Dove Poppers 2 Ways - Hunt & Cook

Eating Dove Poppers on Labor Day weekend is one of the biggest traditions hunters enjoy. Labor Day marks the opening day of dove season and is basically a state holiday here in Texas. Folks will go to school and work late to get that first hunt in. In this video the Meat Church team goes hunting at first light on opening day of dove season and then returns to the Meat Church outdoor kitchen to prepare dove 2 ways.
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Welcome to the official Meat Church BBQ KZbin channel! Meat Church is a global lifestyle BBQ brand and has one of the largest social media reaches in the world of outdoor cooking. The unique brand offers some of the most popular craft BBQ seasonings, apparel, recipe development & live fire cooking instruction around the world. Matt Pittman is the pitmaster and the founder of Meat Church BBQ. He is an expert and respected authority on outdoor cooking. Students travel from around the world to attend BBQ schools in his private outdoor kitchen. Make sure to subscribe and enable ALL notifications!
#MeatChurchBBQ​ #DovePoppers #DoveHunting

[@907jl]

Good to see you do an episode using game meat, and great that you take your kids hunting. Nice job! Dove are awesome eating.👍

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

Thank you so much.

[@jovanmartinez3541]

He said "I own the company " that's awesome. Love watching your videos. Been a fan for many yrs keep it going

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

Thank you!

[@julyrsingh]

Going Dove hunting this weekend, cant wait to try the traditional method! I'm from New Mexico so I may try Hatch Green Chile instead of jalapeno. Thanks for the video!

[@JMAV357]

How did it go!?

[@vickikenton5439]

I raise Coturnix quail and hatch every 5 weeks. Whatever doesn’t get rehomed by 7 weeks old goes into the bbq! Thank you for covering this!

[@fly1327]

Hunted dove for decades. We'd bring a charcoal Weber to whatever cheap motel we were staying and cook these in the parking lot. Similar to your grill method but with serrano, no cheese, bacon pinned and a hundred at a time (our group usually 10-12 hunters) soaked for a couple hours in teriyaki before grilling. And eating them cold in the field waiting for dawn the next days is really good. Thanks for doing this video!

[@stephencorn6577]

Awesome recipe, would love to see more wild game on the menu. Thanks Matt!

[@toddhollowayii1822]

Just tried the jalepeno popper recipe. SO good!

[@ChiliPepperMadness]

What a great and versatile recipe idea!

[@jaybilly12345]

We had a pretty good hunt this year and, in fact, I'm smoking some right now. Going with the jalapeno boat method. Opening day is a huge tradition in my family. I am 64 and have not missed an opening day since i was 12 years old. Starting taking my boys when they were 7 years old. Great to see you take your kids hunting. There is much to be learned in the field. Also great to see your spices in Academy! I loaded up the other day. Merry Christmas!

[@78LedHead]

Never had dove. Those look delish though. You're the best, Matt. You're in the pantheon of best food channels on this platform. God bless you and your family.

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

I really appreciate the kind words. -Matt

[@txpitmaster6127]

Great tip on how to butterfly a dove fillet. I've been doing it wrong for years! Start from the bottom down instead of from the top down. Best BBQ show on the internet, keep it up Matt!

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

Thank you!

[@jimpalmer4061]

Dude, I LOVE this. Grew up hunting Bobwhite Quail and eating it a bunch of ways (over wild rice is solid). Always looking for new ways to cook game.

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

Killer!

[@mikem9331]

Nah... fried like chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy and biskets.

[@MH-yu5yp]

Looks great! We used to Cook them hot and fast in a wok with some garlic, onions, peppers and then toss them out on a big cutting board with toothpicks and franks red hot and man they go fast at hunting camp!

[@emilioescobar4541]

I’m from South Texas and everyone does them “traditional ” but I found that the the Traiger cooks them a little more even. But honestly both are amazing!

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

I have to agree!

[@scottwoolley1817]

That is awesome Matt! Thanks for sharing. New to Texas, live outside of Justin. Loved hearing the hunters out there in the fields on opening day.

[@texassportingclays7996]

Welcome to Texas, Scott!

[@fieldsfamilycookingandoutdoors]

Great ideas! We did several last week and I cooked the bacon for a few minutes before I wrapped the dove poppers. The bacon turned out perfect that way!

[@jcraigshelton]

You had me at “Fort Worth craft beer”.

[@NuviaDentalImplantCenter]

Awesome to see family bonding in the outdoors! I've also never seen dove prepared in any way, so it was cool to watch it made Texas-style. Thanks for sharing! 👍

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

I really appreciate the comment and feedback!

[@NuviaDentalImplantCenter]

Keep up the great content! Looking forward to more recipes

[@iPigee]

I don't hunt, but I cant buy these at my butcher and will this weekend. Thank you. Love the videos. Cannot wait to go see your shop!!!

[@chriscalhoun.concretepumping]

These are awesome! Just did this and the classic is the way to go!!!!!!

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

NICE!

[@dwaynewladyka577]

Both look pretty good. I never had dove before. Cheers, Matt! 👍🏻👍🏻✌️

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

Thanks!

[@Nathang2911]

Love the video thanks! I’m going to have to try the jalapeño boat!

[@chrisconnolly4603]

Love these. To go with hunting season coming up, how about some jerky recipes on the smoker. Searched and didn't see any

[@carolinalegend1]

Ate a mess of some beautiful Carolina dove poppers last weekend. Great little treats!

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

Fantastic!

[@beauhughes7418]

Love the Dove!!! So many ways to create a great healthy meal..

[@eforbes1977]

I can't wait to try these!! Thank you for sharing! I LOVE hunting with my boys too! So glad to see hunting season back again! Question - If I were to smoke just the dove breasts wrapped in bacon, would I still smoke it on 275 for about an 1 hour to an Hour and 20 minutes? Or would the time and temp change since I wouldn't be using the jalapeño and cheese?

[@TailEndCustoms]

We used to do dove with jalapeño, cream cheese and shrimp wrapped with bacon. Delicious

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

Never tried w shrimp!

[@Biscuits333]

Maaaaaaan, I bet the jalapeño version is freakin great!! I'm addicted to the poppers, man. I also ran across some Holy Gospel at my local TSC and made some poppers as my first try for your seasoning and brother, that seasoning is the truth!!! Makin a pork loin tonight with that Gospel as well!! Love what ya do!! Teaching me a lot about the bbq game. 🤘

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

Thank you for that compliment!

[@ThatKidKc722]

Best video yet by far! Let me know if you’re trying to get on some duck this year Matt! We’d love to have y’all down. Fishing too

[@JDMcKee2023]

Great video Matt- it’s hard to beat dove cooked any way. We grow up in Mississippi waiting on Labor Day weekend for opening day

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

That is awesome!

[@rmagala]

Buck season in PA opens the weekend of Thanksgiving. Used to be Monday, but it's Saturday now. Schools are usually closed the Monday of Thanksgiving weekend because Buck season is unofficial holiday

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

that is cool

[@1970Cuda440]

Been looking forward to a wild game cook for a while now and what better way than to do some Dove Poppers!!!! Awesome!!!

[@malbright45]

Here we go! Need a glass from meat church! Never hunted dove

[@JayHBoomerSooners7]

Brings back the memories of bird hunting around the Brownwood area when I was a kid. We’d stop off in Dublin for real Dr. Pepper on the way home. Great video

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

I grew up hunting in Brownwood. You would like this video! kzbin.info/www/bejne/jWfRpYCehtKSjqc

[@jpdi]

Good luck tomorrow! Can’t wait. Mouth watering just looking at them

[@justkeepgoing237]

Use a spoon to pull the meat from the bone. After a Proper Texas Dove hunt it’s safer. Thanks for the culinary tips as always! See ya out there this year!

[@thesaltyhades9664]

Hey Matt just got 5 bottles of your rubs in the mail today! We did some smoked burgers with The Gospel and it was amazing! Also I was in Ace Hardware yesterday and I saw all your rubs for sale haha needless to say but I’ll be buy at Ace instead of online.

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

Fantastic!

[@chadmiller6487]

When I used to hunt dove, rabbit and deer were my absolute favorite.

[@jaredswift777]

Way to keep the tradition alive👍

[@cfunk10]

Plenty of white wings in South Texas. I do them with jalapeño and bacon. No need to screw up the taste with cheese.

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

Cheese is a major food group for me. As I always say, make my recipes your own and do what you like. Cheers!

[@leeg45691]

Love the video Matt! Getting out there this weekend and hopefully we can recreate these delicious recipes 😋 thanks again

[@tripel4485]

Thank you Matt. I learned so much from you. The only downside is that I cannot order all the articles on your shop in my country. But i am at least able to buy your delicious rubs

[@dgax65]

They look great. I'd go with either method as long as you can keep the bacon from being soggy and the dove from being overcooked.

[@texassportingclays7996]

OH Yeah... Good O'l Dove Poppers! I missed my hunt this year, but I plan to try a late-season hunt soon. Great Job, Guys! No place but Texas!

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

I graduated from Northwest so you are in my old stomping grounds!

[@1970Cuda440]

“I own the company” flex!!!! LOVE IT!!!! Lol okay I’m done bow

[@dondoyle8474]

I’m 64 and learned a new way to cook my favorite game bird 👍👍

[@alschillaci2435]

looks beautiful. Can't wait to try this out! Where can I order your spice blends?

[@Jzeg13]

Lowe’s has some of them and my local ACE has most of them. Or order online

[@timgregson5533]

Their charisma in front of the camera is off the charts! 😆

[@jettiebears9159]

Best video you have done. I love the wild game because no one does them.

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

Thank ya. I’ll make more. 👊🏽

[@MrBradtex]

Glad you got some...I saw ziltch

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

It was sort of slow but we got it done thankfully.

[@chiptisdale4910]

I do appreciate wild animal cooks

[@Portuguese-linguica]

Some awesome stuff brother. I just did my first order of your guys holy cow . Hope i like it . May i ask how you guys came up with the name meat church?

[@joshuascout5549]

We tore em up right behind dbat on opening morning right there on the backside of waxahachie. The kinda flew late but we hammered em.

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

Bad ass!

[@Sguru23]

If I’m not mistaken if you clean in the field you need to leave one wing with the feathers in tact so game warden can identify them in case of inspection. Good video! Just don’t want to see you get in trouble for technicality’s

[@codyhardman8610]

Ooh yeah. Im soo glad you're sharing wild game meat recipes. Thank you for all you do. Everything i replicate is amazing . In fact some think Im some kinda chef at this point.

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

Love to hear that!

[@texashunter664]

We do ours the traditional way but finished with bbq sauce. The best part is the dove hearts grilled. Kije little bits of filet

[@allenbateman3518]

I have never seen anyone or have I heard of anyone ever fileting a dove breast.. Learned something new, gotta give it a try! Thanks for sharing

[@reelgoodfishing956]

Matt its that time again...any twist to the recipes this year?? Thanks for the awesome content brotha

[@pprince3]

Just started watching and 5 minutes in and I look out my window and there are 7 mourning doves sitting on the bird feeder. I imagine they are all looking at me. LOL. Not a hunter but no problem with hunters. Looks good so far!

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

LOL they know what is up.

[@jaredtorbett5799]

Thanks for teaching me how to make poppers! With love, I wish I could teach you how to filet a dove.

[@lucasblanchard47]

Those both look dang tasty! I haven’t been hunting in SUCH a long time, I gotta get back out there! There’s nothing like a good old Texas dove hunt!

[@coketrain4755]

100% a thing in NC as well we do similar versions of both recipes also!

[@mikenicholson2548]

We hunt guail here in Montana great new recipe.

[@l.estevez6949]

Matt, since the holidays are around the corner, can you please make a video on Porchetta!!

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

That is happening this year!

[@CobbsQ-qv6jp]

I am sold! Man I miss Dove season!

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

You still have time. :)

[@CobbsQ-qv6jp]

@@MeatChurchBBQ long flight! 😀

[@billwhoberry5442]

Off subject, but do you have a link or where can u find the pan you made the keto queso dip in a few years ago? And was that just a normal wooden spoon you left in the pan while it was smoking?

[@Rprecision]

Nice ! Is 170ish what you target them cooked to?

[@antiferous]

Tha is so much for this video! I’ve been asking for this! We needed a good way to make these taste good. So many people mess up the dove meat with bad recipes and cooking methods. All that time spent hunting just to eat medium rare gross poppers 🤢🤮

[@timwilliams1829]

I have never tried the traditional never even heard of it, but I am going to today. That looks amazing. As far as taste I tried holy cow and the gospel. The gospel is the one for me.

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

Awesome!

[@miseentrope]

@12:30 Will's expression: that's good 🤩

[@jasonfox8020]

Do both, get some great corn tortillas and make tacos. Game changer. We eat them all ways but…. South Alabama recommendation.

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

I agree. Love corn tortillas.

[@jamesbrandon8520]

I LOVE DOVE and my neighbors wife found a video on KZbin showing how to use your thumbs to push the breast off of the bones without using a knife and she said it was faster and easier. Also I’ve never tried your second method but the first method is my favorite but with pickled jalapeños and on some we put bbq sauce at the end, and I’ve never tried it with cheese. I like the classic method because you can keep the dove more on the medium to medium rare side because it’s better than fully cooked because it gets dry

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

Agreed!

[@buddyb1958]

Nothing better than dove poppers! Great video!

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

THANK YOU!!

[@FreeBird614Two]

Dove Poppers ... you won't find those in Ohio ... PS I am using Holy Cow in everything, just made a chili with 80/20 beef and Chorizo and substituted salt/pepper with Holy Cow... added pickled jalepenos ..... it was amazing. Thanks again for the great videos.

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

Awesome!

[@cbrinnerstein4431]

"I own the company, I've got plenty of seasoning" 😂😂😂 never change, Matt

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

;)

[@kobituckerman6201]

“I own the company” he says that’s awesome love it dude

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

;)

[@joem4551]

I add a small piece of pineapple in the jalepeno popper, gives it a nice contrast of flavors

[@PSSKDerby]

Great video Matt!

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

Thank you!

[@RyanGalka]

Love doves with cream cheese and jalapeños wrapped in bacon 🥓

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

Love it!

[@guybowers9094]

There is nothing like being out in the field with your kids and waiting for those doves to start flying at first light. I will give this method of doing doves for our next hunt.

[@Dan-pp8oy]

Nice to bring family into the video! I like that you introduced something different too. Question about removing the breast bone from the meat, what do you think about doing the same with a spatchcocked chicken or turkey?

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

It can be done.

[@_Merica_USA]

Another Great Video 👍

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@phlacoe]

Nice B-roll

[@rbljackson]

OH YEAH....about a month away to more DOVE POPPERS. Me and our Chocolate Lab Gunner are ready!!!

[@jasonhollinger9513]

I think my household would produce a tie…personally I like the jalapeño popper version, but like you said…there are no losers here. Good stuff man!

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

win win situation!

[@thefrozenphotog6780]

You hate to pull a WHAT NOW 😂?? This makes me wish we have doves flying around where we live!

[@CalebErosa]

Great cooking video! Some tips for folks looking to field dress… no need to pluck feathers. Simply get your thumb under that breast bone, lift up hard, and then you’ll be able to peel back the hide from the breast meat and the hide and feathers all come off in one shot with no mess. Then twist the breast to disconnect from the wings and you’re done. And then once you get home, if the meats still warm, you can literally stick your finger in between the meet and the breast bone and it’ll peel right off, no knife needed. It’ll naturally split at the keel as well if you rip it fast, if you take your time you can get the whole thing off in one piece but the connective tissue between the breasts is pretty tuff so pick that off 😁

[@TheMelizalde2494]

“I own the company, I got plenty of seasoning” C’MON 🤣

[@texassportingclays7996]

Matt, I was wondering if the doves were a bit thin this year because of the heat and not as much rain.

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

It was thin for sure. Headed back out in a few days to see if they are any better. I had friends that did really well in other areas.

[@mikestewart3670]

Love me some dove. Fried, poppers, smoked…all good.

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

I love it fried. I just had to pick a method. Tough call!

[@michaelhicks976]

If you hold the dove lying on its back and start with your thumbs at the breastbone, push down and out towards the wings, the skin will part exposing the breast meat which you can lift out. No need to pluck and cut wings off. Ive cooked mine same as both methods but the first method is by far my favorite but add a wedge of onion outside the breast before wrapping with bacon.

[@tomm5780]

Walking in Chicago and bumped into a gentleman with a Meat Church Tee Shirt. Had to stop and talk BBQ

[@billweare2146]

I thought that dove poppers was my own creation-good to see that I’m not crazy after all

[@brettgarner297]

Sweet!! Dove season!!!!

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

The best season.

[@henryleaverton4794]

Matt, do you have a recipe for duck as well?

[@ffwoozy49]

I had to give this video a like just for the glove police comment love it

[@danasampson818]

For me, “traditional” is jalapeño poppers. But, my favorite way to eat dove is to just sprinkle the whole (bone in) breast meat with a Santa Maria seasoning, cook them to medium rare on my Traeger, and dig in. Super easy.

[@jeffhill1059]

Looks so awesome!

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

It was!

[@dropshotoutdoors85]

Loved the video! Would really enjoy a deer venison video too!

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

I have some coming.

[@ronaldreese7431]

Deer back strap with cream cheese and jalapeños 🔥🔥