Partridge goujons – so delicious the kids will fight over them

This partridge goujons recipe isn’t going to win you a prize for originality but there’s a reason it’s so popular. It’s undeniably one of the fastest and tastiest ways you can prepare game. It also goes down very well with youngsters who can be tricky to feed at the best of times. Admittedly, though, the kids often find themselves fighting over them with me as they are one of my favourite snacks along with a cold beer and a few dipping sauces.

In our little corner of East Sussex, there are a few partridge shoots that provide plenty of birds during the season. There is also something nice about eating quarry that you’ve really enjoyed shooting and to my mind almost nothing beats partridges. They are one of the prettiest birds in our countryside and they provide fantastic sport over spaniels or driven. I take my sauces seriously. The mayonnaise in the sriracha mayo dampens down the spiciness from the sauce but leaves the flavour. If you want extra kick, add more sriracha or freshly diced chillies. Why not perfect them over the summer and have them up your sleeve for elevenses next season?

Partridge goujons recipe

Ingredients

• 4 partridge breasts, rinsed and patted dry
• 100g flour, seasoned (Mix the dry ingredients together to create the seasoned flour)
• 50g panko breadcrumbs
• 1tsp salt
• 1tsp pepper
• ½tsp paprika
• 1tsp garlic granules
• Pinch OF cayenne
• 2 eggs, beaten
• vegetable oil (see method)

Dip

• 4TBSP mayonnaise
• 1tBSP sriracha sauce
• Dash of lemon juice

Method

Partridge breasts

1. Cut each breast lengthways into three equal strips. There should be about 12 strips in total
2. Place the strips in the seasoned flour and cover completely.
3. Place the strips into the beaten egg and coat them.
4. Roll and press them in panko breadcrumbs until they are fully coated, then set aside.

Cooking

1. Heat some vegetable oil in a saucepan — the oil should be about 1cm deep and the temperature should be about 175°C.
2. To test if the oil is hot enough to cook the goujons, drop in some breadcrumbs. It should be bubbling.
3. When ready, drop in a few strips at a time. After about two minutes, turn them over. Fry until all sides are golden brown and the internal temperature is 74°C.
4. Serve with a sprinkle of parsley and a healthy dollop of the sriracha mayo dip.

This recipe goes down so well with kids; mine will fight over them with me

Partridge breast preparation

1. If the whole bird is in feather, follow these instructions .
2. Hold the bird around the back and point the head towards the floor. Over a suitable receptacle, use thumb and index finger to pinch the feathers on the breast. With a short, sharp tug, remove the feathers until the whole of the breast area is done, from the bottom of the neck to the top of the legs and down towards the wing joints. Do not worry if the skin is broken, as the breasts will be skinned.
3. Use a large, sharp knife or a cleaver to cut off the head, the wing joints and the legs at the knee joints. Score down the skin on the breasts, place fingers in between the skin and the breasts, and peel off the skin and feathers. Now the skinless carcass is ready for gutting and cooking.
4. For this recipe, only the breasts are needed, so the legs can be saved in the freezer for stock or other recipes.
5. Using a sharp knife, cut down the breast bone from the wishbone on the neck towards the legs. Keep the blade angled to the breast bone, so it doesn’t cut into the breasts. Slowly cut down and behind the breast until it is completely removed. Do the same for the other side.