Recipe Column: Dove Egg Rolls

One of the best hunts for beginners is the fall dove hunt. One of the most abundant birds in North America, the mourning dove migrates each fall and spring between wintering and summering grounds. The fall dove hunt in North America is conducted during the fall migration of the mourning dove from its summering grounds in Canada and the United States to its wintering grounds in Mexico and other parts of South America. 

The mourning dove hunt is a great learning opportunity for children and your beginner adults. It is also a reminder every year for experienced hunters to revisit proper gun safety and practice marksmanship before heading out on some of the larger game hunts that occur as the fall season progresses. 

One of my favorite ways to prepare dove is as a popper stuffed with jalapeno and onion, wrapped in bacon, and then barbecued. I didn’t really start experimenting with other dove recipes until a year or two ago. The meat is dark and very lean. Some people consider it difficult to work with because the flavor can be very overwhelming. The popper is a popular choice because the bacon almost conceals with fact you are actually eating dove. Don’t get me wrong, it is a delicious way to prepare dove and I highly suggest you give it a try, but I love this egg roll because it gives the dove a chance to stand out and not be masked by the fats of bacon. Instead the dove is the star of the recipe and is complemented by the other ingredients instead of being covered up by them. 

DOVE EGG ROLLS

INGREDIENTS

For marinade

• 1 cup soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. ground ginger
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 cup sesame oil
• 1 tbsp. sugar

For egg rolls

• 1 package egg roll wrappers
• 1 bag shredded cabbage and carrots
• 1 bunch green onions
• 1 can water chestnuts
• 1 tbsp. cooking oil
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tbsp. sesame oil
• 6 dove breasts, removed from bone
• Oil for deep frying

INSTRUCTIONS

For marinade

1. In a large glass bowl, mix together soy sauce, ginger, garlic powder, sugar, and sesame oil. Place full dove breasts into marinade.
2. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour or up to overnight.
3. Slice dove into thin slivers and set aside.

For dove egg rolls mixture

1. Heat the tablespoon of oil over high heat. Once oil is hot, add shredded cabbage and carrots, green onions, and water chestnuts to the pan. Cook for one to two minutes.
2. Add sliced dove breasts and cook for three minutes. Remember to stir continuously.
3. Add soy sauce, ground ginger, garlic powder, and sesame oil to pan. Cook one to two more minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Rolling the egg rolls

1. Lay egg roll wrappers in a diamond shape on flat surface.
2. Place two to three tablespoons of cabbage and dove mixture on bottom third of wrapper.
3. Fold bottom corner of wrapper completely over mixture. Fold the two sides over and then roll once.
4. Make sure things look pretty and tight, then continue rolling. Seal final flap with a touch of water.
5. Heat a large dutch oven or deep fryer of oil to 350 degrees.
6. Once oil is up to temperature, place three or four egg rolls into hot oil. Cook for two minutes, flip in oil, and cook additional two minutes.
7. Serve with a tasty dipping sauce!

Lindsey Bartosh, an eighth-generation Moab girl, loves hiking, hunting, fishing, cooking, writing, photography and working on her website www.huntingandcooking.com.