Ideas for woodcock? Pheseant w/gravy

[huntvizsla]

I would like to see some ways for preparing woodcock (besides frying them in bacon, eating the bacon and throwing the bird away ). I have not been real happy in my attempts to cook those little wormy birds. Heck, its been so bad I tried top-dressing the dogs food with woodcock prepared they way I do pheseant and the dogs pick out the pieces, spit them on the ground and try to roll in them!

As to pheseant, I use variations on the following theme (simple but filling - works great on rabbit and squirrel too):

Skinned and jointed, breasts and legs, soak in salt brine over night (use plenty of salt to draw blood).

Dredge pieces in seasoned flour to taste (I use flour, garlic powder, pepper), fry in 1/2 c butter & 1/2 c oil till browned both sides. Do not crowd pan, and remove pieces when browned. Do not worry about cooking through, just trying to create a crispy exterior.

Once all pieces are well browned, add pheseant back to pan and add enough chicken broth to cover pieces up. Cook in 325 F oven 2 - 2 1/2 hours until tender.

This can be cooked in a crock pot too. If you are doing a crock pot version, and will be out hunting while it cooks, use a low setting so you don't have pheseant mush at the end of the day.

This recipie makes its own gravy, and goes great with potatoes or wild rice.

I look forward to trying many of the recipes posted - lots of tasty ways to eat game! Now if only I could figure out woodcock.............

[Gdog]

I'm with you on the bacon .If I want to eat bacon I'll make a BLT..
For wood cock .

Make milk / egg wash.

Mix in a plastic baggie 1 tsp of salt 2 tsp of fresh ground pepper to one cup of flour. Dip meat in to the milk/egg wash and in to the plastic baggie. Shake well..

In a medium size skillet melt 1/2 stick of butter and equal amounts of cooking oil.
Bring to high heat. Fry meat on both sides until pink in the middle.
If you fry beyond pink ,you might as well pitch it ..

Personally speaking . I prefer Sharp tail Grouse (dark meat) fried in that manner over New York Strip ...

I use the same recipe for Pheasant except I cover and slow fry, much like you would chicken. Just before I'm ready to take it out of the frying pan I like to drop a bout an ounce of water . Cover until the water evaporates..

Mmmmmm-Goooood.

Gd.

[JC]

I'm having a hard time with understanding pheasant methods- I like the taste and find them not tough or strong tasting- maybe it's these Kansas pheasants and not blasting holes with big shot

Also, I dress mine as soon as possible- maybe that's why

have shot a few woodcock over a point- run into the little whirley birds every now and then- I rate them right down there with dove

[huntvizsla]

Actually this is the same way we do chicken, does not mask taste, just makes texture and gravey (yum!). It all depends on how you spice it. And the birds tast outstanding!

I DO NOT recommend using this for sharptail - that bird does well with apples and onions.

[shawnsgriff]

With Woodcock we also cut the legs off,add barbaque sauce,bake and there ya go barbaqued Woodcock legs.Kinda eat like frog legs,just zip the meat off with your teeth.....Theres no strong taste.

[huntvizsla]

we were just going to breast out the little buggers first time we came home with a few - but on a hunch cleaned the legs - "just like Barbie food" - but by far the best tasting part of the bird. Too bad they are so little.

[Vom Britt]

Years ago in a discussion with an Irishman about doodles he mentioned, searng them on both sides till rare!! I prefer steak rare and decided to give it a try and they were delicious as are praire birds seared rare to med. rare. The filets just melt in your mouth with not nearly the gamey flavor you get when cooked longer. Add mushrooms and onions if you like them.

Another method which isn't bad is used with a crockpot. Line the bottom with filets & smother with onions and mushrooms. Add one cup of fruit wine, horseradish, and pepper to taste. Cook 10 hrs. on low, half way through add one package of brown gravy mix. Just before serving stir in 1/2 cup of sour cream and serve over noodles or my favorite true wild rice.

[huntvizsla]

I will have to try your method out - but the crock pot one has me confused. You must cook that for quite a while, right? Well beyond rare for that version?

Speaking of Irishmen, I happened on a now-favored method where we clean the birds right away and soak the meat in Guinness, then grill to med rare or wrap in bacon if available and grill. Soaking in that dark beer just added a little zip to the bird, really did not need seasoning that way.

Emptying the freezer now, its been fun pulling birds out and reminscing.

Hope to see you this March Mr VB!

[Vom Britt]

I will have to try your method out - but the crock pot one has me confused. You must cook that for quite a while, right? Well beyond rare for that version? Hope to see you this March Mr VB!

Sure makes this oleger feel good knowing you have the respect to address him as Mr Well beyond rare for sure but wanted to add a recipe in case a rare doodle filet would turn folks off. The crock pot recipe came from Harry Copiskey's wife Chris. Harry unfortunately has passed and is in bird dawg heaven. Were you around when they were chapter members? Harry was the chapter secretary but Chris was the person behind the title which did the majority of the work. Harry started the tradition of the annual chapter hunt & camp out and was called Harry's hunt. Just writing about those two have brought back some very fond memories.

Bob

[huntvizsla]

I did not get the chance to meet Harry, even though it seems like we have been members for a long time its only been a few years. Now I will know what the reference means!

Respect is earned, and you've earned it in my book - just don't let the Mr go to your head .

[Vom Britt]

[quote="huntvizsla" Respect is earned, and you've earned it in my book - just don't let the Mr go to your head .[/quote]

Well, if that quote isn't typical of your gender!! First you puff us up & make us feel soooooo gooooood, and then immediately insert the Voodo pin and bring us back down to earth In a few minutes I'm heading north for a few days to chase doodles and hopefully get some pics of the young ones on point. Ahhh, life is good.

See you Sunday Ms.huntvizsla,

Mr.VB

[Moonsterman]

Hi
I'm new to the forum. Have been a member of NAVHDA since1977 and started cooking wild game about 10 years ago. My wife had been dooing all the cooking up to then. You can view some of my doings and get recipes by going to my website http://www.wildgamecook.us. You will find woodcock and pheasants recipes with more to come.