Game birds

Game birds are heavy-bodied, ground-nesting birds of the order Galliformes which are farmed or hunted for their meat, including grouse, guinea fowl, partridges, pheasants and quails. Their meat is lean, dark and richly flavoured, with low fat that suits quick cooking but can dry out if overdone. Because birds are shot rather than slaughtered, hygiene depends on prompt evisceration and chilling in the field, and cooks must watch for embedded shot. Thorough cooking addresses risks from Campylobacter and other gut bacteria, while farmed game birds pass through the same inspection regimes as other poultry.