Pan-Seared Woodcock

Timberdoodle pan-fried legs and breasts on a plate with salt and parsley.

5 from 38 votes

Woodcock is a wild game delicacy with dark red breasts and light, candy-like leg meat. This recipe lets the flavor of the bird shine with a simple and quick pan sear.

Prep Time5

Cook Time5

Course: Main Dishes

Cuisine: American

Keyword: recipe for woodcock, woodcock recipe

Servings: servings

Author: Gina Matsoukas

Ingredients

1/2 pound woodcock breasts and legs
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 tablespoon minced fresh herb of choice optional
salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

Pat the breasts and legs dry and season liberally with salt, pepper and a fresh herb if using.
Place the olive oil and butter in a cast iron skillet over medium heat.
Once hot, gently lay each piece of woodcock into the skillet and cook for 30-45 seconds per side. Continually flip the woodcock in the pan so that it never cooks too long on one side. Once there's a little bit of color, pull them out of the pan and transfer to a serving dish. Do not overcook the bird.
Sprinkle with some Maldon sea salt to finish and garnish with any fresh herbs on hand.

Notes

—Nutrition information is calculated using duck as there's no standardized information for Woodcock available. Most of the calories from this dish come from the oil and butter used in cooking, much of which remain in the pan after searing.

Nutrition