Care and Handling of Game Birds from Field to Table Shoot for the Sky the Heart and Liver May Be Game Birds Offer a Saved for Giblets

Home , Braising, Partridge, Pheasant, Quails as food

Care and Handling of Game Birds from Field to Table Shoot for the Sky The heart and liver may be Game birds offer a saved for giblets. Store in a challenge to hunters and the plastic bag on ice to keep reward of a delicious meal them clean and cold. at the table if they are Leave an identification handled properly at each mark on the bird. step. Game birds have The birds may be plucked various distinctive flavors Karen Pesaresi Penner or skinned in the field. If you and are excellent sources of Professor and Specialist, Food Science pluck the birds, bring a protein, similar in these plastic bag for storing the respects to domestic birds. Department of Foods and Nutrition feathers. The fat and calorie contents Cool the carcass quickly to vary according to the age and species retain flavor and maintain the quality Care in the Field and in Transport of the birds. A 31/ -ounce portion of the bird. A temperature above 40° F 2 ■ Be prepared for the hunt. (before cooking) of game bird meat is meat’s worst enemy. Remember to bring a sharp hunting has about 150 calories and provides Wipe out the cavity with a clean knife, a whetstone or steel, light rope half the average daily adult protein cloth or paper towel. Do not use grass or nylon cord, plastic bags, clean requirement. or snow as this will contaminate the cloths or paper towels, and a cooler Wild game birds may become carcass. filled with ice. contaminated with bacteria or gastric Allow air to circulate in the carcass Abide by game regulations for juices if they are improperly handled. by hanging or laying the bird in a well- hunting, transporting, and storage of Off flavors and odors may develop in ventilated place. wild game. the meat, and your risk of foodborne In hot weather, place the birds ■ Field dress the bird promptly. illness may increase. For optimum individually in plastic bags and put on Remove the entrails and crop as eating quality, remember the following ice. soon as possible because the grain in handling tips during hunting, storage, Do not pile warm birds in a mass. the crop may ferment if not removed. and food preparation.

Nutritive Value—Fowl (flesh only) Preparation Portion Calories Protein Total Saturated Cholesterol Iron Sodium Zinc (g.) Fat (g.) Fat (g.) (mg.) (mg.) (mg.) (mg.) Duck 1 Domestic Roasted 3 /2 ounces 201 23.5 11.2 4.2 89 2.7 65 2.6 1 Wild Raw† Breast, 3 /2 ounces 123 19.5 4.3 1.3 77 4.5 57 0.7 1 Goose, domestic Roasted 3 /2 ounces 238 29.0 12.7 4.6 96 2.9 76 3.2 1 Pheasant Raw† Breast, 3 /2 ounces 133 24.4 3.3 1.1 58 0.8 33 0.6 1 Raw† Leg, 3 /2 ounces 134 22.2 4.3 1.7 80 1.8 45 1.5 † Values for cooked not available. Source: USDA, Composition of Foods.

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Store the birds in a cooler or ice If you wish to age the birds, holding Microwave-thawed food should be chest out of the sun. them at just above freezing tempera- cooked immediately. Other thawed ■ Keep the birds cool during tures for two to three days may meat should be used within one to two transport. increase the tenderness of the meat. days. The best way to store birds is in a ■ For immediate use, birds should Keep raw food and cooked food cooler on ice. If this is not possible, be stored in the refrigerator at 45° F or separate. keep the car well-ventilated and put less and used within three days. For ■ The age of the bird determines the birds on the back seat or the floor. long-term storage, the whole cleaned the cooking method. Wild game Do not transport them in the trunk carcass or individual parts may be always should be cooked thoroughly because the enclosed space does not frozen at 0° F or lower. until the juices run clear and no allow heat to escape from the birds. Freeze the meat while it is fresh and pinkness remains in the meat. in top condition. Young birds have lighter legs, soft Care in Processing and Storage The advantage of packaging parts breastbones, and flexible beaks. Old ■ Don’t cross-contaminate during instead of the whole bird is that bloody birds have darker, hard skinned legs, processing. spots can be eliminated by cutting out brittle breastbones, and inflexible Wash your hands, knife, and cutting or rinsing out with cold water. Parts beaks. board with hot soapy water and rinse also fit conveniently in your freezer. Game birds may be prepared like thoroughly. Parts may be boned, and the carcass chicken. Dry cookery methods, such as When preparing the ducks, remove and neck my be used as a soup base. frying, are appropriate for young birds. the wings by cutting them off at the Use moisture/vapor-proof wrap Moist cookery methods, such as joints, remove the head, and pluck out such as heavily waxed freezer wrap, stewing or braising, are appropriate for the pin feathers. Feathers may be laminated freezer wrap, heavy duty older birds. removed by scalding the birds in hot aluminum foil, or freezer-weight To decrease the distinctive taste of water (145° F). Pin feathers and down polyethylene bags. some wild game, trim off as much of may be removed by dipping the Wrap tightly, pressing out as much the fat as possible. feathered bird in a paraffin wax/hot air as possible. Older or skinned birds may become water mixture. After the wax hardens, Label the packages with the content dry during baking. You may want to the feathers may be scraped off. and date. wrap the birds with bacon to prevent When preparing upland birds, such Use the frozen packages within a them from drying out. as grouse, pheasant, quail, and year. Remove stuffing from the bird prior partridge, skin the bird and soak in to storage, because stuffing is a good cold water for one to two hours to Care in Preparation growth medium for microorganisms. remove the excess blood. ■ Thaw the birds in the refrigerator Use leftovers within one or two ■ Birds generally do not require or microwave. days, or freeze for later use. aging.

This publication was authored by Julie Garden-Robinson, Food and Nutrition Specialist; Martin Marchello, Professor; and Pat Beck, Nutrition Specialist, North Dakota State University. Revised with permission of primary author by Karen Pesaresi Penner, Professor and Specialist, Food Science, Kansas State University. Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service MF-2177 April 2000 It is the policy of Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service that all persons shall have equal opportunity and access to its educational programs, services, activities, and materials without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age or disability. Kan- sas State University is an equal opportunity organization. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, as amended. Kansas State University, County Extension Councils, Extension Districts, and United States Department of Agriculture Cooperating, Marc A. Johnson, Director.