by Danielle Ingram & Chris Ingram (Digital Editor, Gun Dog)
Cooking woodcock can sometimes present a culinary challenge. So here’s one way to sweeten up your next meal.
Woodcock will always have a special place in my heart and a place at the table in my fall diet. My introduction to upland bird hunting was through these timber rockets, and they’ve since become the anchoring thread that keeps me tied to the uplands. Here in the Champlain Valley of Vermont, on a late fall day, woodcock are about as abundant as ringnecks or sharpies on opening day in western prairies. I’d be much less of an upland hunter if it weren’t for woodcock. My regular shooting of them also led to unlocking some creativity in the kitchen.
When preparing wild game, I was as mundane as meat and potatoes – thank God for my wife. If she ever gets tired of her day job, she’ll have no problem dazzling diners as a five-star chef. She has some serious talent for pairing a protein source with an impromptu whatever’s-in-the-pantry pan sauce topped with a six sense for knowing how to balance flavor profiles. After a few seasons of my groans over gamey woodcock, she stepped in to help prepare this winning doodle dish.
It’s also worth mentioning that if you haven’t started consuming the delicate meat of woodcock legs, you’re seriously missing out. After removing the feet, I pop the hip joints and cut out the entire thigh. Because they predominantly use their wings to move around – rendering the rich, red breast meat we’re all familiar with – woodcock don’t walk or run nearly as much, which leaves their legs as a tender little treat. See for yourself before you toss them away next time.
Serving Size: 1-2 portions
Prep Time: 1-2 hours
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- Breasts and legs of 3 woodcock
- ½ cup peanut butter whiskey of your choice (divided)
- ½ cup preferred berry jam, jelly or preserves of your choice (divided)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Pinch of fresh minced parsley (optional)
Preparation Directions:
- Place woodcock breasts and legs into saltwater brine overnight.
- Remove meat from brine and pat dry.
- Mix ¼ cup whiskey and ¼ cup jam in a sealable container or Ziplock bag (A reusable, sealable container or bag prevents the meat from taking on the various odors of other foods in the fridge).
- Add meat and fully immerse in the mixture.
- Place back in the refrigerator for at least 1-2 hours, longer if desired.
Cooking Directions:
- Remove the meat container from the refrigerator and bring it to room temperature. This should take no more than 15-20 minutes.
- Bring pan or skillet to medium-high heat.
- Melt butter in a pan.
- Remove meat from the container and discard the mixture.
- Sear breasts and legs for 1.5 minutes.
- Flip the meat to sear the other side for another 1.5 minutes.
- Remove from pan and set aside.
- In the same pan, add ¼ cup of whiskey. Deglaze the pan, scraping the brown bits and cook for 2-3 minutes to burn off the alcohol.
- Add ¼ cup jam and cook for 2 minutes to thicken.
- Add woodcock back to pan for 1 minute.
- Serve meat over your favorite mashed potatoes or rice.
- Drizzle pan sauce over the top.
- Garnish with fresh minced parsley (optional)
- Pour a sip of whiskey to wash things down and savor the sweet taste of success.
- *For an added kick to your tastebuds, cook and cut up a few strips of bacon and sprinkle them over the top.
