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Chukar Stock

Ive had a few Chukar recipes on the site where I needed to make a stock as part of the process. I wasn't willing to substitute chicken stock or pheasant stock in my recipes that featured Chukar, but there is no reason I couldn't have. For those recipes, I wanted to amp up the Chukar flavor, and part of my plan was to just do a quick stock while cooking the birds. This was done to save time, kind of killing two birds with one stone. The problem with doing it that way, is that the stock I ended up with was paler in color than what I would have liked, and the flavors weren't as bold ... it was still good and worked for what I wanted, but I knew I could do better. When I came up with the idea for doing another Chukar recipe for the site, a Chukar Lasagna, I knew I wanted to up my Chukar Stock game as well. So, I set out to cook my birds beforehand this time, all I had to decide was how I wanted to do that. A few years ago, for Fathers Day, my wife and kids got me a Smoker. I absolutely love it! I could spend all day just sitting on the back porch watching smoke roll out of it and smelling the food cook. I love smoking Turkeys, Chickens, Ribs, Salmon, Sweet Potatoes, really anything else I can get my hands on. So, it wasn't much of a decision when I decided to smoke these little Chukars before making this stock, but there's no reason I couldn't have roast them or even grill them.

Cooking these little birds doesn't take long, but I would suggest brining them first, which is going to add time to the process. Not only does it impart flavor and moisture into the birds, but it'll help protect them from drying out during the cooking process. Place them in the brine for about 4 hours, in the refrigerator. After that, remove them, dry them off and place them back in the fridge for another hour, on a plate to air dry. I seasoned my birds with a generous amount of salt and poultry seasoning, inside and out. If you want, you can stuff your birds with things like Lemons, Limes, Apples or Cranberries, and/or herbs like Thyme, Sage or Basil. For smoking these birds, I'd use something like Pecan, Hickory, Apple, or Cherry wood. Soak your wood chips for at least 30 minutes before starting to cook your birds. You can fill your drip pan with water, beer, or a juice ... like Apple or Orange juice. Get your smoker to a constant temp of around 225 degrees, then place your birds on one of the higher racks. Allow the birds to cook for 1 to 2 hours, until the internal temperature of the birds reaches 150-160 degrees. Remove from smoker and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes. If you don't have a smoker or would prefer to roast your birds instead, preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Place all your vegetables in a roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place seasoned birds on top of the vegetables then place in the oven to 30-40 minutes.

If youre in a pinch and want to save time, you can cook these birds in the stock while you make it. Its just not going to be as flavorful and itll have a paler color. If you want to cook the birds at the same time youre making the stock. Place the seasoned uncooked birds in the bottom of a stock pot, add with vegetables, other seasonings and the rest of the ingredients then cover with water. Set the heat on high, allow to reach a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Check the temperature of your birds after 18-20 minutes, if they are between 150-160 degrees, remove them from the stock. Set them aside and allow to cool.

When cool, remove the meat from the birds, shredding it by hand and save for whatever recipe you'll be cooking. Add the cooked Chukar Caresses to stock pot and cover with your raw, grilled, or roasted vegetables. Add water, seasoning, bay leaves and other ingredients and bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce the heat and allow to simmer to 4 hours or more, skimming any fat off the top of the liquid while it cooks. Your house will smell amazing while this cooks!! When you're ready, turn off the heat and allow to cool. Place another stock pot in your sink then place a colander over top of it. Line the colander with a bunch of paper towels to catch any small particles, then pour your stock through it, into the new stock pot. Discard everything the colander catches, what you'll be left with is a dark amber looking stock to use in your recipes. I divided mine out into small, 16-ounce, mason jars and placed what I wasn't going to use in the freezer to use later.

Ingredients

Poultry seasoning

Chukar Brine

Smoked Chukar

Chukar Stock

Instructions

Poultry seasoning

Step #1 Combine all the ingredients in a small mason jar and give it a good shake.

Chukar Brine

Step #1 To make brine, combine all the ingredients for the brine in a stock pot and bring to a boil on the stove.

Step #2 Allow to boil for 15 – 20 minutes, then reduce heat and allow to cool.

Step #3 Once cool, place birds in a gallon size bag or bowl and pour mixture over birds.

Step #4 Place in the refrigerator for 4 hours. Remove birds from brine and pat dry with water towels.

Step #5 If you have time, place them back in the fridge for another hour.

Smoked Chukar

Step #1 If you don’t have a smoker or would prefer to roast your birds instead, preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Place all your vegetables in a roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place seasoned birds on top of the vegetables then place in the oven to 30-40 minutes. If you want to cook your birds in the stock while you make it, you can skip these steps.

Step #2 Spray outside of Chukar with cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning.

Step #3 Fill smoker drip pan with water or juice, then get your smoker to a constant 225 degrees.

Step #4 Place seasoned Chukar on top rack and smoke for 1 to 2 hours, until temperature reaches around 150-160 range.

Step #5 Remove from smoker and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes

Step #6 Shredded the meat from the bones and place in bowl until ready to use. Save the Carcasses to make your Chukar Stock.

Chukar Stock

Step #1 Start by washing your vegetables and removing skin from onions. Break vegetables in half with your hands or cut with a knife, do not dice, or cut into small pieces. You want these pieces to be large, so they’ll be easy to filter out when the stock is done.

Step #2 Take Smoked Chukar Carcasses and place them in the bottom of a large stock pot.

Or add your whole, uncooked Chukar if you plan on cooking them in your stock.

Step #3 Add your vegetables and other ingredients to stock pot, then cover with 16-18 cups of water.

Step #4 Add lid and set heat to high. Allow to reach a boil, then reduce to a simmer.

Step #5 If and only if you plan on cooking your Chukar in the stock instead of smoking or roasting them. Check the temperature of the Chukar after about 20 minutes or so. Once the temperature reaches 150-160 range, remove the birds from the pot and allow to cool, but allow the stock to continue to simmer without the birds in it. Once cooled, shredded the meat from the bones and then it’s up to you if you want to add the Chukar Carcasses back to your stock pot.

Step #6 Allow stock to simmer, covered on low heat for at least 4 hours, the longer the better. Use a slotted spoon for skim fat from top of cooking stock.

Step #7 When done, place another empty stock pot in sink and place colander over top of it.

Step #8 Line the colander with paper towels, this will help filter out small particles in your stock.

Step #9 Pour the contents of your stock pot through the colander and discard everything that the colander catches.

Step #10 Allow the stock to cool

Step #11 Before ssing a ladle, ladle the stock into mason jars to store and stick in the freezer to use again later.

Recipe Card

Chukar Stock

Written by Jeff Davis Visit : Visit authors website

View Printable Page

Prep Time: 5 hours - Cook Time: 4 hours

Ingredients

Poultry seasoning

6 tbsp Rubbed Sage

4 tbsp Ground Thyme

2 tbsp Ground White Pepper

2 tbsp Marjoram

1 tbsp Ground Rosemary

1 tbsp Ground Nutmeg

Chukar Brine

8 cup(s) Water

1/2 cup(s) Kosher Salt

1/4 cup(s) White Sugar

1/4 cup(s) Light Brown Sugar

6 sprig(s) Thyme

2-3 leaves Sage

1 leaves Bay

1/2 tbsp Whole Black Pepper Corns

Smoked Chukar

4-6 whole Chukar

Cooking Spray

Salt

Pepper

Poultry seasoning

Wood Chips ( Pecan, Hickory or Applewood )

Chukar Stock

4-6 Cooked Chukar

16-18 cup(s) Water

6 Whole Carrot

4 Celery Stalks, broken in half

1 Large Yellow Onion

2-3 Fresh Sage Leaves

1 bunch Thyme Sprigs

2-3 Bay Leaves

1 tbsp Whole Black Pepper Corns

1 tbsp Salt

Instructions

Poultry seasoning

Step #1 - Combine all the ingredients in a small mason jar and give it a good shake.

Chukar Brine

Step #1 - To make brine, combine all the ingredients for the brine in a stock pot and bring to a boil on the stove.

Step #2 - Allow to boil for 15 – 20 minutes, then reduce heat and allow to cool.

Step #3 - Once cool, place birds in a gallon size bag or bowl and pour mixture over birds.

Step #4 - Place in the refrigerator for 4 hours. Remove birds from brine and pat dry with water towels.

Step #5 - If you have time, place them back in the fridge for another hour.

Smoked Chukar

Step #1 - If you don’t have a smoker or would prefer to roast your birds instead, preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Place all your vegetables in a roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place seasoned birds on top of the vegetables then place in the oven to 30-40 minutes. If you want to cook your birds in the stock while you make it, you can skip these steps.

Step #2 - Spray outside of Chukar with cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning.

Step #3 - Fill smoker drip pan with water or juice, then get your smoker to a constant 225 degrees.

Step #4 - Place seasoned Chukar on top rack and smoke for 1 to 2 hours, until temperature reaches around 150-160 range.

Step #5 - Remove from smoker and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes

Step #6 - Shredded the meat from the bones and place in bowl until ready to use. Save the Carcasses to make your Chukar Stock.

Chukar Stock

Step #1 - Start by washing your vegetables and removing skin from onions. Break vegetables in half with your hands or cut with a knife, do not dice, or cut into small pieces. You want these pieces to be large, so they’ll be easy to filter out when the stock is done.

Step #2 - Take Smoked Chukar Carcasses and place them in the bottom of a large stock pot. Or add your whole, uncooked Chukar if you plan on cooking them in your stock.

Step #3 - Add your vegetables and other ingredients to stock pot, then cover with 16-18 cups of water.

Step #4 - Add lid and set heat to high. Allow to reach a boil, then reduce to a simmer.

Step #5 - If and only if you plan on cooking your Chukar in the stock instead of smoking or roasting them. Check the temperature of the Chukar after about 20 minutes or so. Once the temperature reaches 150-160 range, remove the birds from the pot and allow to cool, but allow the stock to continue to simmer without the birds in it. Once cooled, shredded the meat from the bones and then it’s up to you if you want to add the Chukar Carcasses back to your stock pot.

Step #6 - Allow stock to simmer, covered on low heat for at least 4 hours, the longer the better. Use a slotted spoon for skim fat from top of cooking stock.

Step #7 - When done, place another empty stock pot in sink and place colander over top of it.

Step #8 - Line the colander with paper towels, this will help filter out small particles in your stock.

Step #9 - Pour the contents of your stock pot through the colander and discard everything that the colander catches.

Step #10 - Allow the stock to cool

Step #11 - Before ssing a ladle, ladle the stock into mason jars to store and stick in the freezer to use again later.

About the Author

Jeff Davis

You may think cooking and recipes don’t have much to do with a website dedicated to hunting dogs ... but really, why do we hunt? Sure, we enjoy watching our dogs work in the field and being outdoors, but ultimately, hunting is about survival and feeding our families. We might as well try to do it well. I'm not a chef and definitely no food authority ... but I do like to eat and enjoy cooking. After searching for people willing to share their recipes on Gundog Central, without much success, I decided to try to do a few on my own, with my wife Tami's help. The recipes I share here are things I like to eat and have made here at home. I've tried to include step-by-step instructions with each meal describing exactly how I did it, but my method may not be best, if you decide to try a recipe posted here, please use whatever technique you think works best, I'm simply sharing how I did it. You'll see a lot of recipes where I've tried to make things from starch, when I could have just used store bought ingredients, simply because I wanted to learn how something was done. My goal is to continually update these recipes as I learn new things and techniques. These are my attempts at creating good, home cooked food, that I would like to eat! If I'm sharing it here, my family and I enjoyed it and I believe you will too.