A real autumnal warmer using seasonal Partridge and our Smoked Pancetta that won both the Golden Fork from the South West and a 3 Star Great Taste Award 2020. Our Pancetta also won a 3 Star Great Taste Award and works just as well, so it's to your taste.
Partridge is one of the most delicious of game birds and is at its best in the months of October and November. Like all game birds the meat can easily become rather dry when it is roasted but this recipe not only prevents that but adds some lovely flavours that really complement this wonderful bird.
One of the best ways to keep a game bird moist and juicy is to brine it before cooking; so this recipe is in two parts: brining and then roasting.
Visit our Shop to buy either Pancetta or Smoked Pancetta.
Serves 4 as a main course
Preparation Time:
Brining: 2.5 hours
Preparation of Partridge and Pancetta: 30 mins
Cooking Time: 40 mins
Ingredients
4 brined partridges (1 per person)
2 packs of Capreolus Pancetta or Smoked Pancetta (to your taste)
Brining
- You will need to select a receptacle (pan, bowl, or even a bucket) large enough to put 4 partridges in and to completely submerge them
- Put the partridges into the receptacle and completely cover them with cold water
- Take the partridges out and allow them to drain
- Weigh the water in grams (it makes the maths easier!) and then to work out how much salt to use multiply that number by 0.75. This will give you a 7.5% brine
- Dissolve the salt in the water
- Immerse the partridges in the brine and weigh them down with a plate to ensure that they are submerged
- Leave in the brine for 2 ½ hours
- Drain and dry the partridges
Preparation for roasting
Take each bird and wrap slices of the pancetta around the bird, overlapping the slices as you go so that they look like the photo in the recipe.
Roasting
Place the pancetta-wrapped partridges in a roasting tin.
- Pre-heat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan)
- Roast the partridges for 40 minutes
- Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes in a warm draught-free place
There will be quite a bit of melted fat from the pancetta in the roasting tin, pour this off but do not pour it down the drain
- De-glaze the pan with a little port or madeira and scrape up the caramelised bits (they are full of flavour)
- Add about 150ml of chicken stock and tip into a small saucepan, add 50ml of single cream for real indulgence
- Thicken the gravy with cornflour
Serve with creamy mashed potato, buttered savoy cabbage, and the gravy.
Visit our Shop to buy either Pancetta or Smoked Pancetta.
You might like to read some of our other recipes: