Author Topic: How do I cook pigeon breasts?  (Read 2124 times)

Annemieke

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How do I cook pigeon breasts?
« on: April 18, 2017, 19:39:13 »
I bought quite a few frozen pigeon breasts today and want to cook some of them tomorrow. Everyone recommends to just fry them for a few minutes on each side. But I generally prefer my meat well done, not half raw. Can I do that with the breasts? And how about marinading? Thanks!
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ancellsfarmer

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Re: How do I cook pigeon breasts?
« Reply #1 on: April 18, 2017, 20:26:25 »
Thaw thoroughly.
Skin off.
Split lengthways and fold flat. Coat in oatmeal, with dried herbs(of provence)
Frying pan seasoned with salt and just a splash of oil, very hot.
3 mins each side, easy over again for "well (over) done"
Known by Jamie Oliver as "Flying steak sandwich"
If confronted with real intact pigeon, split skin up breastbone and peel back keeping feathers off meat.Simply fillet breast and discard the rest (or feed a ferret!)
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Annemieke

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Re: How do I cook pigeon breasts?
« Reply #2 on: May 26, 2017, 07:19:01 »
Why do you take the skin off? The skin is the best bit and gives it flavour. The fat in skin helps you absorb many of the nutrients in the meat. Yum!
Grow no evil, cook no evil, eat no evil.

Annemieke Wigmore, Somerset UK: http://thoughtforfood-aw.blogspot.com.

Obelixx

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Re: How do I cook pigeon breasts?
« Reply #3 on: May 26, 2017, 12:16:19 »
You need to get acquainted with the BBC Food website which has quite a few cheffy recipes for pigeon breast.

Sign up to the BBC for an ID and you can save the ones you like to a Favourites list.

The BBC Good Food website is run by the magazine and lets you sign up too but you can then organise recipes you like in folders and every recipe has calories, proteins, fats and so on listed.   Only 3 recipes with pigeon breast but they look OK to me.

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BarriedaleNick

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Re: How do I cook pigeon breasts?
« Reply #4 on: May 26, 2017, 12:58:43 »
If you do them well done then you need to be really careful or they will turn hard and dry.  Ideally they should be pink in the middle and juicy and they don't respond well to a long cook.
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Silverleaf

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Re: How do I cook pigeon breasts?
« Reply #5 on: May 27, 2017, 07:14:52 »
Why do you take the skin off? The skin is the best bit and gives it flavour. The fat in skin helps you absorb many of the nutrients in the meat. Yum!


I'm guessing that it's because the skin won't go crispy when it's covered in oatmeal as per ancell's recipe. Golden crispy bird skin is delicious, flabby skin under oatmeal isn't so much.

ancellsfarmer

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Re: How do I cook pigeon breasts?
« Reply #6 on: May 27, 2017, 07:33:47 »
Skin off :
Because its normally the "surgical" method of preparation. To quickly fillet the breast away from the carcase.Split along the breastbone, fold back the skin and feathers cleanly. Remove breast . Split. Discard.
Arguably more hygenic as you should not enter the body cavity, thereby not coming into contact with entrails, etc.
 Personally dress pheasant in the same way, but do remove and use the legs
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