Corey Mulhair at SPLIT REED
Simple Sandhill Crane Steaks
Sometimes, if not all the time, it’s best to keep things simple. The phrase ‘keep it simple’ applies to many things; in this case, the cooking of wild game. It can be a tough ask for some when working with waterfowl in the kitchen. Many folks seem to either love or merely tolerate the taste of wild duck and goose. Those who only tolerate often need severe doses of seasonings. I haven’t met anyone, however, who has eaten Sandhill Crane and not been impressed by the quality; at least relative to duck or goose.
Sandhill Cranes are a very huntable species of waterfowl that make for spectacular table-fare. You’ve undoubtedly heard these birds referred to as ‘Ribeye of the Sky’, and for good reason. Though to be transparent, I grew up on the West Coast and we referred to Specklebelly/White-fronted geese as the ‘Ribeye of the Sky’, and to continue with the transparency, Specks are pretty great meat birds as well.
Sandhill cranes weigh on average between 7 and 11 pounds with wingspans averaging 5-6 feet. and can be found from Canada down to Texas. They’re fun birds to hunt and look like lawn chairs falling off a roof when you fold ‘em up over the decoys. Let’s get to the recipe (don’t worry there really isn’t much to it).
North Dakota, Sandhill Cranes over a small slough landing in a sunflower stubble field.
Sandhill Cranes are a waterfowl species which can be field hunted like ducks or geese. Birds flock together into large groups in Summer and migrate South through Fall and Winter. They respond well to decoying and calling, and the best hunting is in fields birds have been using and feeding in.
A hunt a couple years back that produced a couple cranes for the table.
Keeping it simple is easy with crane. A little salt and pepper and some high heat- you’re good to go. Cook to medium and enjoy with anything you would pair with a steak.
SANDHILL CRANE STEAKS
Crane can be enjoyed with skin on or skinless. Either pluck the front of your bird and remove skin-on breasts or simply breast out the carcass. For this recipe I pulled out a whole plucked bird, and my last crane in the freezer (something I intend to remedy this Fall).
*Legs can be used and enjoyed but do require a more time and effort consuming process. Drop a comment if you’re interested in learning more about Sandhill Crane legs and thighs
Never-mind the legs/thighs on the photo above; they look funny but with a little work and some slow cooking they’re a whole lot like turkey legs. But they aren’t the focus of this article. The breasts are great for one adult each and taste like a mixture of duck, bacon and beef ribeye.
I had initially intended to smoke this bird or rub it down with seasoning and low roast it in the oven. Instead, I broke the bird down into two breasts and two leg/thigh combos. For this Sandhill Crane Steak, you only need the breasts.
Once you’ve broken the crane down, season the breasts. I seasoned both breasts the same; one skinless and one skin-on. The skin on breast was cooked over direct heat (mesquite bbq coals) and the skinless breast was cooked sous-vide then finished on cast iron.
Crane has a flavor that we aren’t interested in masking but adding a bit of salt and pepper adds a few flavors that we as humans tend to enjoy. Season as you would a steak!
When you’re ready to cook, put the meat over low coals and bring to a medium done-ness. Waterfowl doesn’t benefit by cooking any longer.
It’s as simple as that. Now, slice and enjoy the money shot. See examples below.
I prefer to eat crane like a steak, with a couple sides it’s a hell of a meal. You can slice thin and make sandwiches or add to a salad if you want, but however you eat it, you’re going to enjoy it!
Nice post. Came across it because I was curious if anyone does a full pluck and recipes. Curious to know what you did with thighs and legs. I’m told the legs have a lot of tendons.
The legs have some really tasty meat, but you’re right- they have quite a bit of connective tissue that doesn’t cook down. Slow-cooked, the meat can be pulled off and eaten tho, so that would be my go-to recommendation!
I am in need of information about Sandhill crane meat.
My wife has a illness called Alpha gal. Due to a tic bite she cannot eat red meat on a Hoof. I want her to get to eat steak again and these birds may be her salvation. I’m not a hunter but may start. Where can I get some of this meat for her to try?
I’ve heard of that tick bite, from the lone-star tick, I believe it causes an allergic reaction to red meat via the alpha-gal carbohydrate. Terrible! I hope she can get her hands on some sandhill to get back to steak!
I would recommend a public plea for hunters to source some sandhill crane meat. Sandhill cranes are native species and are found only in the wild so she would not be able to source it from a butcher or grocer. Now, the tricky part is hunters are not legally permitted to sell game meat, including sandhill cranes. This has been the case for many, many decades- to curb market hunting and the overhunting of animals for monetary gain.
But the hunting community is a strong and proud one. If you can get ahold of some hunters, they can legally freeze and send it to you for free if they are willing. You can even reimburse them for shipping I believe, so long as you are not buying/paying for the actual flesh of the animal.
Many cranes are shot in Canada each year, as well as Oklahoma and Texas. I think social media would be a great way to meet some of these hunters!
Grace to you and Peace from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.
I just tasted Sandhill crane for the first time! WOW! It was incredible. The best tasting meat I have ever had. My Cousin was hunting in Amarillo TX and came to our house in Jacksonville FL with some for our Thanksgiving dinner. I have been searching for a source of it for a few days. I now see why it is so hard to find. I ran across this article in my search. Thanks for the info.
You all suck. They’re a protected species in Florida.