Discussion
I just bought some partridge meat on a total impulse. I think I did eat it once before in the dim and distant past. I definitely like pheasant, but again it's a good while since I've eaten that.
So knowing that most PHers have their own estate in the highlands and shoot partridges all the time, what are your favourite recipes?
So knowing that most PHers have their own estate in the highlands and shoot partridges all the time, what are your favourite recipes?
Get the oven as hot as it will go, cover the breasts with streaky bacon and roast whole for 15 minutes. Make a sauce from the pan juices plus a bit of redcurrant jelly, and serve with goose fat roasted potatoes and spiced red cabbage.
Alternatively, snip out the backbones with kitchen scissors, press down to flatten, spatchcock and BBQ. I like this with a salsa of finely diced mango, red onion, chilli and coriander with a squeeze of lime juice plus a pinch of sugar to taste. To preserve the juices, get the BBQ b
d hot and turn the spatchcocked birds only once.
Alternatively, snip out the backbones with kitchen scissors, press down to flatten, spatchcock and BBQ. I like this with a salsa of finely diced mango, red onion, chilli and coriander with a squeeze of lime juice plus a pinch of sugar to taste. To preserve the juices, get the BBQ b
d hot and turn the spatchcocked birds only once.
not many partridges in the highlands!
As MC said, there re two good ways to do it, but I would change the details.
Roast: allow bird to come fully up to room temp, at least 2 hours out of the fridge. Season, then brown it on all sides bar the bottom in an oven proof frying pan. Turn it onto its back, and put the pan straight into a 220 oven. Leave it in for 7-8 minutes depending on size of bird and how you like it cooked, then rest for at least 10 mins somewhere warm. Make gravy from pan juices. You can put bacon on it once it goes in the oven, then whilst the bird is resting crisp it up separately, or incorporate into the gravy.
Second way is to spatchcock and grill, I favour marinating in garlic, thyme, salt and pepper and olive oil. I then grill under the hottest setting, maybe 2 inches from the grill elements. Start great up, do it until it is starting to go brown. Turn it over and do the back until that is also going crispy, then flip it once more to finish off the top. You can put some butter on at this stage if you want.
Coincidentally I have plucked three partridges this evening, and am doing sous vide leg confit over night, then tomorrow I will sous vide the breasts, and brown it all once it comes out of the bags. Don't know how it will come out, fingers crossed.
As MC said, there re two good ways to do it, but I would change the details.
Roast: allow bird to come fully up to room temp, at least 2 hours out of the fridge. Season, then brown it on all sides bar the bottom in an oven proof frying pan. Turn it onto its back, and put the pan straight into a 220 oven. Leave it in for 7-8 minutes depending on size of bird and how you like it cooked, then rest for at least 10 mins somewhere warm. Make gravy from pan juices. You can put bacon on it once it goes in the oven, then whilst the bird is resting crisp it up separately, or incorporate into the gravy.
Second way is to spatchcock and grill, I favour marinating in garlic, thyme, salt and pepper and olive oil. I then grill under the hottest setting, maybe 2 inches from the grill elements. Start great up, do it until it is starting to go brown. Turn it over and do the back until that is also going crispy, then flip it once more to finish off the top. You can put some butter on at this stage if you want.
Coincidentally I have plucked three partridges this evening, and am doing sous vide leg confit over night, then tomorrow I will sous vide the breasts, and brown it all once it comes out of the bags. Don't know how it will come out, fingers crossed.
Tontoro that sous vide recipe sounds like a winner. I like the whole roast bird thing but for the special occasion separating the legs and crown means you can get the best from both cuts, same applies with all birds in my opinion..
To replicate without the sous vide equipment remove legs, and cut crown through the ribs so the breasts are left on the breast plate but remove the wishbone. Heavily Salt legs for half hour then rinse and dry. Confit them in duck fat or olive oil with garlic bay and thyme for 2hrs (120dc in oven) . Sear the breasts then cook in oven at 220 for 8 mins and allow to rest meanwhile fry the confit legs to crisp skin. Serve breasts (now cut from breast plate) with the confit leg and a madera and reduced stock sauce made from the roasted carcases.
Another interesting alternative is to tea smoke the breast. Works very well with partridge
To replicate without the sous vide equipment remove legs, and cut crown through the ribs so the breasts are left on the breast plate but remove the wishbone. Heavily Salt legs for half hour then rinse and dry. Confit them in duck fat or olive oil with garlic bay and thyme for 2hrs (120dc in oven) . Sear the breasts then cook in oven at 220 for 8 mins and allow to rest meanwhile fry the confit legs to crisp skin. Serve breasts (now cut from breast plate) with the confit leg and a madera and reduced stock sauce made from the roasted carcases.
Another interesting alternative is to tea smoke the breast. Works very well with partridge
Edited by Pete Franklin on Monday 9th January 21:09
Pete Franklin said:
Tontoro that sous vide recipe sounds like a winner. I like the whole roast bird thing but for the special occasion separating the legs and crown means you can get the best from both cuts, same applies with all birds in my opinion..
it's an impossibility to cook the breast and legs correctly at the same time. Like you, I rarely bother nowadaysMobile Chicane said:
I generally roast partridge legs and freeze them for stock when I've got enough.
Not enough meat on to be worth bothering with eating, imho.
cooked right, with a crispy skin, they are 2 very delicious small mouthful. but (for me) the bird cannot be hung for too long as I don't like the legs going bitter. Also you have to take the feet off the right way so it pulls out all the tendons, otherwise they are not so nice to eatNot enough meat on to be worth bothering with eating, imho.
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