Upland Bird Dog: International game bird recipes

Blue grouse with a stick bow.

Recipes

After a hard hunt running bird dogs and getting to dogs on point, the reward of dinning on the harvested birds is outstanding. Often times the way chukars, pheasants, and other game birds are prepared and cooked, helps to relive the moment of bird dogs working in the field. UplandBirdDog.com has enlisted various international bird dog trainers and bird hunters to contibute some of their favorite recipes. These recipes come from Greece, France, and Canada. UplandBirdDog.com is grateful and indebted to those that have contributed and have made this web page possible.

If you wish to submit a recipe of your favorite dish, please email UplandBirdDog.com.

Lou Gleber (USA)
Quail

1/2 cup oil, 2 small onions chopped fine, 2 whole cloves, 1 teaspoon peppercorns, 2 cloves garlic chopped fine, 1/2 bay leaf, 6 quail trussed ( wings and legs tied to body), 2 cups of white wine,1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon cayane (red pepper), 1 teaspoon minced chives, 2 cups cream. Heat oil, add onions cloves, peppercorns garlic and bay leaf. Cook at medium heat for several minutes. Add quail and brown on all sides. Add wine, salt pepper, and chives. Simmer until tender (about 30 minutes). Remove quail and place on a hot serving dish. Strain sause, add cream and heat to boil. Pour over quail. Allow 1 quail per person. If you don't like things a little warm cut back on the cayenne or leave it out.

Takis Peppas (Greece)
Chukar

Split the dressed chukar at the back and flatten the two halves. Prepare the following dressing: add lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste, into 2 tea cups of olive oil. Apply the dressing on the birds and put them on the prepared grill. Periodically apply the dressing as the birds are over the grill and grill to taste. On a well burning charcoal grill I usually apply, wait 4 min, apply, flip and wait 4 min, apply, wait 4 min, apply, flip, wait 2 min, apply, done.

Michel Gelinas (Quebec, Canada)
Barbecued woodcock

Cook woodcock for ten minutes over a charcoal fire. This is enough to brown the skin, but the flesh should remain moist and pink. Cover individual birds with a sauce made from the following: 1/2 cup currant jelly or preserve, 1 tablespoon prepared mustard, 1 tablespoon butter, 3 tablespoons red wine. Melt the jelly over a stow fire, stirring so that it doesn't scorch. Add butter and mustard and let mixture boil for one minute. Remove from fire and keep hot. Just before serving, stir in the wine. Use sauce lavishly.

Baked Woodcock

Need: 4-6 filleted woodcock breasts, 1 bottle Hunt's chili sauce, 1/4 cup very fine chopped onion, 1 minced garlic toe, 2 tablespoon sweet pickle relish, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, place woodcock in baking dish. Mix ingredients together and pour over birds. Bake in oven at 300°F for two hours or until meat is very tender. Serve on toasted buns.

Henri Desmonts (France)
Pheasant

Cook pheasant in cooking jelly for three to five hours; jelly should be shimmering but not boiling. Turn from one side to the other about every half an hour. Carve and dress and place on a plate. Wrap with jelly. Put the plate in a cold place while you go hunting. Enjoy this easy cooking for your supper when you return. This recipe also works with an old duck.

Kelly (USA)
Honey Baked Pheasant

Legs and breast and thighs of 1 pheasant, skinned and deboned
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup chopped parsley
2 cups honey
1 cup butter
salt and pepper to taste
Fillet breast and bone legs and thighs. Cut into same thickness. Season the flour with salt and pepper and dredge the pheasant. Dust pheasant pieces with onion powder. Melt 3/4 cup butter in skillet over medium heat. Brown pheasant pieces and place in a lightly oiled 9x13 glass casserole. Sprinkle with parsley. Add honey and 1/4 cup butter to the skillet. Mix well until buttrt is melted, then pour over the pheasant (should come about halfway up on the pheasant pieces). Seal the baking dish foil and bake 30 minutes at 325 degrees.