Seared Dove Breast Tacos
Dove breasts don't need a lot of dressing up. A quick lime and avocado oil marinade, a hot sear, and a few fresh toppings are all it takes to turn your dove season harvest into a simple, flavor-packed taco. This recipe skips the sauces and heavy toppings on purpose - the goal is to let the dove actually taste like dove.
Servings: 8 tacos
Ingredients
- 24 dove breasts deboned
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- Juice of ½ lime plus lime wedges for serving
- 1½-2 tablespoons Spice That Jalapeno All-Purpose Seasoning or your favorite all-purpose seasoning
- 2 green onions
- 8 flour or corn tortillas
- 1 avocado sliced
- 1 medium tomato diced
- ½ white onion finely diced
Instructions
- Make the marinade. In a bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon avocado oil, lime juice, and 1 teaspoon of Spice That All-Purpose Seasoning.
- Marinate the dove. Add the dove breasts to the bowl and toss until evenly coated. Let them marinate for 15 minutes while you preheat the grill.
- Preheat the grill and skillet. Heat your pellet grill's sear zone (or a regular grill) to 400-450°F. Once preheated, place a cast iron skillet on the grates and let it get fully hot before adding the dove. *You can also sear the dove on a stovetop in a cast iron skillet over medium to medium-high heat.
- Pat the dove breasts dry. When the grill and pan are heated, remove the dove from the marinade and transfer to paper towels. Pat dry to remove excess moisture so the breasts sear instead of steam once they hit the hot skillet.
- Season one side of the dove breasts with Spice That All-Purpose Seasoning - a light coating since they are so thin. *The amount of seasoning will vary based on the type of seasoning you are using, but plan for about 1-2 tablespoons total for 24 breasts.
- Sear the dove. Add about 1/2 tablespoon oil to the hot skillet and sear the dove breasts in batches to avoid overcrowding, about 1-2 minutes per side, until medium to medium-rare.
- Rest then slice. Remove the dove from the skillet and let it rest for about 3-4 minutes. Then slice each breast into small pieces. Add a light sprinkle of salt to taste, if needed.
- While the breasts are resting, add the green onions and tortillas to the grill. Warm on the grill for about 3-4 minutes. *You can also warm the tortillas in a skillet.
- Assemble the tacos. Fill each tortilla with sliced dove, avocado, diced tomato, diced onion, and sliced green onion. Finish with a squeeze of lime. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Cooking times will vary. Wild game like dove is typically best served on the medium rare side. Don't be alarmed if the centers still look a little pink - that's normal, and each piece may finish slightly differently depending on size. Cooking times will vary based on how you like your dove cooked.