To Roast a Partridge
Ingredients
Directions
The book gives no oven temperature. The 400°F (200°C) in the steps was added when the recipe was transcribed, as a starting point.
Prepare the partridge by cleaning it thoroughly.
Season the bird with salt.
Roast the partridge in a 400°F (200°C) oven for 20 to 25 minutes for a young bird, or up to 40 minutes for an older one.
Remove the partridge from the oven when done, being careful not to overcook.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Partridge
- Is the main protein; its lean meat cooks quickly and can turn dry if overcooked.
- Salt
- Seasons the bird and helps the surface flavour come through the meat.
The step that matters
Removing the partridge from the oven when done. Partridge is lean and cooks fast, so overcooking squeezes out moisture and leaves the meat dry and tough. Checking for doneness early and pulling the bird at the right moment keeps it juicy.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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