# Good Sandhill crane recipe?



## JuiceGoose (Oct 4, 2006)

Got a sandhill over the weekend and was wondering what everyone seems to do with the breast meat? Internet searches are all over the place. chicken fried steak style, bacon wrapped, I mean all over the place. I was wanting to grill it. Any good recipes among the 2cool collective?


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## Postman (Oct 11, 2015)

Would probably say cut in 3/4 inch chunks, wrap with bacon, maybe with a piece of bell pepper and onion, maybe jalapeno..douse with Italian dressing and grill until bacon is done. Good luck. They say you can wrap a dog turd in bacon and it's good. never TRIED IT.


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## grand poobah (Nov 6, 2007)

*Crane*

Soak the breast several days in water in the refrige, then cut the clear membrane off the meat, then slice it in thin sheets and soak in your favorite fajita seasoning. Cook it medium to medium rare. MMM


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## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

Postman said:


> Would probably say cut in 3/4 inch chunks, wrap with bacon, maybe with a piece of bell pepper and onion, maybe jalapeno..douse with Italian dressing and grill until bacon is done. Good luck. They say you can wrap a dog turd in bacon and it's good. never TRIED IT.


All good but just throw the crane away and eat the bacon. I dont care what folks say crane is not good. IMHO. I even tried to make jerky from it and it was not good.


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## wal1809 (May 27, 2005)

CHARLIE said:


> All good but just throw the crane away and eat the bacon. I dont care what folks say crane is not good. IMHO. I even tried to make jerky from it and it was not good.


Somebody did it wrong then. Crane is one of the best birds on the planet. You sure is wasn't a buzzard you ate?


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## remi19 (Feb 27, 2008)

worskishire sauce, toni's, meat tenderizer, pepper. grill like a steak, medium rare. Amazing!


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## Spec-Rig.006 (Nov 2, 2007)

You don't need to soak, marinate or otherwise ruin them ... ! It's like sirloin. I've done MANY like this and my 13 yr old and better half tend to eat it right off the cutting board before it ever even hits a plate.

With breasted birds:

Lay the breast on the skin side and fillet the sliver-skin off the meat with a SHARP knife. Salt and pepper it and let it rest. You can even tenderize it a bit with a fork if you feel so included.

Heat up a cast iron skillet to smoking hot. Add 2 tbsp. of olive oil. Sear it. 2.5 minutes each side ought to do. Take it off the heat and let it rest for 10 minutes. Slice it thin against the grain - it's AMAZING.

As an option, you can also top it with this:

1 cup of flat leaf parsley (stems removed) - tossed with 1/3 cup shaved parmesan cheese, 2 tbsp. olive oil, and the juice from one squeezed lemon.

Try it. You're welcome.



wal1809 said:


> Somebody did it wrong then. Crane is one of the best birds on the planet. You sure is wasn't a buzzard you ate?


I actually saw a guy in Alabama at a check station once argue with a game warden for GOD KNOWS how long that his buzzard was actually a Jake turkey - the game warden got so fed up with him, the guys insistent that the game warden wanted his "turkey" for himself - that he eventually let the guy go ... WITH HIS bird and asked him if he needed any cooking tips! Epic! I bet that guy never hunted again.


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## captain sandbar (Dec 9, 2011)

CHARLIE said:


> All good but just throw the crane away and eat the bacon. I dont care what folks say crane is not good. IMHO. I even tried to make jerky from it and it was not good.


What "CHARLIE" said.... Heard folks refer to sandhill's a ribeyes in the sky. Well tried them a number of ways, prepping them, soaking them, marinading them.... they just aren't that good. Sorry.


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## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

I guess you could make shoe leather good if enough time is spent on them but crane just aint good no matter what you do with them. Kinda like wild, dry, liver.


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## James Howell (May 21, 2004)

You overcooked it. Any wild game past medium rare on the grill has been ruined. Spec-Rig definitely has the right idea above. I have actually cooked ribeyes and crane at the same time and served to large parties, and the crane was preferred by most over the steak.


CHARLIE said:


> I guess you could make shoe leather good if enough time is spent on them but crane just aint good no matter what you do with them. Kinda like wild, dry, liver.


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## kweber (Sep 20, 2005)

never tried crane, but hear its very good grilled...
S&P and garlic...
same w/tree duck/whistler/black belly...
but I will when I can...
then there's that old saying about game... "first, find a Cajun..."


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## AvianQuest (Feb 7, 2006)

Just slice the breasts about 1" thick and grill them just like you would do with a prime ribeye steak. They will taste the same.

Don't use any method you wouldn't use with a high dollar ribeye.


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

Cut up all the meat and make a pot of soup. Make the soup just like you would beef vegetable.

Man it's good.

TH


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## Spec-Rig.006 (Nov 2, 2007)

kweber said:


> "first, find a Cajun ..."


Here he is ... I can make nutria taste like cherry pie.


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## wal1809 (May 27, 2005)

Spec-Rig.006 said:


> You don't need to soak, marinate or otherwise ruin them ... ! It's like sirloin. I've done MANY like this and my 13 yr old and better half tend to eat it right off the cutting board before it ever even hits a plate.
> 
> With breasted birds:
> 
> ...


As of late I have changed my ideas of how to properly cook a steak. After 35 years of traditional steak cooking I slowly and reluctantly changed my thought process. I learned the reverse sear. I am going to try this method with crane and mallard breastesses as well.

You seem to be a cook so this explanation is for the conversation, not intended to be me attempting to teach you or anyone else. I don't want to come off being that way.

I tried an experiment with cheapest cut of sirloin the other day. Mind you I don't like sirloin. I bought it for $2.57 a pound. I did the reverse sear and it was an awesome chunk of meat, one that passed the test, my wife. She is the pickiest eater on the planet. If she knaws it all, you done good.

Reverse sear:

season meat and bring it to room temp\
set it on a pan and in the preheated over at 225 for the length of time to bring the meat to desired level of cooking. I like medium rare.

When done set the pan on the counter with a towel over the meat and let it rest for I, like 20 minutes. Upon resting set the steak on a mesquite grill with flame coming up through the grill. Crust one side and then the other and go straight to the plate, no longer a need to rest as you already did it. IMHO that is the best way I have ever found to cook a steak, any steak.

I will experiment on crane and higher end ducks one day.


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## Spec-Rig.006 (Nov 2, 2007)

wal1809 said:


> You seem to be a cook so this explanation is for the conversation, not intended to be me attempting to teach you or anyone else. I don't want to come off being that way.


I can hold my own ... no offense taken at all - VERY familiar with the reverse sear, just haven't been brave enough to try it on game - THOUGH after recent conversation after a fishing trip, I'll probably try my next dry aged backstrap that way ...

Probably a more consistent want of getting it done.


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## wal1809 (May 27, 2005)

The rancher I lease from has been dry agin his deer for the last few years. He raves about the change of taste. They have the butcher house with band saws ect. He likes to make dry aged bone in chops. The way he talks they are delicious.


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## kweber (Sep 20, 2005)

Spec-Rig.006 said:


> Here he is ... I can make nutria taste like cherry pie.


 nex time in Garwood when we have a few dozen teal, I'll call...:dance:


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## JuiceGoose (Oct 4, 2006)

Well i cooked it on the grill and it was pretty good!! Heavy salt and pepper and onto the grill. Took it off at 130.

I have tried the reverse sear but had limited results. I wasnt resting the meat before the seat though just simply bringing it up to 20 degrees below desired temp and then searing it.


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## daddyeaux (Nov 18, 2007)

Looks very tasty, what type of meat?


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## JuiceGoose (Oct 4, 2006)

daddyeaux said:


> Looks very tasty, what type of meat?


Sandhill crane My friend. Also some skrimps thrown in there as well.


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