Best way to cook dove first time
 

Me and my oldest brother are gearing up for a heavy dove season . Thats our main quarry for this season . We've never eaten it before , so what would be the best way to prepare it ? I've had plenty of quail and its better than chicken IMHO. Is dove similar ?

Dove breast wrapped in bacon and grilled on the weber is amazing.

All the guys that dove shoot down here say all you really eat are the breast. They just fix them up like chicken fingers and you are good to go.

Breast 'em out, pierce the breast with a knife, insert a piece of green pepper, onion or jalapeno, wrap them in bacon and LIGHTLY sear them on the BBQ. Don't overcook them

I marinate them(breast) in italian salad dressing for a day, then wrap with bacon and grill. When the bacon is crisp, they are done. Wonderful eating! Wish I had some left.

Don't want to be disagreeable, but IMO if you cook them this way until the bacon is crisp the dove breasts are overcooked. I really enjoy them cooked this way, but prefer the dove breasts to be pink inside. I would love to know how to get the bacon crisp without overcooking the breasts, but haven't figured out a way yet.

SRH

I dice up a large onion and saute' it in my skillet in a bit of olive oil. When the onion is getting a bit brown I add some finely diced garlic and cook another minute or so. I then dump in the Dove breast filets. One minute on each side (90 seconds each side for the somewhat larger Eurasian breast filets). Then dump in 3/4 cup sherry and cook for another minute. Spoon it over a bed of long grain and wild rice. Eat. :)

I have the same problem and tried very thin sliced bacon as well as turkey bacon and both got crisp without overcooking.
-Brett

Shouldn't turkey bacon be outlawed?

When I come in from the field I make a brine: 1-quart water mixed with 1/4 cup each kosher or any coarse salt and brown sugar, plus coriander, peppercorns. Then I breast out the birds. Back in the kitchen I rinse the breast and cut the meat off the bone and place it in the brine for 30 minutes. Once removed from the brine I pat them dry and let them rest a half hour. Then into a bole with olive oil, salt and pepper or Old Bay. Heat a cast iron skillet until smoking and add the breast and cook 1 1/2 minute a side. They will a little pink on the inside, but melt in your mouth.