese for up to 7 days. They tasted, and texture like roast beef.

[Mountaineer]

Who?...perhaps the same folks who savor the woodcock trail.

I take the meat of either bird, barely cooked, rather than roll the dice over discomfort....tho the hanging practice has long been practiced.
A matter of taste, I reckon....and watching carefully, the clock or calendar.
Personally, my taste says the meat of a ruffed grouse is subtle and the consistency tender when not over-cooked...hanging may have originated in the use of poor quality meat of any critter or cooking practices less than optimum.

[Gordon Guy]

I'll let upland birds age a week to 10 days in the refrigerator before cleaning. I've eaten freshly killed and cleaned birds along side the birds I've let age and the aged birds are more tender and have more flavor.

[Birddogz]

I'll let upland birds age a week to 10 days in the refrigerator before cleaning. I've eaten freshly killed and cleaned birds along side the birds I've let age and the aged birds are more tender and have more flavor.

Absolutely correct. I have done the same. Aging is the way to go.

[nikegundog]

I would suggest hanging snow geese for at least 4 years before eating them.

[kninebirddog]

I would suggest hanging snow geese for at least 4 years before eating them.

I heard longer

[fishvik]

nikegundog wrote:
I would suggest hanging snow geese for at least 4 years before eating them.

I heard longer

One of my roomates in college decide to hang a canada goose he shot over the fireplace for a week with out cleaning it. I remember coming back for a ichthyology lab where we were looking at fish specimens soaked in Formaldehyde and my sense of smell was off but I could still smell it as I was coming up the drive to the apartment as it was cooking. Needless to say we didn't eat it and when we gave it to Petey my springer/GSp cross he picked it up and walked to the end of his chain and flung it as far as he could. We all laughed our heads off.

But under the right hang conditions I'll be it would have been good hung and aged. Obviously we didn't have the technique.

[birddogger]

I'll let upland birds age a week to 10 days in the refrigerator before cleaning. I've eaten freshly killed and cleaned birds along side the birds I've let age and the aged birds are more tender and have more flavor.

Do you remove the entrils before aging them? I have never done it but was wondering how it would work in the refrigerator. I never tried hanging them because there is no temperature control. Do you put them in a bag in the refrigerator or what? I would appreciate any advice you could give...I would like to give it a try.

Thanks,
Charlie

[Gordon Guy]

Do you remove the entrils before aging them? I have never done it but was wondering how it would work in the refrigerator. I never tried hanging them because there is no temperature control. Do you put them in a bag in the refrigerator or what? I would appreciate any advice you could give...I would like to give it a try.

No, I do not remove the inards. I put them in the fridge (the one in the garage) just like I brought them home, no prep required. I do put them in a plastic bag more to protect my wife's "sensibilities" and to prevent blood and feathers from getting on things . The only danger is forgetting you have them in there to clean. I have gone as long as two weeks but I do not recommend that as the flavor becomes a little stronger.

[GWPtyler]

A key to aging wild game, and birds in particular, is in the condition of the carcass. If it looks rather intact, and there is no noticeable odor that would signify a gut shot, you can hang them for the higher end of the suggest time frame (I have some videos at home that give good advice on aging, but can't for the life of me remember the name). However, if the bird was hit harder, and especially in the gut, consider either hanging for only a day or two, or cleaning it immediately as the digestive juices will inundate the meat and you'll end up ruining it instead of aging it.

[kninebirddog]

http://honest-food.net/2008/11/27/on-hanging-pheasants/