Ingredients:
- 2 pigeon breasts
- Various spices if wanted
Method:
Take your pigeon breasts and slice them using your sharpest knife into very thin pieces, this does take practice to get it right so dont be disheartened if the first lot looks a bit squiffy or thick.
Once both breasts are completely sliced up (into thin slices) you can add your spices, the most common ones are spicy ones like chilli powder, or even smoked paprika, these arent essential but do add some more flavour to your pigeon jerky, just rub this in and leave it to marinate for as long as you can, overnight is best but 30mins will give the meat a really nice light flavouring that isnt overpowering.
Once ready, pull a shelf out of your oven, you will need to have some space in the oven so move other shelves around a bit, and start hanging your pigeon slices on them, literally hanging them on them, dont lay them hang them, just hang them between 2 rails and then fold it over one of them, this is so that the heat and air can circulate around the meat properly, once you have hung your pigeon up its time for the long hard bit, waiting!
You will need to turn your oven on to 50 degrees celsius and then leave it for anything up to 5 hours, I usually take mine out after 3 hours but I sneak the heat up to 100 degrees, it works well but dont go higher as the meat will go rock hard and crispy and you dont want it rock hard and crispy.
Make sure your meat is cooked thouroughly and then remove it from the oven and place it into a sealed container or bad and store them in a dry place, I have never left them to see how long they last but I really wouldnt leave it long, the longest ive left it is a week, and it proved a bit of a hit with my mates, my fishing buddy always wants some when I make a new batch so it works well.
