David takes Doves to Denver – and grills them to perfection!

Bacon wrapped boneless dove breasts stuffed with  jalapeño.

Bacon wrapped boneless dove breasts stuffed with jalapeño.

Crispy hot bacon grilled real fast to keep the little dove medium rare and juicy.

Crispy hot bacon grilled real fast to keep the little dove medium rare and juicy.

Slicing through the boneless, grilled dove to reveal the lovely layer of  jalapeño.

Slicing through the boneless, grilled dove to reveal the lovely layer of jalapeño.

After Saturday’s 2014 High Plains Shooting and Dining Society Dove Hunt guys who had just a few doves donated them to David McElyea. David and I got them all cleaned up, breasted and chilled down so they could fit into his small, pre-chilled fabric cooler for their flight on Southwest Airlines. No ice, no cold packs, no dry ice just cold doves, on their own for a short time.

David had enough doves to feed his wife and visiting in-laws some wonderful boneless, bacon wrapped, doves with fresh jalapeño. He cooks them hot and fast being careful to slightly char the bacon on the outside and leave the delicate dove breast medium rare which becomes and aromatic, gastronomic delight to bite into and pick up the sweet, hot little bits of jalapeño that permeated the the interior as it sizzled on the grill. They taste good too and this is the second year his 20 month old daughter Lily Pauline has eaten her share.

Many thanks to David for setting up this web site and taking his time, along with a lot of other fellows, away from work to pack up a lot of gear and his gun

About the Author

Joe McElyea
I am an original member and founder of the esteemed High Plains Shooting and Dining Society which is dedicated to fellowship of bird hunters and shooters who also enjoy finding great local places to eat large, unhealthy portions of breaded and fried meats and gravies washed down with the appropriate libations. I am also a retired old man who enjoys fishing, shooting and my wonderful family.

1 Enlightened Reply

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  1. Avatar Dennis says:

    Actually, Joe, that fine plate of the most expensive game meat in the world, is the product of Dave’s Dove Recipe #2. He said as much, which I shall later explain.

    I found Dave at the fridge, adding ice water to a glass of something, as he began preparing his culinary delight. He had already washed a couple of jalapenos. They were laying on the counter.

    Chef David labored over the peppers quite a while cutting them into toothpick – sized pieces. We talked of ballistics, shooting, a trophy hunting friend of mine, and other things as he worked away.

    When that was done, he took out a plastic bag from his travel cooler over on the floor by the foot stool. Then he reworked the drink a bit, ’cause the real work was soon to begin.

    David took out the first breast and looked at it with reverence, thanking the gentlemen and women hunters, who’d allowed him to take them home to the feast, and gently placed it atop the cutting board.

    Using the same paring knife he’d cut the peppers, David made a “knick” in the first breast. And applying a specialized technique, placed his thumbnail alongside the breastbone and slowly scooped out the meat on each side of center and laid them as a pair on some paper towel on the counter.

    Nineteen times he repeated this process. Neat little rows he made.

    He then constructed bitty sandwiches, a few pepper toothpicks between each pair of the breast meat. With great care he then wrapped each with half-slices of thick apple cured bacon. A toothpick served to secure the bacon.

    Then to the BarBQ for the cooking. (It was about this time, although, perhaps, not exactly, that David revealed his Dove Recipe #1 was his favorite) You see, he babied the birds along so that they came out medium rare and very fine.

    Delicious, indeed. My wife and I, one son and his wife and three daughters thank y’all for your efforts. David’s Dove Recipe #2 was a hit with all.

    [David told me that with recipe #1, his attention had been diverted from the cooking exercise for some reason and the bacon had fried to a crisp – and he feared so had the birds. But lo and behold, those came out the way he liked.]

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