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Every winter, woodcock migrate south and lure hunters and bird dogs into dense timber and thorny tangles of blackberry bushes. This season I got to hunt timberdoodles for the first time on public lands in deep East Texas.
The soft, sandy soil in this area creates a perfect woodcock habitat. It’s a place as rich in Southern tradition as it is yaupon and pine trees. The folks who live out there are honest and good-hearted, the kind of people who are willing to help a stranger out of mud or tell you where to hunt but expect nothing in return.
I prepared the woodcock the way I would eat any other humble meal in East Texas: with a little Cajun influence. These worm-eating birds are robust in flavor, but it’s an acquired taste for some. But when cooked right, they are flat out incredible.
As with all wild game, you do not want to overcook woodcock. The thighs are white but the breast meat is dark red. You’ll want to serve those a little pink in the middle. This method of blackening over a hot cast iron will give you a good sear and crust on the outside, perfect for plucked and spatchcocked birds.
Dove or quail are great substitutes if you don’t have woodcock.
Every winter, woodcock migrate south and lure hunters and bird dogs into dense timber and thorny tangles of blackberry bushes. This season I got to hunt timberdoodles for the first time on public lands in deep East Texas.
The soft, sandy soil in this area creates a perfect woodcock habitat. It’s a place as rich in Southern tradition as it is yaupon and pine trees. The folks who live out there are honest and good-hearted, the kind of people who are willing to help a stranger out of mud or tell you where to hunt but expect nothing in return.
I prepared the woodcock the way I would eat any other humble meal in East Texas: with a little Cajun influence. These worm-eating birds are robust in flavor, but it’s an acquired taste for some. But when cooked right, they are flat out incredible.
As with all wild game, you do not want to overcook woodcock. The thighs are white but the breast meat is dark red. You’ll want to serve those a little pink in the middle. This method of blackening over a hot cast iron will give you a good sear and crust on the outside, perfect for plucked and spatchcocked birds.
Dove or quail are great substitutes if you don’t have woodcock.