Skinning and plucking help!

[Backyard Bushcraft]

Has anyone got any good tutorials for....
Skinning and preparing a rabbit
Plucking and preparing Pheasant
and any tiy good cooking ideas for cooking them outdoors in pit ovens ETC
Thanks guys
Jamie

 

[morch]

You could try these links:


http://forum.rivercottage.net/viewtopic.php?t=12605
A rabbit being skinned after paunching.


http://forum.rivercottage.net/viewtopic.php?t=19935
Jointing the rabbit after skinning.


http://forum.rivercottage.net/viewtopic.php?t=13015
Plucking and drawing a pheasent.


Dave

 

[Walks with dogs]

Good tutorial on youtube here...

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=rYllSvvmEAA

 

[Joonsy]

a good fast method of skinning a rabbit as follows:- remove head and feet with secateurs - with fingers pinch skin on back of rabbit away from meat and make a small cut through the skin only - insert fingers in small cut and pull one hand towards the head end and the other hand towards the tail end in one swift movement - skin will tear at middle of rabbit and be completely removed in one swift movement, even on old tough rabbits. Of course the skin (though not the rabbit) will be seperated in two parts so bear in mind if wanting the skin complete, this is a very fast method especially good when having to skin numerous rabbits all in one go, used by some game-dealers for speed and efficiency.

 

[jungle_re]

the picture in this knife reveiw may help

http://www.britishblades.com/forums/showthread.php?t=61789

Its pretty much what joonsy said above

 

[Joonsy]

pheasants can also be skinned as opposed to plucking, place streaky bacon over skinned pheasant to avoid it going too dry while roasting.

 

[pothunter]

Have to agree plucking foul is a miserable job followed by the smell of burnt feathers, either skin them or just take the breast meat and legs if plump enough. The prime cuts are also easier to cook over a grill BBQ style or kebabed, I also like curried and stir fried pheasant. Also recommend marinade if you are not to keen on gamey meats my current favorite is Reggae Reggae Sauce, because I'm to lazy to make my own.

Enjoy your meal, Pothunter.

 

[Diligence]

If you are just interested in the breast meat of the bird, could you try the method used on grouse?

that is, lay bird on ground on it's back. Stand on wings, with feet close to body. Grab neck and feet, pull up. All the entrails, the head and feet are removed, leaving the wings attached to the breast for transporting and positive identification.

Please note that I've not done this to pheasant, but I have done this to many, many grouse.

D

 

[jungle_re]

If you are just interested in the breast meat of the bird, could you try the method used on grouse?

that is, lay bird on ground on it's back. Stand on wings, with feet close to body. Grab neck and feet, pull up. All the entrails, the head and feet are removed, leaving the wings attached to the breast for transporting and positive identification.

Please note that I've not done this to pheasant, but I have done this to many, many grouse.

D

Works fine on pheasents know round err as the Devon pluck

 

[pothunter]

I've got a couple of brace by the backdoor will try that in the a.m.
Pothunter.

 

[VtBlackdog]

Devon pluck?
How did it get that name? The history of it?
I use it on grouse, but didn't know it had a name.

 

[pothunter]

Belated update, drew two birds using the 'devon pluck' results not good. One had sustained to much damage internally and the other was just a mess after attempting to use this method.

My birds had been hung for three days and guess this would work better on fresh foul so will try again next weekend.

Pothunter.

 

[crazydave]

as a kid we had a readers digest cook book called the cookery year I think which was about three inches thick and a mrs beetons like every household.

I learnt by reading that - dad was a fisherman and often brought big cod home so I learn gutting and filleting but occasionally he would bring home rabbit or pheasant from a part time farmer at work and let me loose on them. I still remember him spitting lead shot onto the plate

 

[WoodWildling]

hmm i seem to always be the unlucky one and end up nearly cracking me teeth on the shot!! As a result i now stew any shot game for a very very very long time so it literally melts in the mouth and i can feel the shot before i bite it.
I just chuck it in a casserole pan with a decent splosh of red wine, some stock, a tin of french canneloni beans, some parsnips, carrots and apricots and season well. Leave it in the oven for about 3 hours, topping up with water when it gets too dry. mmmm delicious.
As to the apricots, more people should cook with meat and fruit it is normal in most countries but a lot of english seem put off by it for some reason!!

A good method for smaller game birds is to pull off the head and wings, shove both thumbs down the neck cavity and feel about for the breastbone, then literally pull the breatbone away from the spine. It will tear the bird in half and you are left with two bits of breat meat that you can just lop off the bone. Easy peasy!! Works really well for pigeon.

Wild

 

[nac mac feegle]

Dom say He will sort you out