How to Make Tender and Flavorful Sous Vide Chukar
If you’ve never tried sous vide cooking, let me tell you—it’s a game-changer. Especially for small game birds like chukar. I can’t wait to show you how to make tender and flavorful sous vide chukar!
Tender & Flavorful Sous Vide Chukar
Equipment
- sour vide cooking element & container
- ZipLock baggies or vacuum seal bags (one for each bird)
Ingredients
- 4 whole chukar
- 3-4 tbsp. olive oil or 1 tbsp. of butter per bag
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. all purpose seasoning (Kinder's All Purpose Seasoing)
- fresh rosemary & thyme (optional)
Instructions
- Rinse the chukar under cold water and then pat dry with paper towels.
- Put the birds in the bag (one bird per bag), pour in the olive oil or drop in the softened butter, and then coat them with seasoning.
- Massage the bag to make sure the birds are covered with seasoning.
- Push out as much air as possible from the bag and then seal them.
Turn on the Sous Vide
- Set your sous vide to 150° for 90 minutes (1 hour & ½)
- Use your sous vide lid or clips to attache the bags to the sous vide.
- Make sure that the birds aren't touching and that the meat is completely under the water bath. Double check to make sure that the water cannot get into the top of the bag that has been clipped in place. If the birds are floating, use a plate to rest on top of them to push them down. You can purchase weights specifically for this, but a plate works too.
Time for the Sear
- After 90 minutes, remove the bags from the water and take out the chukar. Do NOT dump out the juices. Set the bags of juices to the side.
- Heat a cast iron skillet, grill pan, or outdoor grill over medium heat to medium-high heat. Add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil or butter to the pan before heating.
- Once heated, sear the chukar for 30-60 seconds per side. The goal here is to add some beautiful sear marks and get a golden color, NOT cook the birds further. We don't want these little babies to dry out!
- Set the chukar to the side, but keep the juices that are in the pan from the butter or olive oil.
Making the Sauce (optional, but recommended)
- Pour the juices from the bag in the skillet with the butter or olive oil. Simmer 2-3 minutes until it thickens slightly. Add in 1 tbsp. of cornstarch to help it thicken. It is really up to you how you want it. You can add more seasoning, butter, or cornstarch to the sauce. Just experiment a bit at a time and figure out what you like.
- Pour the sauce over the birds and enjoy!
No more dry, overcooked meat. Just tender, juicy, and full of flavor.
This method is foolproof, and the best part? You can set it and forget it while you get other things done. Let’s get started!
Ingredients for Sous Vide Chukar
- 4 to 5 whole chukar
- 1 tablespoon butter per chukar (or olive oil)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning (I really like Kinder’s All-Purpose Seasoning)
Step-by-Step Instructions for Sous Vide Chukar
Prep the Chukar:
I love that this process takes less than 10-15 minutes to get going.
First, rinse the chukar under cold water and pat them dry with paper towels.
Then, place each bird in a Ziploc bag. Add a tablespoon of butter (or drizzle some olive oil) over them.
Now for the seasoning. Sprinkle on the salt, pepper, and all-purpose seasoning salt or blend. You can do this before or after adding the butter—either way works.
Seal the bag, but before you do, push out as much air as possible. This helps the chukar cook evenly in the sous vide. Give the bag a gentle massage to make sure the seasoning coats the birds well.
Set Up the Sous Vide
Turn on your sous vide and set it to 150°F for 90 minutes (that’s an hour and a half).
Attach the bag to the side of the sous vide container using a lid or clips. Make sure the birds aren’t touching and that the meat is fully submerged in the water bath.
If the bags start floating, weigh them down with a plate or use sous vide weights (you can find these online).
Now, walk away and let the sous vide do its thing. I love using this cooking process for small birds. Set and forget.
Time to Sear
After 90 minutes, remove the bags from the water. Take the chukar out, but leave the juices in the bag—we’ll use that for the sauce.
Heat a cast-iron skillet or grill pan over medium to medium-high heat. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter or olive oil to the pan.
Once the pan is hot, sear the chukar for 30 to 60 seconds per side. The goal here isn’t to cook the bird further—just to get some beautiful golden sear marks. These little birds can dry out quickly, so don’t overdo it.
Remove the chukar from the pan and set them aside.
Optional Pan Sauce
If you want to take things up a notch, let’s make a simple sauce.
Pour the juices from the sous vide bag into the skillet. Let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Then, stir in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to thicken it up. This pan sauce is so yummy and easy!
Taste it. Want more seasoning? Add a pinch at a time until you’re happy.
Drizzle the sauce over the chukar and serve.
FAQs About Cooking Chukar
1. What temperature should chukar be cooked to?
For the best texture, aim for an internal temperature of 150°F to 165°F.
2. Do I need to soak chukar before cooking?
Nope! A quick rinse and pat dry are all you need.
3. Can you overcook quail or chukar?
Yes! These small birds dry out fast. That’s why sous vide is so great—it prevents overcooking. Just be careful when searing. A quick sear is all they need.
4. What’s the best seasoning for chukar?
You can’t go wrong with salt, pepper, and olive oil. But if you want more flavor, try garlic powder, paprika, thyme, dried rosemary, or a good all-purpose seasoning.
5. What are the benefits of sous vide cooking?
Honestly, it makes life easier. You season the meat, drop it in the water bath, and let it cook while you do other things. The precision temperature control means no guesswork, and the result? Incredibly tender meat.
I wasn’t sure we needed another kitchen gadget when Nate got ours, but now? I love it. Even though we don’t use it every day, it’s worth having for certain recipes.
6. Are chukar good to eat?
Absolutely! They are tender when cooked like this and so flavorful. If you have never had one before, it will remind you of chicken.
7. How do chukar compare to quail and pheasant?
Pheasant are the largest of the three, quail is smaller, and chukar is right in the middle. They all taste very similar and can all be cooked using the sous vide method to get that perfectly tender bird.
8. Can I fix chukar at home?
For sure! You can roast, grill, slow cook them in the crock pot, pan fry them in a cast iron skillet, or sous vide them with a sous vide immersion circulator.
There are so many ways to fix them. Obviously, my favorite way is using the sous vide method from cooking this special piece of meat, but free to test out different cooking methods.
Why Wild Game is the Best
Wild game is packed with lean protein and free from added hormones. You know exactly where it comes from—straight from the field to your table.
There’s something special about cooking a meal from an animal that was harvested with care and intention. It’s part of the cycle of nature, and sous vide is the perfect way to cook these birds without losing any of that amazing flavor.
What is Sous Vide?
Sous vide (pronounced sue-veed) is a cooking method that uses a water bath at a precise temperature. The meat is sealed in a bag and slowly cooked to perfection.
This method locks in moisture, keeps the meat tender, and infuses flavor throughout. For chukar, it ensures a juicy, flavorful bite every time.
We have the Anova sous vide machine. When we purchased it, my hubby decided to get the cooking container and custom lid that comes with it. You can use any pot, but I do love having the entire set.
The container serves as a place to store the heating element when we are not using it and the lid has a hole cut in it so that the heating element fits perfectly through it. Also, the lid helps to hold the bags in place if you don’t have weights or clips.
You can use a vacuum bag and follow the directions on the vacuum sealer if you don’t want to use ZipLock bags. We have used both, but I typically use the Ziploc bags, because that is faster for me.
I really do think that the sous vide method is perfect for any small bird. I am so glad that a friend of ours suggested to us that we try using it with the birds. The long cook on a lower cooking temperature could arguably be the best way to cook these little guys.
Tips for the Sous Vide Water Bath Method
1. Make sure the top of the bag isn’t in the water. You don’t want water finding it’s way inside of the bag.
2. The birds need to be all the way under the water. We use a plate to weigh them down, but you can purchase weights just for this.
3. Double check to make sure the birds aren’t touching and put each bird in it’s own bag.
4. Give the meat a good sear when it comes out of the water bath. 30-60 seconds on each side over medium to medium-high heat is perfect. We aren’t trying to cook them further, but we are going for a perfect golden sear.
5. Use this sous vide technique for other types of meat. I think you’ll be happy you experimented with it and you might find a new great recipe.
Wild Game is Worth Trying
This chukar came straight from the field—thanks to Nate’s hunting trip. He brought home chukar, pheasant, and quail from that trip, and I couldn’t wait to cook them.
No added hormones. No preservatives. Just fresh, clean protein.
One thing to remember, though—when processing birds yourself, double-check for BBs that may be left in the meat. No one wants a surprise crunch in their dinner!
Wild game is one of the cleanest, most nutrient-dense proteins you can eat. It’s lean, full of flavor, and a great way to use what God has provided.
More Wild Game Recipes
If you love wild game, here are some other recipes to try:
- Sous Vide Pheasant
- Traditional Elk Gravy and Biscuits
- Loaded One-Pan Venison Nachos
- Venison Sloppy Joes
- Venison Stew with Potatoes
Give this sous vide chukar a try, and let me know what you think!
With love,
Anna Sue
