An open-fire affair for your upland treasures, this simple technique will leave you ready for more wingshooting action.
INGREDIENTS
Plucked upland game birds (skin on)
Your favorite dry seasoning blend (recommended: Butter Blend from The Bearded Butchers)
INSTRUCTIONS
Dress and spatchcock birds. to spatchcock, use kitchen shears to cut out backbone and then flatten birds. For this recipe, we used chukars.
If using a MEAT! Chamber Vacuum Sealer, season with your favorite rub, then seal and let sit in fridge for a couple of hours. (Chamber Vac, due to pressure, will cause rub to penetrate deeper, quicker.)
If using an external vacuum sealer, seal and place birds in fridge for a couple of hours. Season upon removal from fridge.
Regardless of what sealer you use, pull birds from fridge 1 hour prior to cooking to bring close to room temp. If birds remain unseasoned upon pulling, season at this time.
Build a fire with two zones: one for direct heat, one away from fire for indirect heat.
Sear skin-side (breast-side down) of birds over open flame and then flip and sear underside. Place birds on indirect portion of grill, backside down, with legs pointed toward fire.
Careful not to burn, continue to roast birds until breasts reach 160 degrees internal temp, or legs 180-190 degrees.
When finished cooking, remove and let birds rest 10 minutes prior to serving.
