The basics of slow-cooking dove for use in other recipes.

If you've plucked whole birds, slow cooking doves to tender might possibly be the way to get the most utilization from them. You get shredded meat that's tender and ready for its next application, as well as some very good broth. The process couldn't be simpler, and is featured in the Dove Video.

1. Select birds that are more damaged by shot if you prefer, saving the whole, more intact doves for grilling and other uses like Yakitori or Hot Fried Doves. 10-12 doves should yield roughly 2 cups of cooked dove. 

1. Rinse them quickly to remove any feathers, shot or blood.
2. Put them into a pot or slow cooker with some onion (can be onion skins), carrots, maybe a stalk of celery and a couple of bay leaves (fresh or dried).
3. Cover with either cold water, dove stock or chicken stock. Using stock here will boost the flavor and depth of the broth significantly, but water will work, too.
4. Cook for 2-3 hours at a gentle simmer, or until the doves are very tender.
5. Remove the doves from the broth and set aside.
6. Strain the broth through the finest strainer/sieve you have and refrigerate or freeze.
7. Shred the meat from the doves, keeping the breasts in whole pieces if you can.
8. Pull the leg meat from the birds by stripping the thighbones and drumsticks with your forefinger and thumb. Discard the bones and stock vegetables.
9. To freeze dove, package the shredded meat in a small container and top it off with dove broth; this prevents freezer burn on the meat.

Use for risotto, pasta sauces, enchiladas, crêpes or:

Dove Chiles Rellenos

Dove Discada

Dove Campechano Tostadas

Dove Empanadas