Not just for the birds

Tag: upland bird recipes

  • Chukar Curry

    Chukar Curry

    According to our blog stats, we get hundreds of hits and searches for chukar and upland bird recipes every month. I have no excuse, but we haven’t posted a new recipe on here for a while; it’s been about five years to be exact. Thanks to Peat, Angus, Bob, and on good days when I can actually hit them, we’ve got a nice supply of chukar, huns, and grouse in our freezer to last quite some time for us and to also share in recipes for visiting friends and family.

    Grouse and chukar

    This chukar curry recipe was a hit with Bob’s students during his introduction to upland bird hunting class recently; some of the kids from our rural Idaho town had never tasted Indian food, or chukar for that matter, and became immediate fans of both. Two other teachers sampled the curry and immediately wanted the recipe. It must be a winner! The ingredients are pretty easy to find, plus it’s super easy to make. It is my new favorite go-to upland bird recipe.

    Chukar Curry

    serves 4-6

    8 chukar breast halves (from four birds) cut into 1-inch pieces*

    1 cup plain Greek yogurt

    4 garlic cloves, minced, divided

    2-inch piece ginger, grated, divided

    2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste

    3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

    1 large yellow onion, minced

    1 1/2 teaspoons cumin

    1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes*

    1 ½ teaspoons ground turmeric

    1 teaspoon garam masala*

    1 tablespoon ground coriander

    1 teaspoon cayenne powder

    ½ cup water

    Fresh cilantro for garnish. Optional but recommended.

    Combine chukar breast with yogurt, half of the garlic, ginger, and salt in a bowl and set aside to marinade. You can use it right away, in an hour, or up to a day refrigerated.

    In a large heavy pan with lid, heat oil. Once hot, add onions and cook 5-10 minutes, until browned at edges. Add cumin, remaining ginger and garlic and cook one to two minutes more. Add remaining salt, turmeric, garam masala, coriander, and cayenne, and cook for two minutes.

    Add canned tomatoes, chukar and yogurt marinade from bowl, plus water, stir to combine, and bring to simmer, stirring. Simmer 30 minutes over low heat, covered, stirring once or twice to ensure everything is cooked evenly.

    ~

    Serve over basmati or jasmine rice and a side of plain or garlic Naan.*

    * I’ve made this recipe using a mix of Huns, dusky grouse, and ruffed grouse cut into pieces instead of chukar. Adjust amount of bird meat to suit your taste.

    *If you use a 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes, use half of the can and freeze the remainder in a freezer container to use when making the recipe again.

    *Garam Masala is an Indian spice.

    Adjust all the other spices to your taste; I’d call this recipe mild or “Cambridge Hot.” Add more cayenne if you want it “Bombay Hot.”

    *Naan is a flatbread that can be found in most grocery stores in the bread aisle or near the deli. Follow the directions on the package. If you can’t find Naan, white Pita bread can be used instead. Warm the pita bread in the oven at 400 degrees for about 5 minutes, remove from oven and brush with olive oil before serving.

    Enjoy!

    Chukar curry served over basmati rice and sprinkled with cilantro
  • Wild Chukar Risotto with Peppered Bacon and Fresh Sage

    Wild Chukar Risotto with Peppered Bacon and Fresh Sage

    Chukar Risotto Ingredients
    Chukar Risotto Ingredients

    Now that most chukar seasons are over, one of the things we can do to bide the long months ahead before next season opens is to come up with some good dishes using the birds we have waiting for us in the freezer.

    I like making risotto but had never done it with birds before. It’s a fairly labor- and time-intensive dish but not too difficult in terms of culinary skill, and the end result is usually outstanding. So I came up with this recipe, which turned out to be very tasty, while I cleaned the last two fresh chukar I’d been aging last week. Enjoy!

    Ingredients

    • 1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
    • 4 slices (thick) peppered bacon, chopped
    • Medium yellow onion, chopped
    • 6 cloves garlic, chopped (not minced)
    • 6 fresh mushrooms, chopped
    • 1/4 C fresh sage leaves, chopped
    • Salt and pepper
    • 1 lb. chukar breast and leg meat, boned (two adult birds), chopped
    • 1/2 C cheap white wine
    • 2 C arborio rice (risotto)
    • 1.5 quarts chicken stock
    • 1/2 C fresh Parmesan cheese, grated finely

    In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil over high heat. Add the peppered bacon, onion and garlic. Saute until garlic starts turning golden. Add the mushrooms, half of the chopped sage, salt & pepper, and chukar meat. Stir thoroughly and cook for one minute. Add white wine and continue cooking over high heat for a couple more minutes, making sure the chukar meat is no longer pink.

    In a 2 quart stock pot heat the chicken stock on high until boiling, then reduce to and maintain it at a simmer. (You will add ladle-fulls of this boiling stock to the risotto.)

    The risotto pot
    Constant stirring is the key

    Reduce flame on large pot to medium high and add the arborio rice. Stir it in thoroughly, and then add one ladle-full of the simmering stock, stirring the risotto constantly. When all of the liquid has evaporated, add another ladle of stock, continuing the constant stirring. Repeat this process until the rice is just cooked enough. Depending on your ingredients, your pot and heat source, it should take about 30-40 minutes. If you run out of stock, have a reserve of boiling water ready to add, or use more stock, but make sure when you add it that it is boiling or you’ll mess up the rice.

    Chukar Risotto with Peppered Bacon and Fresh Sage
    Yum

    When done, spoon into shallow soup bowls and garnish with the remaining fresh sage and grated Parmesan.