Upland bird hunting is a sport that combines smarts and strategy with the thrill of the chase. It requires quick reflexes, thinking on your feet, and the skills of a gifted bird dog. The rewards come with the unpredictability of where your quarry will fly up and the satisfaction of snagging them when they do—not to mention the high volume of birds you can legally take and tuck in your game pouch.
Even if you’re not a passionate bird hunter, you can still enjoy a good game bird dish. Meat like pheasant, quail, dove, and grouse, if not already in your freezer, can also be found in specialty supermarkets. Figuring out what to do with it once you get it home, however, can be a head-scratcher.
That’s why we suggest starting with a basic recipe—like this chukar, quail, and pheasant pot pie from Andrea Rothove of Huntress View. She’s an avid hunter and outdoor enthusiast who loves preparing recipes from wild game she harvests. Andrea and her husband bagged a mess of birds on a recent upland hunt, and she put her culinary skills to work to create this dish.
While there may be fancier ways to serve up game bird, it’s hard to beat this filling pot pie. It’s homey and layered with flaky crust, tender potatoes, vegetables, and savory meat. The recipe is hearty enough to feed the entire family. And while the delicate meat hints at high-end cuisine, pot pie's humble roots anchor it solidly in the classic comfort food category.
If you have a hunt planned or any type of upland game birds stowed in your freezer, this recipe is well worth saving—and savoring!
By Andrea Rothove, Huntress View
Upland game birds are some of the most flavorful and delicious wild game meats you’ll find. My husband and I had a variety of birds—chukar, quail, and pheasant—in our freezer, but didn’t have enough of each meat to make a meal on its own. Adding them to a pot pie made perfect sense!
This recipe makes two pies, which is great for filling up a large family. If you’re only feeding a few, split the recipe in half to make one pot pie. Or use the full amount of ingredients, make one pie, then add the rest of the filling to a baggie and freeze until you’re ready to make the second. Use whatever game bird meat you have on hand.
Bake for 40-50 minutes, until top crust is golden brown in color. (Note: You may want to use tin foil or a pie crust shield around the crust edges to prevent them from getting too brown. Just watch the pies while cooking and if you notice the edge is starting to get brown and the center of the crust isn’t, go ahead and use a shield.)
Looking for other wild game recipes to use up the meat in your freezer? We've got more ideas to add to your cooking arsenal! Visit our blog to explore Redmond Hunt recipes focused on tasty dishes made from foods you can forage and meat you harvest.
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