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jcronk

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
The nice thing about hunting is that you get to enjoy some fine meals indeed. For the most part, one thinks about various meat recipes which are wonderful. Then there are the simpler basic things that can be a gastronomic delight, like a soup. For the most part I work with wild pheasant.
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Every bird I take gets consumed to the point of bare bones only as left overs. The final step is boiling the backs, necks, drumsticks, breast bone, ribs and wings beyond first joint. I take the meat and grind for sandwich spread base and toss the bones. What is left in the pot is not just water to go down the drain. It is a great broth for soups and stews. Now if you only have a bird or two, then there is not a lot of broth, so I freeze what I get and add to it when I can. Same goes for the ground meat gleaned. Today was the day to thaw a few cups worth of broth and make a soup.

With the pheasant broth this was (and will be for a couple more days) a lovely soup

PHEASANT BROTH CREAMY POTATO SOUP

10 medium potatoes (I just wash and keep the skins on but peel if you like) Cut them into various sized chunks just for interesting texture
2 or 3 medium carrots (chopped)
3 celery stalks (chopped)
1 large onion (chopped)
1 clove garlic (crushed)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 cups pheasant broth (or hun, sharptail, quail, grouse etc)

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3/4 cup butter
1 tsp salt
1/2 to 3/4 cup flour
4 cups milk

Put the first group of ingredients into a large soup pot (I had to use the turkey roast pan as it is a lot of food)
If you need to, add a bit of water to almost cover the veggies
Bring to boil and cook for about 15 minutes until a fork easily penetrates a potato chunk
leave to simmer while you prepare the second set of ingredients

In a medium sauce pan:
Melt the butter and stir in the salt and flour to form a paste
Slowly add the milk while whisking like crazy, which will form a nice sauce

Pour the sauce into the soup and stir and stir and stir. As the sauce combines with the potato starch, the soup will thicken into a velvety smooth delight. If that is too thick for your liking, slowly stir in small amounts of milk until you get to a consistency you like.

Ready to serve. You can add bacon bits (the real stuff please) or some shredded cheese or whatever bit of garnish you like

We ate three large helpings today and I'm judging there will be another 3 or 4, so I guess for the health conscious appetite you could say serves 10

Anyway, thought I'd share a tasty recipe that uses the last edible remnants of a game bird. (If you have to, you can substitute store bought chicken broth but .............

Cheers,
Jack
 
Sounds phenomenal. Lovely pics, also. 8)

This has probably been asked before, but does anyone worry about lead being steeped into broths/soups when boiling/stewing game? Just curious. I'm planning on having some pheasants to cook this weekend and am trying to work out a plan.
 
Discussion starter · #3 ·
Lots of opinions on that point. Anecdotally, I have been eating game birds since the early 1950's. All have been shot with lead pellets. I am now 62 and so far so good. When I prepare a bird, I skin it. I then remove breasts and de-bone thighs. I am able to find most pellets but do miss some on occasion. Now there is also some lead along the wound channel of the pellet, which can be a concern. Once down to the point where I boil to recover the tid bits of meat here and there and create the broth, I think I only encountered one pellet in the liquid from this year's birds. I'm not about to stop hunting over concerns of lead poisoning.

For your upcoming hunt and working on your plan, all concerns can be eliminated by using non-tox shot.

Here is a scientific article on the subject. Out of curiosity, I will ask for lead level in my next blood test.

http://www.peregrinefund.org/Lead_confe ... osnett.pdf
 
Discussion starter · #5 ·
I will post the results but it won't be for a while. Here's a couple shots of the great habitat I get to wander through for the birds and a couple more of the end results. I'm a lucky guy it seems. Cheers, Jack

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Discussion starter · #8 ·
Thanks. Like the camera but love the shotgun(s). Also, I had blood taken this week and will get the results soon. I will be most interested in the outcome.
Cheers,
Jack
 
Discussion starter · #9 ·
Well, as promised, after eating game birds shot with lead pellets for at least 50 years, the blood results when tested for lead is NORMAL whatever that is but I guess
its the same as for a vegetarian or store bought chicken eaters.

Here's a couple of friends that have helped me over the past dozen years to ingest an occasional trace of lead. By the way, Kyra and Foxy are 14 pound miniature american eskimo dogs and the breed is an excellent upland dog (but maybe only I know). If you have one as a pet, try it in the field. You will be surprised I'm sure.

CHARLIE
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KYRA
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FOXY
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RIO
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MORGAN
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TAZ
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