Tis the season...for dove hunting and BBQ

Sunrise in the field - Coleman, TX

Dove season is upon us!

Well the birds are flying, guns are popping, and cold beer is chilling. Yes, dove season has begun and for those of you who don't know the familiar recipe for smoking dove I will share it later in this week's post. Not a lot to this post but to share some great picks of some of the BBQ fare and of the mean BBQ pit trailer of one of the guys who goes hunting with us each year.  My work com padres and I go out to Coleman, TX every season as close to opening weekend as possible.  Most of us are restaurant types so we know our way around food but this year we were in for a treat when Joe, AKA "Smoking Joe", brought his BBQ rig complete with prep area, working sink, and of course the pit.  The pit is an old propane tank outfitted with a fire box on one side, main pit in the middle, and vertical smoker on the other end.

So our menu for the weekend was Friday night: split chicken, venison/pork sausage, baked beans (smoked for 6 hours - Jason Jandera), and corn in the husk (smoked in the vertical smoker cabinet).  Saturday lunch: pulled pork sandwiches. Saturday dinner: brisket, prime rib-eye w/ blue cheese horse radish sauce, baked potatoes, and salad. It was tasty!!

Prime rib-eye

Split chicken

"Smoking Joe" (left)

Firebox

As I mentioned above here is a quick recipe or really procedure for barbecuing dove:

These were done last year

Most Texans know this recipe but for those of you who don't here ya go!

After you've cleaned the dove you can either cut the breast meat off along the breast bone or leave it on and cut off later.  Either way you need to let the meat soak in some orange juice and milk (or buttermilk) in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.  This will take the gaminess out of the meat. 

Wash off the orange juice and milk.  Cut fresh or pickled whole jalapenos (I prefer fresh) lengthwise and take out seeds.  Fill the jalapeno cavity with plain cream cheese and sandwich the jalapeno between two of the dove breasts and wrap with bacon and secure it all together with a toothpick. (it can sometimes help to soak the toothpicks in some water before use).

Smoke using medium to medium low heat.  They don't take long.  Baste with BBQ sauce of your choice (the less sweet the better) during the last minute or two of cooking.  Enjoy and beware of a stray piece of shot, they can be a bit hard on the teeth and dental work!

Next week I start getting into my BBQ joint opinions starting with the best for first - Franklin Barbecue in Austin.  Until then BBQ fans!

Another Coleman, Texas sunrise peeking through the mesquite trees