Smothered Louisiana Dove Meat with Rice and Gravy

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This smothered dove meat with rice and gravy is so delicious this time of year. It’s dove season in Louisiana, and there’s nothing better than a big pot of doves. If you’re not into wild game, this may not be for you, but this recipe is delicious. You’ll brown your doves then simmer them with some vegetables, French onion soup and a lot of spices. You really can’t beat dove recipes.

For the last two years, I’ve been begging the boys to bring me some doves. A friend of ours made dove stew several years ago, and I’ve been wanting to make it ever since. I personally think this recipe turned out great. My favorite part is the French onion soup. It just really deepens the flavor. If you have access to any fresh doves, you’ve got to make this dove recipe.

Questions You Might Have:

Where do you find dove breast meat?

So, these doves are literally farm to table. They are locally hunted here in Louisiana. If you don’t live where there is a dove season, you may not can find them. Sorry!

Can I substitute anything for the dove meat?

A good substitution for this recipe would be duck. You could always use maybe a chicken thigh? May not be the same flavor.

Bones?

Ok. I know it looks gross, but it’s delicious and the meat will fall right off once cooked.

Can I make this in a crockpot?

Yes! I would brown the doves first, then just add everything else to the crockpot and slow cook on high for at least 6 hours. Maybe don’t add in the flour when slow cooking. It’ll thicken up too quickly.

Where can I find a Magnalite Pot?

Mine was my grandmother’s, and I’ll cherish it forever. I’ve seen some on eBay. Check thrift stores, too. I think there are some dupes out there, but I don’t have one.

Can you make this smothered dove meat ahead of time? Leftovers?

This is one of those recipes that’s often better the next day. All you’d have to do after refrigerating is heat on low and maybe add a little more broth. I would bet this keeps in the fridge for up to a week. I have not ever frozen this recipe before, so I do not have any tips on freezing.

Equipment You’ll Need:

For this dove meat recipe, you’ll need an extra-large pot. I used my vintage Magnalite, but any roaster or pot will work. You’ll also need some tongs, a knife to chop your veggies with and a large plate or pan for when you set aside your doves.

Ingredients You’ll Need:

Dove Meat:

You’ll need about 20 to 30 dove breasts. I used them with the bone-in.

Hot Sauce, Cajun Seasonings, and Buttermilk:

You’ll use these three as your marinade. I like to soak any wild game in buttermilk. It just makes the flavor better. I marinated it for several hours, but if you only can for 30 minutes, that’s ok too.

Butter:

I used a whole stick of butter. I browned my dove meat in three tablespoons. Then, I used the rest of the butter when sautéing my veggies.

Yellow Onion, Shallots, and Celery:

These three will add lots of flavors to the dish. You don’t want to skip on any of them.

Sherry:

I deglazed the pot with a little sherry wine. It’ll add a deeper rich flavor. Sherry is used a lot in Louisiana. If you don’t have any, white wine will work.

Flour:

I used a cup of flour. This will help thicken up the dish.

French Onion Soup:

This is the key. The canned French onion soup add the perfect flavor to the gravy. It pairs so well with the dark meat of the doves.

Vegetable Broth:

I used about 4 to 5 cups of vegetable broth. You just want enough to generously cover all of your doves.

Seasonings:

For seasonings, I used salt, pepper, garlic powder, Cajun seasonings, Italian seasonings, sugar, sage and thyme.

Hold up…

Before you go, please let me know what you thought about this dove recipe? Did you like it? Do you have any other dove recipes that you like to cook this time of year? Let me know here or in the comments below. Happy cooking!