A Bird in the Hand

Until a few years ago I owned two guns. I had to sell them when I was really stuck for cash as I could not afford the license fee and the gun club membership. I originally bought them to hunt game for the table, but with all the costs involved I was not making them pay.

Shot at dawn Nov 30th

Fortunately living in the countryside I have not had to give up eating game, as many of my friends and neighbors are hunters. Some of them just hunt for recreation, they never eat it and some of them shoot more than they eat. So at this time of year there is a surplus of pheasant and duck in my area. A few of my neighbors will often drop in a freshly shot pheasant or duck when they are passing. In return I give them a bottle of whiskey at Christmas.

If you live in an area where there are hunters try and cultivate this kind of relationship with them. This is the cheapest and most convenient way to get a regular supply of game.

A lot of people hang game for a few days before plucking and gutting it. I puck and gut right way and get it into the fridge. If you have never plucked and gutted a bird try YouTube, see below for some links. It is a primitive and visceral business and you may make a mess of it the first few times. But the only tool required is a sharp knife and with a little practice you soon get the hang of it. Needless to say take extreme care with sharp knifes and always cut away from yourself.

5 minutes later ready to cook

I usually cook game the next day. I parboil for 15 to 20 minutes and finish it off in a Pyrex dish in the oven covered with tin foil, this keeps it from drying out.

Unlike buying meat in a shop you never know what wild meat will taste like. The flavour will vary depending on what the animal was feeding on, its health and age. At worst the meat may be tough, but at its best there is nothing to beat wild meat for flavour. And wild meat is all lean.

I never use any kind of flavorings or sauce, just the meat served with a few spuds and veg and a little butter.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmoTthxTnv8&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_BVYOhCocw&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0ddDzGGtiU&feature=related