Roasted Squab

This delicious recipe for roasted squab, also known as pigeon meat, is a simple, traditional recipe perfect for Sunday night dinner.

If you are looking for new inspiration for a special dinner, roasted squab is a unique and delicious dish.

Roasted squab, also known as pigeon meat, has a rich gamey flavor and tender texture. Once you try it, you'll love it!

Tips for Choosing and Cooking Squab

You will commonly see farmed pigeons referred to as squab pigeon. These pigeons are never older than one month. When buying suqab, it's worth noting that the time of year can affect what is available.

You can find squab all year round, but wild pigeon meat is at its peak between September and November. For that reason roasted squab also makes a great alternative to turkey on Thanksgiving.

If you are planning to use pigeon meat in a recipe in which it will be cooked quickly, such as pan frying, look for squab that has quite a pale flesh color as it tends to darken with age. Fresh squab will fry better.

Squab that has been farmed will have a less gamey flavor and very tender meat. Wild pigeon, on the other hand, provides a much more intense gamey flavor.

When buying wild pigeon meat, look for plump breasts and fat beneath the skin, which will help with flavor while cooking.

How to Cook and Serve Squab

When it comes to serving, squab breast makes a great appetizer while a whole bird makes a lovely entree.

Unlike certain kinds of meat, pigeon does not need to be cooked until well done, so if you are pan frying, do so until it is pink and then rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

To roast squab, brown the meat on all sides before covering in butter and then roasting in the oven for about 10 minutes. There are so many ways to serve squab, so you can get creative. 

What to Serve with Squab

If you have never tried squab and can’t imagine what you should serve with it, here are some ideas:

• Bold spices
• Rich berries 
• Root vegetables
• Nuts
• Citrusy sauces 

You can also create a stuffing to go inside the cavity. We find a mushroom stuffing loaded with herbs pairs perfectly with squab.

Do be mindful that squab can dry out quite quickly, so make sure you baste them - you can even lay some bacon over the breasts while baking to help keep them moist.