Brad Harvey: How to cook those dove breasts
With this week’s opening of the 2015 dove season, quite a few hunters are finding themselves with a bounty of dove breasts and probably wishing they knew what to do with them.
After all, most hunters only know of one or two ways to prepare dove.
Here are few easy ways to try that really kick it up a notch and are guaranteed to impress all of your huntin’ buddies (and maybe even your wife!) Give ‘em a try.
Brad Harvey is a freelance outdoors writer in Clover. Visit his website at www.bradharveyoutdoors.com or follow on Twitter @BHarveyOutdoors.
Jalapeno Dove Poppers
De-boned dove breasts
1 can or jar whole jalapeno peppers, or you can use fresh
Bacon
Spreadable cream cheese
Toothpicks
First, pre-heat your grill. While it’s warming, rinse and pat dry the dove breasts. Slice the peppers lengthwise and remove the seeds and other innards.
Fill the open cavity with cream cheese and top with a dove breast. Wrap the pepper and breast in bacon and secure with a toothpick. Once you’ve assembled all of the poppers, grill over medium/high heat for about 20 minutes or until the bacon is crisp, remembering to turn once.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Braised Doves
8 whole doves, cleaned, or an equal amount of breasts
1/2 cup sherry or dry red wine
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons bacon drippings, heated
Brown the doves or breasts on all sides in the bacon drippings, preferably in a heavy iron skillet. Mix in all of the ingredients to the doves and then cover with a tight lid.
Simmer over low heat for about an hour and a half or until tender. Serve over wild rice.
Dove Casserole
1 dozen doves
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/3 cup chives, chopped
1/2 cup evaporated milk
3/4 cup water
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper
3 beef bouillon cubes
3 teaspoons butter
1 can cream of mushroom soup
3/4 cup of brandy
1 can English peas
Place the dove meat in a casserole dish and arrange the celery, onions and chives all around. Salt and pepper then add the milk, mushroom soup, peas, butter, bouillon cubes and water.
Bake at 375 degrees for around 2 hours.
Remove the doves and place on a platter.
Thicken the gravy to pour over the doves and serve over brown or wild rice.
Beer Battered Fried Doves
Around 30 dove breasts, bone-in
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 can beer
Salt and pepper
4 cups vegetable oil
Rinse and clean the dove breasts thoroughly under cold water and pat dry. In a medium sized pot, add the vegetable oil and heat over a medium setting. The larger the pot, the more oil you may need so that the dove breasts will be completely submerged.
In a big bowl, combine the flour, salt and baking soda. Slowly mix in the beer until you have a thick but uniform consistency. When the oil is hot, dip the breasts individually into the batter and coat evenly before carefully dropping it into the oil.
Turn the breasts as needed until all sides are a golden brown, about 6 or 7 minutes total cooking time. Serve immediately.
This story was originally published September 8, 2015 at 11:45 AM with the headline "Brad Harvey: How to cook those dove breasts."