Wild Game Roast Pigeons

roast pigeons
(from The Cook's Oracle by William Kitchiner, 1829)

Ingredients:

Pigeons, fresh​

butter​

salt​

pepper​

Parsley, fresh​

Instructions:

Cover pigeons with a little pepper and salt, and fill the belly of bird with it. Roast them. They will be done in twenty to thirty minutes, send up the parsley and butter in a dish under them, and serve in a boat, and garnish with crisp parsley, or fried bread crumbs, or bread sauce.​

According to William Kitchiner author of "The Cook's Oracle" pigeons are best from mid-summer to Michaelmas (Sept. 29). I don't know if I would try them.

These were domesticated pigeons, that were carefully fed and raised. Also "Crisp parsley" is parsley that has been dunked in boiling oil and fried.

 

[FedericoFCavada]

In Scotland, lots of castle occupants--i.e. the laird or the nobility--had dove coots. The material generated by the doves was used for building material, and of course, the doves or squab were a delicacy as well. In the case of grouse, these birds were actually allowed to age rather than eaten "fresh" although modern tastes might not go for a gamy fowl.

Scottish coal miners had several hobbies, one of which was "fleein' doos" or racing pigeons. The racing pigeon was a prized possession of course, and not for eating.

In Texas, the white wing dove is a big hunting event--and the breast is something of a delicacy. There's really nothing else edible on the bird. A piece of jalapeno pepper is put in the concavity, and then bacon is wrapped around and then put on some low coals of the barbecue to cook. Very tasty. This might be a nice recipe to try pending availability. All the meat on the squab is dark.

 

[JOHN42768]

Hopefully the meal has a lot of other vegetables, etc. or you are leaving the table hungry. Not enough meat to fill one up.

 

[donna]

You need some vegetables and bread. Have to look for some to go a long with the pigeons.

 

[Waterloo50]

I like the look of the five bird roast, Turkey breast butterflied then layered up with Pheasant, Chicken, Goose, Partridge breast stuffed with sausage meat, I'm pretty sure there'd be enough room to cram in a small pigeon.