How to go from a full pigeon to just the breast

How to go from a full pigeon to just the breast - Unrecognizable person walking upstairs on grand mansion entrance

We have 9 people coming for Christmas tomorrow and have 9 pigeons like this:

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We are going to follow this recipe. And as you can tell we only need the breasts of the pigeon. How do I go about not wasting the rest of the meat.

We have thought about cooking it in bacon for 15 minutes but don't really know any more than that. Any advice would be great!



Best Answer

I'd butcher the bird in three portions:

  1. Use the breast as in your recipe.
  2. Remove the legs, set them aside.
  3. Roughly chop up the carcass and make a fonds, then stew/braise the legs from (2.) in it.

If the usual Christmas hustle and bustle doesn't allow a long cooking session now, I'd freeze the carcasses and make the fonds another time, perhaps with a few other delicious scraps. In this case, de-boning the legs (fiddly work, I know) and searing them together with the breasts is an option, or you could decide they are so small that they aren't worth the effort and use with the rest of the carcasses.




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How do you get pigeon breast?

Pigeons, unlike other poultry, form pair bonds to breed, and squabs must be brooded and fed by both parents until they are four weeks old; a pair of pigeons may produce 15 squabs per year. Ten pairs can produce eight squabs each month without being fed by their keepers.

How do you cut a pigeon for meat?

Earthy, tangy with a nice but not-too-strong gamey flavour, wood pigeon is a real treat for the taste buds. This four pack of breasts is ideal as a starter for four or a main course for two, making them great value for money.



How to De-Breast Pigeons and Doves




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