Recipes for Woodcock?

[The Black Rabbit]

We've got a lovely brace of Woodcock for tea.
Does anyone know any nice recipes for them?
Nothing fancy.

Thanks.
Doug

[m1.carson]

Yep,

Got this one from Wales on a Shoot:-

Gut it and pluck it, stuff it with a small potato using it's beak to sew it up, roast in the oven with a red wine cook in sauce, keep basting it.

Throw the woodcock away and eat the potato.

Max.

[The Black Rabbit]

Originally Posted by m1.carson

Yep,

Got this one from Wales on a Shoot:-

Gut it and pluck it, stuff it with a small potato using it's beak to sew it up, roast in the oven with a red wine cook in sauce, keep basting it.

Throw the woodcock away and eat the potato.

Max.

Doug

[m1.carson]

Hi Doug,

On a more serious note, try googling, and pick the easiest recipe, good answers for lots of things, but you'll need to shop for another 10 expensive ingrediants to complete a most of the recipes.

Max.

[tigger]

Doug

Don't want to put you off your dinner... but did you know that Woodcocks are "amber" status on the RSPB site? Numbers have fallen in last few years due to lack of habitat.

However we do get a lot coming over from Russia... so maybe they are Ruskies!

I'd love to see one, let alone eat one.

Bon appetit....

[The Black Rabbit]

Originally Posted by tigger

Doug

Don't want to put you off your dinner... but did you know that Woodcocks are "amber" status on the RSPB site? Numbers have fallen in last few years due to lack of habitat.

However we do get a lot coming over from Russia... so maybe they are Ruskies!

I'd love to see one, let alone eat one.

Bon appetit....

I used to take groups to watch them roding in Bucks, but re:the two that I've got for supper - I was led to believe these were east coast visitors Tigger, by someone from that neck of the woods, that I trust absolutely - so I hope so.
Thanks for the info anyway though...
Doug

[epops]

Pluck them dont gut them cover with bacon ans roast them thats how dad used to do them anyway

[astraman]

just pluck it gut it put a little butter under the skin wrap in bacon and roast ontop of some root vegetables any juices will coat the veggies

[The Black Rabbit]

Thanks Matt and Astraman.
Doug

[Rats]

Woodcocks are quite rare actually and they are amber status on the RSPB site. Maybe you should think about eating pigeon or pheasant instead?

[The Black Rabbit]

Originally Posted by Rats

Woodcocks are quite rare actually and they are amber status on the RSPB site. Maybe you should think about eating pigeon or pheasant instead?

See posts ~ 5 & 6.
Doug

[Brocker]

This one is quite nice. . place the woodcock in a casserole dish on a bed of carrots and leeks. Add half a pint of red wine and half a pint of water, and one tablespoon of dark soy sauce. Season only with pepper as the soy will give it all the saltyness it needs. Place the lid on and cook on a medium oven for thirty minutes. Remove and add one shallot halved and half a pound of white seedless grapes. Back in the oven again for twenty minutes more. Remove and strain the juices into a small pan and reduce until thickened. You can do this whilst removing the meat from the bone. Serve the meat with the carrots leeks and grapes and boiled potatoes and pour the reduced 'gravy' over the top. Just discard the shallot. Its delicious.

[The Black Rabbit]

Originally Posted by Brocker

This one is quite nice. . place the woodcock in a casserole dish on a bed of carrots and leeks. Add half a pint of red wine and half a pint of water, and one tablespoon of dark soy sauce. Season only with pepper as the soy will give it all the saltyness it needs. Place the lid on and cook on a medium oven for thirty minutes. Remove and add one shallot halved and half a pound of white seedless grapes. Back in the oven again for twenty minutes more. Remove and strain the juices into a small pan and reduce until thickened. You can do this whilst removing the meat from the bone. Serve the meat with the carrots leeks and grapes and boiled potatoes and pour the reduced 'gravy' over the top. Just discard the shallot. Its delicious.

Cheers Chris.
Doug

[Rats]

Originally Posted by The Black Rabbit

See posts ~ 5 & 6.
Doug

Actually, I did see posts 5 & 6. But, just thought as they're rare over most of the countryside, maybe we still shouldn't be eating them in places they're not so rare. Sorry, that's just my opinion, as I am a bird lover.

[willing to learn]

I don't know about woodcock status in other parts of the country, but here in Derbyshire if you know where to luck they are fairly easy to locate at this time of year. I dare say quite a few are visitors.
Regards
Colin

[Bullseye]

On my last two wanders through the woods I've put up woodcock on both occasions, usually do in winter.
Reminds me of that report that said woodpeckers are getting rarer,I see more now than I've ever seen before !.

[Stewy]

Originally Posted by The Black Rabbit

We've got a lovely brace of Woodcock for tea.
Does anyone know any nice recipes for them?
Nothing fancy.

Thanks.
Doug

What did you do with them in the end Doug?

[The Black Rabbit]

Originally Posted by Stewy

What did you do with them in the end Doug?

We treated them pretty simply Stewy.
Streaky bacon on top. (Guts still in).
Bed of apples and tatties.
Woodpecker cider in the gravy.
(Woodcock and Woodpecker).
Good stuff!

Doug

[The Woodman]

Sorry I couldn't contribute before you cooked them Doug, I hope you enjoyed them anyway. They're not rare up here in Cumbria / N. Lancs. Plenty around in the woods at the moment.
As said previously, do not gut them, pluck them. I grill them slowly on a thick slice of good white bread which absorbs all the fluids that ooze out of the body. You've enjoyed one of the best tasting birds in your life.
Keep the pin feathers, one from each wing for your hat!