When someone mentions ‘Waterfowl’ the first bird to come to your mind is not usually a Sandhill Crane, right? Lesser and Greater Sandhill Cranes fit under the umbrella of migratory game birds, but sometimes don’t often get the same recognition as ducks and geese. Some might think their nickname ‘Ribeye of the Sky’ is only a myth. We are here to debunk that!
When breasted out, a Sandhill Crane sitting next to a Greater Canada Goose will be similar in size, but not color. A goose will have a darker purple hue, while a sandhill crane can have a dark redder tone, almost similar to beef.
Like beef, if you overcook crane meat, it can get tough. If you prefer your steak medium to medium rare, you're going to want to cook your crane to 130 to 135 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are a grill master with the fullest confidence of cooking and serving your steak plain, by all means be our guests. Unlike what your mother might have told you as a child, we believe food SHOULD be played with, and this recipe is SO worth it!
This great source of protein listed in our recipe, is rich in vitamin B, iron, zinc, and collagen. Zinc provides a crucial role in achieving healthy skin. Zinc helps reduce inflammation, regulate the production of oils, and fast track the healing of blemishes. Collagen, also adding itself to the list of benefits, helps maintain skin elasticity which in return can reduce the appearance of your fine lines and wrinkles.
Choosing healthy choices in protein doesn't have to be tasteless and boring. When you take home your limit of sandhill cranes from one of our annual crane hunts, we have a semi sweet and certainly savory recipe waiting for you!
We also left room for you to get creative with your choice of sides to complete your plate. You can either take our recommendations below, or choose an option that is all your own. We hope you enjoy this tasty meal!
INGREDIENTS:
2 CRANE BREASTS
1.5 TBSP OIL
1 TBSP MINCED GARLIC
½ TBSP MINCED GINGER
1 TBSP HONEY
½ CUP RICE WINE VINEGAR
4 CUPS BEEF STOCK
¼ CUP SOY SAUCE
3 TBSP CREAMY PEANUT BUTTER
10 OZ. SLICED MUSHROOMS
CHOPPED GREEN ONIONS
CRUSHED PEANUTS
CILANTRO
SALT + PEPPER
PEANUT SOY REDUCTION DIRECTIONS:
Heat your oil in a large skillet on medium heat, saute your sliced mushrooms until they are golden brown. Add in your minced garlic and ginger sprinkling in chopped green onions to preference. Be sure to leave half of your chopped green onions to garnish at the end.
Once these ingredients are browned and flavorful, deglaze your pan with beer stock, soy sauce, and rice wine vinegar.
Once your pan is deglazed and liquid ingredients come back up to a simmer, add in your honey and peanut butter. Stir until the peanut butter is dissolved. Continue to let your sauce simmer on medium heat until reduced and thickened.
If you desire to increase the portion of your sauce recipe, you may need to use a cornstarch slurry to thicken your sauce. To do this, mix equal parts cornstarch and cold liquid. This cold liquid can be water or beef stock. Mix these two equal parts together to form a smooth paste. Then, whisk the slurry into the simmering sauce over medium heat until you see your desired thickness.
Once your sauce has reached your desired thickness, reduce your heat to low!
CRANE BREAST DIRECTIONS:
Start by using a sharpened filet knife to cut off any extra silver skin that may be remaining on the crane breasts. Then rinse meat off under cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. Once dry, apply your preferred non-stick method, olive oil or non-stick spray, to the crane breast prior to putting on the grill. Sprinkle salt and pepper to both sides and place on grill over medium heat until internal temp reaches 135 degrees Fahrenheit.
Once the crane breasts have reached 135 degrees, let them rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
Slice your crane against the grain and drizzle your peanut soy sauce reduction over the top. Now you will garnish the top with the rest of your chopped green onions, chopped cilantro, and crushed peanuts.
SIDES:
We paired our grilled crane breasts and peanut soy sauce reduction with cilantro brown rice. Start by rinsing your rice to wash off excess starch, this will help improve the texture of your rice. You will then boil 2 parts water to 1 part brown rice. Boil until water is absorbed, then turn off your heat and let rest. Leave the lid on your pot to rest, this will prevent your rice from getting sticky and help your rice stay fluffy. You can then garnish with cilantro as desired!
We also recommend adding sauteed veggies as a side!
