Stuffed Partridges

Clean and pluck the partridges, removing feathers and internal organs; reserve the gizzards from 4 birds and discard remaining offal. Rinse the birds inside and outside under cold water and pat dry with cloth.

Chop the onion finely and dice the fresh bacon into small pieces. Cook the bacon and onion together in a dry pan over medium heat until the bacon fat renders and the onion softens, approximately 5 minutes.

Squeeze excess milk from the bread slices and crumble them into a bowl. Add the cooked bacon and onion mixture, the reserved gizzards finely chopped, one egg, chopped parsley, salt, ground pepper, and juniper berries; mix thoroughly until the stuffing is evenly combined.

Divide the stuffing equally among the 6 partridges, filling the cavity of each bird carefully. Truss or tie the legs closed with kitchen twine to secure the stuffing.

Heat the butter and lard together in a large roasting pan or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Once foaming, add the stuffed partridges and brown them on all sides until golden, turning occasionally, approximately 10 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium, cover the pot loosely with foil or a lid, and braise the partridges for 40 minutes until the meat is tender and cooked through. Turn the birds halfway through cooking and baste with the pan juices.