Upland Game Recipes

For Jack, My Dog…A Quail Recipe

There are those who consider hunting dogs only a tool to help locate and retrieve game. During the off-season, their dogs sit in kennels. On a good day, they get a pat on the head, a friendly whistle or perhaps some table scraps. They are ready to take to the field in a second, giving…

Thanksgiving Turkey (domestic)

My way of cooking a domestic turkey is loosely borrowed from Alton Brown of Food TV’s “Good Eats”. The key is the brining process. Brining adds flavor and moisture, both good things when it comes to turkey, Another important element is roasting the bird breast side down. Don’t place the turkey in a rack. Just…

Quail Won Tons with Orange Sauce

If it’s crispy, it’s usually fried. In this case, you take some chopped up quail breast, throw in a few other ingredients like jack cheese, wrap it all up in a won ton wrapper and fry it until it’s golden brown and crunchy. This recipe is also a great way to use slow-roasted pulled turkey…

Braised Rabbit with Pears

In most parts of the country, rabbit dishes are not as popular as other game animals. Big game, upland birds and waterfowl seem to be to quarry of choice for most American hunters. I suppose that doesn’t upset the rabbits all that much. I suspect they would rather hang out with their buddies than in…

Smoked Quail Salad

Smoky quail, just cooked and still tender, tossed with a spirited vinaigrette and served atop a mound of crisp lettuce – delicious! To smoke your game, use a Camp Chef smoke vault to get mesquite, hickory or other flavors into your meats. PrintSmoked Quail Salad Ingredients12 whole cleaned quail, skin on or off Hi Mountain…

Easy Caesar Salad with Pheasant

Great way to use up leftover upland game birds like pheasant, quail or dove. If smoked, even better. If you have leftover pheasant that you end up not using, then freeze it using a FoodSaver vacuum sealer – try their outdoor editions, especially made for hunters. PrintEasy Caesar Salad with Pheasant IngredientsDressing 1 egg…

Smoked Wild Turkey Lettuce Cups

While you can prepare this recipe with raw, not smoke-flavored wild turkey breast fillets, a mild smoke really does make it mo betta. We soaked our turkey breasts in a brine of 1 quart water, 1/4 cup garlic salt. PrintSmoked Wild Turkey Lettuce Cups Yield: 4 IngredientsWhile you can prepare this recipe with raw, not…

Tomato, Basil and Lemon Marinated Doves

Enough with the bacon-wrapped doves already. I get it. It’s good. But there are many other ways to grill these lean, dark sky darts. Here’s one of my favorites. Don’t forget to zest the lemons before squeezing out the juice! PrintTomato, Basil and Lemon Marinated Doves Yield: 4 Ingredients12 doves, split along the backbone and…

Spicy Marinated Grilled Chukar

By request from a KFBK listener who I met at the Sacramento International Sportsman’s Expo in 2014. A friend gave him a pile of chukar and he asked for a little help on how to cook them. We’re talking spicy, but not too spicy, and not overcooked. This recipe will also work with any light-fleshed…

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