[WoodlandsDevon]

Got a couple of partridges from butcher for doing a three bird roast and they do seem to smell. Is this normal with game bird meat?

[alang]

I've only ever noticed it smelling if it's been damaged when shot then hung for a while

[cloddopper]

Got a couple of partridges from butcher for doing a three bird roast and they do seem to smell. Is this normal with game bird meat?

All game birds have their unique smell some stronger than others .. I find really fresh cooking / cooked pheasant meat really stinks but that's me . Once it is cold and carved it's quite different .

If they are un prepped :-

If you still have to pull the feathers out it's OK if they fall out easily  they make good maggots for fishing ( freeze them till the new season starts ) , the guts should still be complete inside body cavity & the intestines not ruptured  .
Some folk hang game birds up to a couple of weeks in the barn / game store  on a wire well out of rat range.
 One old boy I used to shoot with reckoned if it's arse was going green it was at it's best  especially ducks .

 If they have been prepped  try pushing a finger in the leg or breast meat , it should still be fairly firm and not like pushing your finger into a shredded wheat fibres.

  You can always cook them & stink the house out , let thm cool then try eating a sliver ,  if it's OK great . They go well with thick cut well drained " game chips , duchess potato , sprouts & gravy made from the juices .

If not you've learn something and need to get that big tin of Luncheon meat opened .

[Steph Hen]

I tend to cook it unless it smells revolting. I read a book about 10years ago, memoirs of a country house cook. She described letting game get really high before cooking. This made me a lot more open to slightly off or strange smelling meat.

[Rupert the bear]

I tend to cook it unless it smells revolting. I read a book about 10years ago, memoirs of a country house cook. She described letting game get really high before cooking. This made me a lot more open to slightly off or strange smelling meat.

and then when it smells it becomes a curry

[JEP]

told a guy went to a shoot got 2 birds for old man
put in boot 3 weeks later guy came round asking about
birds he got them out they stunk guy took birds
next time he sees him he said wear best he as ever had