... and here’s the recipe to turn a tough bird into a tasty pie

Pūkeko have been harvested game birds for generations. The secret, says Fish & Game’s John Dyer, is to not overcook them.

Often the subject of myth and delight, the pūkeko is a wonderful game bird to eat. The New Zealand pūkeko (Porphyrio melanotus) is a large, blue-purplish, wetland-dwelling bird. Pūkeko are held in mixed affection by New Zealanders; they are very territorial and have a reputation as friendly, cheeky birds.

Often called the ‘‘swamp hen’’, ‘‘pook’’, or to some hunters, the ‘‘blue pheasant’’. The pūkeko is a member of the rail family of birds and are found in northern and eastern Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand, including the Kermadec and Chatham Islands.

They have benefited from land clearance and development for pasture, crops, and market gardening like paradise shelduck and the Canada goose. They have also adapted well to urbanisation.

Pūkeko behaviour

The pūkeko is a great wader and runner. When disturbed, they much prefer to run or hide than to fly. However, when pushed, they are strong fliers and can fly long distances if needed. They’re sometimes seen on the Southern Alps glaciers, taking a breather on a Canterbury to West Coast transit flight.

Pūkeko lack webbed feet but are adequate swimmers and have a good balance in the water, on land or in trees. While they look very attractive in the wild, they are, in fact, quite aggressive and will attack, eating eggs and killing chicks of other species in particular.

The culling of pūkeko on Great Barrier Island by the Department of Conservation has been a significant part of the programme to restore the population of little brown teal.

Hunting Pūkeko

Pūkeko have been harvested game birds in New Zealand for generations.

The blue body feathers are prime fly-tying material for classic night lures such as Craig’s Night-Time, Taihape Tickler, and Scotch Poacher.

Many kākahu (cloak) weavers are keen to access pūkeko feathers, so why not ask your local marae or DoC office if they would like some clean, dry Pūkeko have excellent hearing and eyesight and can be very challenging to hunt once they wise up to hunting. However, in dim light or high winds, they are much easier to approach.

Another exciting technique is to flush them from raupō swamps using a good dog.

Where to find Pūkeko

Pūkeko population numbers vary in different parts of the country, and there is a lower daily bag limit in some regions. In other regions with higher rainfall and lowerlying areas, pūkeko numbers are higher; therefore, the bag limit is also higher in some areas.

In some of these regions, their numbers are having an adverse effect on agriculture. In response to reports of damage to crops and horticulture, several Fish & Game regions have special seasons to reduce bird numbers at high-risk sites through a harvest outside of the main game season.

On the West Coast of the South Island, a significant increase in the total area of improved pasture throughout much of the region has led to pu¯ keko populations becoming more widely distributed. Large concentrations of up to 200 to 300 birds are now typical on properties where the habitat is exceptionally favourable.

Since 2000, Fish & Game has monitored pu¯ keko in this region using a combination of roadside transects and static counts. In the region, annual fluctuations at monitoring sites are common due to a tendency for flocks to be quite mobile. However, the longterm trend shows the overall West Coast population has averaged 3% growth per annum.

Preparation

It will surprise many hunters to know pūkeko can be delicious. The secret is not to overcook them, or the old story about cooking them with a rock to weigh them down in the pot, or cooking them with an old boot for four hours, throwing away the pūkeko and eating the rock or boot, will come true!

When cooked right and offered to the public to sample, the verdict has been 100% positive.

An easy method is to remove the breast meat, place it on a cutting board and with a sharp knife, cut horizontally along these breasts to make two schnitzels from each, more if they are large breasts.

Beat these somewhat with a meat bat to make the meat thickness even. A simple recipe is to coat them in seasoned flour, pass them through an egg wash, then breadcrumbs.

This is a reliable and straightforward recipe, but just remember not to fry it too long.

Make a suitable sauce and lay the cooked schnitzels on it.

PŪKEKO POTATO-TOP PIE

This is a dish that’s well worth the wait. While it takes a bit of time to prep, once you’re done and it’s in the oven you’re good to go. And the result is so good you’ll be glad you put in the effort!

BIRD

1 whole pūkeko

1 large oven bag

Knob of butter

3 Tbsp port

1 sprig thyme

1 sprig rosemary

4 sage leaves

3 pinches of salt

3 pinches of pepper

MASH

4 medium agria potatoes, diced

25g butter

1⁄4 cup milk

1⁄4 cup frozen peas

4 pinches of salt

4 pinches of pepper

Grated cheese

FILLING

100g butter

2 white onions, sliced

6 cloves garlic, chopped

2 rashers bacon, chopped

1 tsp Rub-A -Dub Duckie Rub (see below)

4 carrots, chopped

10 yams, chopped

1L beef stock

1⁄2 cup port

250g ‘ready to eat’ pitted prunes

1 Tbsp black pepper

3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

RUB-A-DUB DUCKIE RUB

1 Tbsp gourmet peppercorns

1⁄4 tsp ground turmeric

1⁄4 tsp ground coriander seeds

1⁄4 tsp ground cinnamon

1⁄4 tsp smoked paprika

1 Tbsp natural coarse sea salt

1 clove garlic

1⁄2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped

1⁄2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped

1 tsp olive oil

PASTRY

Butter for greasing Pre-made short savoury pastry

RUB METHOD

Using a mortar & pestle, grind the peppercorns into a fine powder – this will help the rub stick to the bird.

Add the turmeric, coriander, cinnamon and paprika. Mix together and set aside.

Using the mortar and pestle, grind the salt, garlic, thyme, rosemary and olive oil into a fine/medium paste. Add the dried spice mix and combine well.

PIE METHOD

Preheat the oven to 160°C. Into an oven bag add the bird along with the butter, port, thyme, rosemary, sage leaves, salt and pepper.

Tie the bag and make a small incision in the bag to let the steam out. Place in the oven for 3 hours.

Once cooked allow to cool for 15-20 minutes. Turn the oven up to 180°C.

Empty the bird and the juices into a bowl. Shred the meat off the bones (being careful to avoid small bones). Set aside.

For the mash, in a saucepan add the potatoes to boiling water and cook for 15-20 minutes or until soft. Drain and place back into the same saucepan. Add the butter and milk and start mashing the potato until smooth.

Stir in the peas and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a large hot pan, use the butter to brown the onions, garlic and bacon. Turning the heat down slightly, add your rub, carrots, yams and the beef stock and let simmer for 35 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add the shredded bird meat and juices, port, prunes, black pepper and Worcestershire sauce.

Simmer for a further 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Pre-grease a large pie dish and line the dish with pastry. Pour the cooled filling mixture into the dish and top with the potato and pea mash, spreading it evenly with your fingers and patting down until flat.

Sprinkle grated cheese on top. Place into the 180°C oven for 25 minutes.

Then turn down to 120°C and cook for a further 15 minutes or until golden brown. Take out of the oven and dig in.