# Wish woodcock tasted better



## cross3700 (Apr 7, 2010)

My whole family loves woodcock wrapped in bacon. Tastes like steak wrapped in bacon.


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## zig (Aug 5, 2009)

9mm Hi-Power said:


> I fully agree - woodcock should be cooked quickly under high heat and served rare. I prefer it with the meat next to the breast bone just a bit warm. But if one is to cook woodcock I suppose this is the proper way to do it:
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> ...


Now that's what I'm talking about. I don't know about those sounds he was makin' when he ate the brains... but oh well. I'm gonna try that this year. The thing he did with the bones makes me wanna get one of those old school duck presses. Good stuff. I would have never thought to do it that way.


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## chizzel (Dec 6, 2004)

Last year was my first time bagging a woodcock and I didn't care for the taste much. I tried the bacon wrapped breast method and thought it still had a livery taste, I also don't care for wrapping any game in bacon but felt it may be the best bet with the woodcock. 

However this year I am looking forward to bagging a few more and giving this recipe a try. I mean it's called michigan woodcock so n it's gotta be good right?

http://honest-food.net/2011/10/23/woodcock-rejuvenation-and-light/


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## N M Mechanical (Feb 7, 2008)

zig said:


> Now that's what I'm talking about. I don't know about those sounds he was makin' when he ate the brains... but oh well. I'm gonna try that this year. The thing he did with the bones makes me wanna get one of those old school duck presses. Good stuff. I would have never thought to do it that way.


As soon as he said leave the insides in I turned it off


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## Lamarsh (Aug 19, 2014)

Grouse is my favorite wild game meat (along with elk of course). I have never tried woodcock, but I'm sure I'll bag a few this fall. I hope they taste better than geese.


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## zig (Aug 5, 2009)

N M Mechanical said:


> As soon as he said leave the insides in I turned it off


Come on man!! That's where the flavor comes from :corkysm55


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## zig (Aug 5, 2009)

Lamarsh said:


> Grouse is my favorite wild game meat (along with elk of course). I have never tried woodcock, but I'm sure I'll bag a few this fall. I hope they taste better than geese.


Way better than geese.


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## sgc (Oct 21, 2007)

Anyone have a Woodcock pate recipe? I heard this was a good way to eat it.


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## hillbillie (Jan 16, 2011)

I pluck em ,boil em and strip the meat from the bones.
Cook rice in the broth, one part rice to two parts broth
add meat to the cooked rice.

The dog loves it.
Edit: she does like a small amount of bacon grease added


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## zig (Aug 5, 2009)

hillbillie said:


> I pluck em ,boil em and strip the meat from the bones.
> Cook rice in the broth, one part rice to two parts broth
> add meat to the cooked rice.
> 
> ...


NO!!! Not even dogs should suffer through boiled meat.:Modified_


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## Lamarsh (Aug 19, 2014)

zig said:


> Come on man!! That's where the flavor comes from :corkysm55


I've learned to never trust guys who say this LOL


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## Chappy410 (Sep 20, 2014)

Walkinwoodsman,
In the original pictures, is the black and tan a Gordon Setters? Thanks for the information.


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## hillbillie (Jan 16, 2011)

zig said:


> NO!!! Not even dogs should suffer through boiled meat.:Modified_


What? 

:SHOCKED:
No corned beef and cabbage?
No ham hock in the beans?
No chicken and dumplings?
I often make 'Pat' and dumplings
Without boiled meat there would be no broth.


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## Northbound (Sep 17, 2000)

k9wernet said:


> Woodcock tastes great, if you enjoy rare, med-rare steak. Just don't overcook it. If you're not into bloody meat, my wife does a great beef bourguignon where she substitutes WC for the beef. Even the kids will eat it.


K9, can you post your wife's recipe for bourguignon??


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## Zeboy (Oct 4, 2002)

sgc said:


> Anyone have a Woodcock pate recipe? I heard this was a good way to eat it.


This is the only way I ever eat woodcock. It is a bit of work but well worth it. I would catch major grief if woodcock pate was not on the appetizer list for Thanks Giving and Christmas dinner.

4 - 25 shotgun shells - depending on shooting ability
4 - 5 wood cock breasts off the bone
3 - 4 shallots
3 - 4 sprigs parsley
4 TB butter
1 TB flour - slightly more if needed to thicken
1 egg yolk beten
2 TB Madiera though Sherry will work in a pinch
Salt and Pepper

Finely chop the woodcock breasts, shallots and parsley. Saute all in the butter. Do not overcook! Turn the heat down as you add the flour, egg yolk and Madiera. Hit it hard with salt and pepper. I let the Madiera start to evaporate and slowly work it while the egg and flour slightly thickens it.

Transfer everything to a food processor to turn it to the consistency of pate. Spoon (I actually use a melon baller) into a small serving bowl and chill overnight. It's Ok to lick the pan and the food processor seeing that it taste good warm, but it will be better the next day served on crackers with good bottle of red wine. It may look like cold dog poo but it is actually really good.


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## sgc (Oct 21, 2007)

Zeboy said:


> This is the only way I ever eat woodcock. It is a bit of work but well worth it. I would catch major grief if woodcock pate was not on the appetizer list for Thanks Giving and Christmas dinner.
> 
> 4 - 25 shotgun shells - depending on shooting ability
> 4 - 5 wood cock breasts off the bone
> ...


Thanks for the recipe


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## 9mm Hi-Power (Jan 16, 2010)

First of hopefully many woodcock dinners this season. Vodka martini, nice domestic Malbec, a garden fresh tomato/vegetable salad and bay ******* potatoes roasted with crushed rosemary. I sear the woodcock in a cast iron skillet with a little bit of olive oil and then put them in the oven with the potatoes. Scrape the skillet, pour in some wine and crumbled gorgonzola and some granny smith apple slices. Reduce the sauce, pour over the birds and serve with the birds VERY rare.








.

Hoppe's no. 10


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## Mr. Uplander (Jul 6, 2015)

Tried something really easy last weekendo olive oil ,salt, pepper, garlic and onion. 2 minutes a side on high. Not as good as grouse but still excellant


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## chizzel (Dec 6, 2004)

9mm Hi-Power said:


> First of hopefully many woodcock dinners this season. Vodka martini, nice domestic Malbec, a garden fresh tomato/vegetable salad and bay ******* potatoes roasted with crushed rosemary. I sear the woodcock in a cast iron skillet with a little bit of olive oil and then put them in the oven with the potatoes. Scrape the skillet, pour in some wine and crumbled gorgonzola and some granny smith apple slices. Reduce the sauce, pour over the birds and serve with the birds VERY rare.
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> ...


Looks pretty good. Are your birds plucked and whole or just skinless breast?


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## 9mm Hi-Power (Jan 16, 2010)

chizzel said:


> Looks pretty good. Are your birds plucked and whole or just skinless breast?


Thanks for the compliment. I've found that it's fairly easy to cleanly pluck woodcock if done immediately after shooting them. When this is not convenient I usually just rough pluck the bird and skin the carcass when I get home.

Hoppe's no. 10


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