Woodcock hunting can be done all over Virginia, and Virginia Wildlife Management Areas and State Forests are excellent places to begin your Woodcock career. These are delicious birds, and can be simply roasted or seared for an incredible meal.
Recipe:
How you should try your first woodcock:
Ingredients:
1. 1
2. Salt
3. Pepper
4. Butter
Ingredients
| Amount | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 1 | Plucked woodcock (you can also do this with dove and other similar sized birds) |
| Salt | |
| Pepper | |
| Butter |
How to Prepare
1. Heat 2-3 tablespoons of butter over medium in a heavy bottomed pan like a cast iron.
2. Sears all sides of the bird as evenly as possible, turning every 1-2 minutes. The whole bird should be done in 6-8 minutes, and just like duck, you want to be on the rare-medium rare side.
3. Enjoy! My favorite part of the woodcock by far are the legs, so make sure you don’t ignore them.