How to Clean Game Birds

Here's how to clean grouse, quail or other game birds prior to cooking.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Enough Water To Cover The Meat
• 1 Small Sharp Knife
• 1 tbsp. table salt per gallon of water

1. Cut a ring around the skin, above the feet, where it first becomes loose.

2. Use a knife and fingers to tear an incision from the legs to the tail, and then peel the entire skin, with the feathers, off to the neck.

3. Cut a ring around the tail and the anus.

4. Make an abdominal cut up to the rib cage.

5. Reach inside the rib cage and remove all the viscera with one clean jerk.

6. Break the neck; jerk the neck and windpipe free of the body.

7. Rinse the entire carcass free of any residue.

Tips & Warnings

• Clean game birds as soon as possible after they've been killed. If you must carry the game some distance, leave the feathers in place temporarily to protect the meat, but the bird should always be dressed right away.
• Always let fresh game cool before cooking it. Place meat in a pan of cool salty water for several hours or overnight. This reduces the gamy taste and tenderizes the meat.
• Don't let the feathers come in contact with the dressed meat.
• Inspect the bird for shotgun pellets or any pieces of shrapnel lodged within the body.
• Don't handle or eat any bird that seems lethargic or diseased.

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on 11/22/2005 Take a branch about the thickness of your pinky finger, about 6 or more inches long, when the branch is pointing straight up, it should have another short branch pointing down toward the ground, like a half arrow head. Make a small cut in the anus area, insert stick and spin like getting spaghetti on a fork, after about 7 to 12 spins, remove stick throw away, your hands and bird are clean.

on 11/22/2005 Lay the bird on its back, spread the wings, step on them close to the body and slowly pull towards you. I have done this for 20 years. It leaves you with the breast and two wings - just snip them off with kitchen shears.

on 11/22/2005 For grouse you can lay down the bird on its back, then spread out the 2 wings and step on each one. Then grab a lag in each hand and pull. Easiest cleaning bird ever.