They call it the “ribeye of the sky,” and rightfully so, because the breast meat from a sandhill crane boasts many similarities to a handsome cut of beef. When cooked to perfection, it’s juicy and delicious. And preparing it is about as simple as grilling a steak.
If you’re like me, you don’t like your steak overcooked. The same goes for sandhill crane breast steaks. In my opinion, they’re best when they’re cooked medium to medium-rare. If you cook them too long, the meat can become tough and chewy, and it also will lose some of its tasty flavor.
Cooking sandhill crane breast steaks on a grill over an open flame or a pile of hot coals is the way to go. Season them using your favorite steak or beef seasoning, and then marinate them with some Worcestershire sauce for a few hours. Grill them until they’re medium-rare to medium with a hot pink center, and then slice them into strips.
I love sautéed mushrooms and onions with my steak, so I like to top the grilled crane meat with both. Serve with a green vegetable, and then pair the dish with a cabernet or your favorite red wine, and dig in. If you didn’t know any better, you would think you were eating beef.
FLAME-KISSED SANDHILL CRANE STEAKS
3 sandhill crane breasts, cut in half and deboned
Steak seasoning
1 white onion, sliced
Mushrooms, sliced
Olive oil
Worcestershire sauce
Salt
Pepper
Generously season the crane breast meat with your favorite steak seasoning.
Place meat in a resealable bag or container and douse it with Worcestershire sauce. Allow meat to marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours.
Place the sliced onion and mushrooms on a large sheet of foil. Season them with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Fold in the sides to create a foil packet.
Start a fire using wood or a pile of coals in a grill or barbecue pit.
Place the foil packet over the fire on the grill and allow onions and mushrooms to cook for 15 minutes.
After the onion and mushrooms have been cooking for 15 minutes, place the sandhill crane breast steaks on the grill directly over the coals or flame. Grill them for 5 minutes or so, and then flip them and allow them to cook for another 3 minutes or so. Continue to cook until they’re medium-rare to medium.
Remove the crane meat from the grill and slice it into strips. Then, remove the sliced onion and mushrooms from the grill.
Place several strips of crane meat on a plate and top with the sliced onion and mushrooms. Serve with a green vegetable and red wine. Enjoy. 
