Well, it’s Labor Day weekend in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. That means that the Deerslayer (Doveslayer) family has come from far and wide to hunt whitewing doves. It’s an annual event that has taken place for as many years as I’ve been a part of the family. As you all know, the gathering of family is as important as the actual hunt. The younger generation that, as kids, used to play around, gut and pluck birds, and get some lessons in shooting, have become the next generation of hunters and are adults now. It’s hard to believe. I have pictures that show tiny little hands plucking and gutting birds back in the day.
This year it looked like the Labor Day hunt would be washed out. It’s not unusual to get heavy rain around this time of year and inches of rain that had already fallen with more on the way could’ve made it impossible for the hunters to walk through the fields. Strong winds might’ve sent the birds out of the area all together.
Patience paid off, however. Even though it was a muddy mess, the hunt took place. There would be birds to put in the freezer.
Processing the birds takes some care but is definitely worth the effort. First, it’s worth plucking the birds rather than peeling off the skin. In the moment, after a hard and muddy day of hunting, peeling seems like the easiest way to go. The skin, however, provides a protective layer that prevents freezer burn and results in moister meat when cooked. You won’t regret it.
This is purely optional but we absolutely love the giblets (hearts, livers, and gizzards) and always set them aside to save in a plastic zipper top bag. They are always thrown into a batch of Special Occasion Whitewing with Gravy as a special treat.
Packaging and Freezing Birds
After many years of packaging and freezing birds, Deerslayer (doveslayer) and I have come up with a method that not only protects the birds from freezer burn, but also allows them to be stored and stacked in the freezer to make the best use of space.
Rubbermaid makes a 6×10 container that will hold 12 birds and giblets. I like this size because it fits nicely in the freezer and because 2-3 birds per person is just about right for our family. The plastic bag of giblets is rolled and nestled along one side, among the birds. The next larger size of container, 9×13, will hold about 18 birds.
First, place the birds in the container and freeze for several hours. Then, add enough water to fill the container up about an inch. The reason for this is that the birds will float if too much water is added at once. Return the container to the freezer. After water has frozen, top off with enough water to cover birds and return to freezer.
After the birds are covered with ice, place lid on them, label the package with the number of birds and the date. The containers can then be stacked.
When you’re ready to cook up a batch of birds, either Special Occasion Whitewing Doves with Gravy, or Dove Breast Crostini, or Dove Ravioli in Browned Butter, or whatever your favorite recipe is, simply allow the container of birds to thaw in the sink until all the ice is completely melted, pouring off water as it melts. Pat the birds dry before browning.
Be pleased knowing that your priceless whitewing will be preserved for your special occasions.
This is the part in the story where Deerslayer saved the day like a superhero donning a camo cape. Before I knew what was happening, he had removed the legs, thighs, and wings from the carcass, poured the fat from the roasting pan into a skillet and proceeded to confit those bits, cooking them in their own fat so that the result was delicious meat that we were able to serve with all the fixings to our small gathering.
