Eating divers

If you shoot it, eat it, unless you are looking for a specimen for study, or mounting.
Most divers are a bit stronger, due to their diet--U find that removing all fat, basically from breasts, and grilling-searing-for about a minute plus per side will produce a rare to medium rare piece of meat with a great flavor---I especially like redhead this way, when i can get it..
I will not shoot mergies, since they are way too strong for my palate---
Breasting seems to be the way to go with majority of diving ducks--remove fat and season, grill!
 
Bob B & Ryan have both alluded to the way ducks were cooked at MLB hunts.

Here's the skinny (I'd always assumed it was a Logansport boys recipe) for these Duck (or goose) poppers:

Cube the breast meat; soak in water & minced garlic 12-24 hrs; Pour off water and drizzle melted butter over chunks (doesn't have to be a lot of butter); fire up that iron skillet on your Coleman (Bob's right- you won't be married long if you do this in her kitchen!); Drop a layer of the chunnks in a pot lid that fits inside the skillet when upended, but berore turning it over into the skillet coat the pieces with - and here's the secret - Paul Prodhommes Blackened Redfish Magic. Let the pieces sear for 1 minute with the lid covering them. Then remove the lid, shake on a little more of the seasoning, turn the chunks and let them go one minute more.

You won't be able to tell the puddlers from the divers from the geese.
 
Pepsi vs Coke

Chevy vs Ford

Glock vs all others!!!

It really comes down to taste.

I have tried all (3) three & found that the Diet Pepsi leaves little residual taste.

The regular drinks seem to just change the gamey flavor to the regular cola flavor.

Try the (4) four & see which one you like.

Honestly though, any of the Sam's cola's work just fine!!!
Click to expand...


Jeff

you a transplant? I thought any self-respecting southern boy would only drink Coke...what gives?

Chuck
 
Funny story Bob,
We have a big game dinner every year at my club. So one year I brought a bunch of birds in to serve the guys prepping food for the two nights before. I cubed up all the breast meat and cooked up a huge pan full. Around the room it went.

Every fifth time a guy tried it he made a coughing sound and the cube hit the flood with a sound similar to a 22 rimfire.

Guess which chunks were the red breasted merg that didnt get soaked over night.......

Not as bad as the beaver we had with turnips one year, but close.

Bob
 
I don't hunt divers, but I do use Paul Prudhommes Seafood, Meat, or Blackened Redfish Magic all the time. Great way to do snow goose.
 
One of my friends is a chief in restaurant in northern Michigan. He told me the best way to cook divers is to get a super hot fire going in the grill. Put the diver breast on a cedar plank. When the plank is charred enough take off the grill. Through the breasts away and eat the plank!
 
Darrell... I would not take culinary advice from your friend, as that friend doesn't have a clue to what they are saying!

I assume you are making a funny... ;)
 
Phil,

You highlighted a key point. What they have been eating will determine how good a bird is on the table. My favorite bird to eat is GE but only those that have been in Wisconsin for a few weeks eating celery, etc. I've also had common Merg that have been around for a couple of weeks - again, no bad flavor. As you have found out, aging birds for several days does wonders. Never tried the Pepsi thing but sounds interesting, might have to try it with buffies or OS next year.
 
Yes I was making a funny. I the best way I have found is jerky. I have been attempting a summer sausage but I do not have the recipe down yet. [inline]
 
Well, welcome to the site.

I am a big fan of aging my birds in the bottom drawer of the fridge for about 7 days before I work on them. Temp is @34 degrees.

I am going to make duck pepperoni this season with the breasts.

The legs are marinated in a lemon lime pop with a blast of soy sauce and some kind of red wine and a little soy sauce. this sits in the fridge for 3 or 4 days and then is cooked by microwave for about 2 minutes to get them ready for the chef.

Anya cooks them at the food cart on a gas stove under very hi heat in some of the sauce she makes.

It helps being married to a Thai Chef. It also helps to trim as much of the fat off of the diver as possible, because it can have some pretty strong flavor. This is especially true of sawbills.

Listen to the microwave, because it can tell you if you have a bunch of pellets in there.
 
I like to cook stir fry with birds as well.

I soak the meat in buttermilk overnight like McCullough said. I then put them in soy sauce and balsamic with crushed red pepper overnight.

High heat, short time.
 
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