Pigeons are a well-known species of bird. They can be seen in nature, found in cities, and some poultry farmers breed them at home. These are small, beautiful birds that are raised as ornamental birds. Let's consider whether it is possible to eat pigeon meat, how healthy and harmful pigeon meat is, and how to learn how to choose the right bird carcass and cook it at home.
Can you get infected from a pigeon?
There are a number of infectious diseases that can theoretically be transmitted to humans by pigeons. These are ornithosis, trichomoniasis, and campylobacteriosis. Cases of psittacosis are recorded mainly in winter. Transmitted by inhalation of dust contaminated with pathogens. Symptoms appear after 1-3 weeks. Ornithosis can occur in acute and chronic forms. The owner can become infected with trichomoniasis while caring for the bird through infected equipment. In pigeons themselves, the disease does not produce symptoms.
To reduce the likelihood of transmission of infection from sick pigeons, you need to follow the rules of care - clean the house more often, disinfect the room and utensils.
Is it possible to eat pigeons?
Pigeon meat is edible and nutritious. Despite the fact that this is a small bird, there are meat pigeon breeds that are bred for meat. Let's consider whether it is possible to eat domestically raised, urban and wild pigeons.
Urban
It is not advisable to eat pigeons living in urban environments near people. There is a high risk of contracting some infectious disease. Infections are common in the urban pigeon population because the birds eat waste and drink dirty water.
Wild
Wild pigeons are considered to be less susceptible to disease. They can be eaten, but careful heat treatment of the meat is necessary.
Homemade
Pigeons that are raised at home, cared for and fed safe food, are safe to eat. Breeds have been bred and recipes have been developed that can be used to prepare delicious pigeon meat. Birds of ordinary breeds weigh, on average, 200-300 g, meat birds - already 600-900 g (maximum - 1.2 kg). Young birds with soft meat are eaten.
The benefits and harms of pigeon meat for the human body
Dietary pigeon meat.Nutritional content 100 g – 294 kcal. The composition includes valuable proteins, fats, vitamins, and mineral elements (especially iron). Pigeon meat has a positive effect on the gastrointestinal tract, normalizes blood pressure, helps maintain healthy skin, hair and nails, and improves blood composition. It does not give a feeling of heaviness in the stomach, it is recommended for patients with tuberculosis.
Due to its dietary properties, it can be consumed even by those who are overweight. The meat is tasty, sweetish, and can be combined not only with traditional vegetables and mushrooms, but also with sweet and sour fruits and berries. Meat can only be harmful if you overeat it.
How to choose, dress and cook birds correctly
When choosing a pigeon carcass, you need to pay attention to its freshness. The smell of pigeon meat is similar to chicken, but the color is different - it is red, the skin is dark. The cooking or frying time should be such that the meat is well-cooked or fried, but it is not advisable to process it for a long time, since after that it becomes tough and dry. You can bake the carcass or grill it.
The classic recipe for cooking pigeons is a combination of meat with potatoes and vegetables. Excellent dishes are obtained if you add mushrooms, green peas or berry and fruit sauces to the carcass.
Cutting a pigeon carcass is done like this: cut the belly and remove the giblets. You can eat liver, heart, kidneys and lungs. Then cut the breastbone and divide the pigeon into 2 parts. Cut off legs and wings. Divide the remaining pieces into 2 more parts.
Recipe for making pigeon soup (useful for the gastrointestinal tract):
- 200 g meat;
- 1 piece each onions and carrots;
- 3 potatoes;
- 50 g vegetable oil;
- spices, salt;
- 2 liters of water.
Boil water, put meat in it, cook until cooked.Add potato cubes, fried onions and carrots. When the vegetables are almost cooked, add salt and seasonings. Boil for 5 minutes, add finely chopped herbs and remove from heat.
Recipe for pigeon shish kebab: marinate the carcasses in a solution of wine vinegar (take 2 parts water and 1 part vinegar). Keep in the marinade for 12 hours. Then cut into pieces, grate with spices (a mixture of peppers, onions, garlic, bay leaves). Leave for 1 hour. Place the marinated pieces on skewers and bake over coals. The baking time depends on the age of the pigeons - young ones bake faster, which takes 15-20 minutes, old ones need to be kept over the heat for 40-50 minutes.
Recipe for pigeons with a side dish of potatoes: fry whole carcasses in vegetable or butter over low heat until a crust forms, but not until cooked. Then stuff the carcasses with slices of onion and pepper, add a bay leaf and a little butter. Rub the pigeon carcasses with salt, place potato wedges on a baking sheet, and place the pigeons on top and place in the oven. Cooking time in the oven is 1 hour.
Recipe for stewed pigeon: prepare pigeon carcasses and a mixture of pieces of smoked lard, pickles, lemon zest, dill and parsley. Grease the walls of a thick pan with butter and put a little mixture on the bottom. Then lay a layer of pigeon meat and place the remaining mixture on top. Place on low heat to simmer. If the water evaporates, add broth.
Stewed pigeons are eaten hot; the mixture in which they were baked is used as a side dish.
Pigeon meat is tasty, healthy and nutritious. It's easy to prepare. There are no contraindications to its use; it can be eaten by people of all ages, children, the elderly and the sick.The quality of pigeon meat is close to that of chicken, and many consider the taste of pigeon meat to be better than that of chickens. If you start raising pigeons on your farm, you can provide yourself and your family with fresh produce throughout the year.
