Cooking Birds

 Probably my favorite thing to cook is a bird. Be it a chicken, duck, squab, wood pigeon, guinea hen or pheasant. There is nothing more satisfying then cooking a bird properly. Part of the fun is that every type of bird is a little different, so the technique varies with each one. Chicken, which we all cook so many different ways, is the perfect bird to roast whole. Duck benefits from using two techniques, one for the leg and one for the breast.

 The lifestyle of the bird is probably the best pointer to how it should be cooked. Pheasant walk around quite a bit, so they develop muscular legs. They are also very lean birds, so the breast can't endure too much high-heat cooking. I have found that pheasant also benefit from using two cooking methods. Braising the leg in sauerkraut and slow-roasting the breast makes a succulent dish. The sauerkraut seems to help keep the leg moist during the cooking, while adding incredible flavor. Slow-roasting the breast insures that it will be tender without drying out. Never bone out a pheasant breast before cooking. It is a sure way to make a dry tasteless meal.

 Scottish wood pigeon on the other hand is the only bird I know of that actually benefits from being cooked off the bone. It has such a strong taste that cooking it off the bone, wrapped in cabbage leaves, makes it moist and delicious.

 The two techniques to cook a duck are confit for the leg, and pan roasting for the breast meat. This results in a tender and tasty dish that offers the best of what each cut has to offer. Slice the breast meat after pan roasting it medium-rare, and serve it with the confit leg. Creamy polenta makes a great side dish with this, as does roasted root vegetable risotto.

 Birds offer a chance to employ many different cooking techniques, including making stock from the bones. A simple reduction of the stock with some wine and aromatics makes a great sauce to complement the meat.

 Try cooking a bird that you haven't cooked before, or cook a familiar bird with a new technique. Post a comment beforehand if you want a pointer, or afterwards to share your experience with other readers. Enjoy!