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mp4 videoAutumn is game season, and in years past I’ve indulged in wild meaty delights such as pheasant and woodcock (I think it was). I’ve fantasised about getting out in the woods with my wellies and peacoat, dogs yapping along the muddy tracks while I take a few shots at the woodland foul as the beaters scare them out of the brush. But I never really thought it would happen.
And it didn’t, exactly. But this did: our friend Richard was lucky enough to be taken on a game shoot recently and, lucky for us, his kitchen was being refurbished at the time, so we ended up with two lovely, bright-eyed fresh partridges trussed up in a plastic bag to do with what we would.
So while Waz went off to work, I went out into the back yard and plucked the pretty brown and cream feathers off the two birds, and prepared them for cooking. The plucking was easier than I’d thought; I grabbed the bird by its feet, head down, and gently pulled small fingers-full of feathers out, using a downward motion, pulling towards the bird’s neck. I turned it over and plucked all over the body and up the neck, but leaving the feathers on the head and outer parts of the wings.
Then with some kitchen scissors I snipped off the head (yerk), the wings and the feet. I made a small horizontal cut on either side of the “vent” (that’s the bumhole to the rest of us) so I could stick my fingers in and pull out the innards. I used gloves for this bit, and I won’t pretend it didn’t nauseate me a bit, but I got through it with a screwed-up nose and closed eyes!
By now they looked like tiny chickens.
If you treat them kindly, these birds keep well in the fridge. I gave them a good wash inside and out, patted them dry and put them on a plate with some paper towel under them in the fridge, covered with aluminium foil. Don’t seal them in a container or put cling film over them, because that’s when they start to sweat and smell. We kept them for a few days before wrapping them in pancetta and roasting them, and serving with braised onion and bread sauce – a very traditional English meal. And it was lovely.
The key, I think, was to season the birds very well inside and out, brown them nicely in a hot pan with a little oil, and then quickly roast them in the oven at a very high temperature. And they take a surprisingly short time to roast – about 6-8 minutes, believe it or not! They are best served, as our friend Chef Michelle described, “blushing on the bone”. And it’s important to rest them before eating.
The little birdies were lovely and had white meat, like a really flavoursome chicken. The bread sauce and braised onion were the perfect accompaniments – I could almost imagine myself at a massive oak table in the dining hall of an old English manor with the spaniel panting at my side, a pewter mug of ale next to my trencher.
- Lenny
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Great video!Whats with Lenny’s stamp of the foot near the end?
Yum!!! I was wondering if you could do a few more episodes with your friends. They’re really fun to watch! Keep on posting!
Hey Celine! I think I see the bit you mean – Lenny didn’t stamp her foot, she was shuffling her chair back away from the table a bit. I think that’s the noise. It’s a bit cramped up that end of the table.
I feel that your partriges were way too fresh which is why the flesh was so pale and the texture on the tough side.
Game needs to be hung for a few days — not until there are maggots as many people thing, that’s totally wrong, but long enough for the flavour to develop.
Also, I think 7 minutes, as you discovered, is way too little and you really should have let them rest. They do need to be cooked through and although they tend to be dry they would be more tender. I’m a fan of braising game which keeps the moisture inn.
All that said, I thought they looked good and I’m madly jealous as they cost me an arm and a leg here. I was brought up on game so it’s a real nostalgia thing for me.
Cheers!
Liz
NIce one guys! I’ll admit that I was a little worried that maybe you had included some of the earlier part in there, and wasn’t sure if I was up for that, so thanks for starting where you did.
I think that was a demonstration of why British cooking is just not really considered great international cuisine. A gutted undercooked little bird as the main, pig as a seasoning, an onion as a side, and bread as a sauce… mmmmmm…. tasty… fun to watch, but don’t think I’ll be making that at home!
I don’t know if this is an american thing or just my own family thing but I was always raised that you never ate undercooked poultry for safety reasons. I was surprised to see you guys eating these when there was still some pink on them. Maybe I just came from a paranoid family.
It sounded really good. I’ve never had Partridge so it was fun to watch. Thanks!
although chicken should never be eaten pink game often should not – you note that lenny said ‘blushing’ not raw! also the guy who said about it not being yummy should just try it – pig as a seasoning…yes think of the fat and salt.
Waz and Lenny, love your posts keep it up its really fab to see you guys in the kitchen, also bread sauce, great on sandwiches the next day…
Thanks for this! I’ll be starting with a pre-decapitated bird, thank you.
I was surprised by the verdict on bread sauce. I’ve never seen it before and it looked like it would be bland. I might make a pan sauce with the meat drippings while the birds rest. Waz, did you eat that onion plain and whole?
Bread sauce is one of man’s greatest inventions!
thats the ideal food to be eating, when its that fresh and you know where it comes from. Kudos to Len for cleaning the bird, I dont think I could have done it
great post!
Awesome site guys, love the videos guys! I made the Bolognese sauce that you guys did in the “traditional” way. Great stuff.
Interesting video. Hope you guys post a new video soon (hopefully a dessert one!) I made a “tickety boo(p?) tipsy trifle” for my Mother’s birthday the other day and she loved it. Good stuff.
-Rina (from Florida, USA) and proud Obama ’08 campaign supporter. =)