Sep 9, 2025

Country Fried Spatchcocked Dove

 

 

Country Fried Spatchcocked Dove

Doves

Ingredients:

  • 8–10 whole doves, cleaned

  • 1 cup buttermilk

  • 2 cups flour

  • 1 tablespoon salt

  • 1 tablespoon black pepper

  • 1 teaspoon paprika

  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

  • Lard, bacon grease, or vegetable oil for frying

Instructions:

  1. Spatchcock the doves by removing the backbone with kitchen shears, then press them flat.

  2. Place them in a bowl and cover with buttermilk, letting them soak for at least 2 hours (overnight if possible).

  3. Mix flour, salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder in a shallow dish.

  4. Heat your lard or oil in a cast iron skillet until it sizzles when you drop in a pinch of flour.

  5. Dredge each dove in the seasoned flour, pressing it in so the crust sticks.

  6. Lay the doves skin-side down in the skillet and fry until golden brown, about 3–4 minutes per side depending on size.

  7. Drain on a wire rack or brown paper sack.

 

Biscuits

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 tablespoon baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 6 tablespoons cold butter or lard

  • ¾ cup cold buttermilk

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F.

  2. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.

  3. Cut in the butter or lard with a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.

  4. Stir in the buttermilk until the dough just comes together. Don’t overwork it.

  5. Turn out onto a floured surface, pat into a ¾-inch thick slab, and cut biscuits with a jar or biscuit cutter.

  6. Place on a baking sheet close together for softer sides or spaced for crisp edges.

  7. Bake 12–15 minutes until golden.

 

Country Gravy

Ingredients:

  • 4 tablespoons bacon grease or sausage drippings

  • 4 tablespoons flour

  • 3 cups whole milk

  • Salt and plenty of black pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Heat grease in a cast iron skillet. Whisk in flour and cook until it smells nutty and turns light brown.

  2. Slowly add milk, whisking constantly to avoid lumps.

  3. Simmer until thickened. Add salt and a heavy hand of black pepper.

 

Fried Eggs

Ingredients:

  • Farm-fresh eggs

  • Butter or bacon grease

  • Salt and pepper

Instructions:

  1. Heat butter or grease in a small skillet over medium heat.

  2. Crack eggs straight in and cook sunny side up, over easy, or however you like them.

  3. Season with salt and pepper.

 

Bringing It All Together

Lay a hot biscuit on the plate, spoon gravy over the top, and set a crispy fried dove alongside. Slide a fried egg on there, yolk ready to run. Add more gravy if you’re like me and don’t want to see empty plate. Serve it family style, pass the skillet around, and eat until you’re full and smiling.

This is the kind of breakfast that reminds you why we hunt—hard work in the field, good food on the table, and fellowship at the heart of it.