Upland Chef - You Shot Some Birds-Now What?

After knocking down a bird or two but before heading into the kitchen, hunters need to answer a question: How do we best prep a bird for cooking? Essentially, there are three approaches, and learning to process and prepare birds for cooking is an art in itself. Each technique informs what cooking method to use.

- Gordon Hamersley

To begin with, you should have a few essentials with you on your hunting trips. A medium-sized, sharp knife is really all that is needed for most of this work. A pair of shears and garden clippers are also helpful. A $12 garden clipper will cut through bird bones as well as anything. Surgical gloves will keep your hands clean; good to keep a box on hand. A cooler with ice in the truck will help get birds back to camp in the best shape. Zip lock bags and paper towels rounds out the kit. Now it's time to take care of the birds.

Method #1: Skinning

As the name implies, this method involves removing both the skin and the feathers, which peel away at the same time. There are a couple of ways to do this; both are fast and easy.

Skinning works best if you have a mess of birds to do at once. It's also the method to use when the bird isn't shot up too badly, but there's no time for plucking. Make a small cut with a knife or shears where the neck meets the body, remove the crop and then peel back skin and feathers, ending at the end of the bird. The skin and feathers will come off in clumps. Flip the bird over and do the same on the back and then finally peel the thighs and legs. With the skin gone, what little fat is on most birds is also now gone, so adding fat to the recipe is key. Almost any cooking method is fine for a skinned bird with the notable exception of whole bird, skin-on roasting. So, consider braising, poaching, pâté, soups and stews.

Skinning is the best, fastest method for field dressing birds on the road. Make sure to keep either a wing or leg attached to show the game warden you have legal birds where needed. In the hot, early season, it's best to remove entrails immediately to keep the birds from spoiling. Wrap each bird in a paper towel, pop it in a zip lock bag and then into the cooler. They are ready for the trip home.