Roast Grouse

[Catriona]

Since the 'Glorious Twelfth' is now behind us, and the shooting season is in full swing, I am eagerly awaiting the first of the new season's grouse appearing in my local butcher's shop.... properly hung, they should be available by the end of this week!

Here's a recipe for roasted grouse. But there are also ptarmigan, capercaillie and other game birds available. The capercaillie always 'eats' a little tough to my taste..


4 plump young grouse
4 oz salted butter for inside and outside of the birds
herbs/berries for the inside of the bird, eg thyme,
tarragon, bay leaf, juniper berries, brambles, blueberries or blaeberries
1 bottle of a good red wine
salt and freshly ground pepper



Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 8/230C/450F.

Mix the butter with the herb/berry flavouring. Divide into small pieces to place into into the cavities, ensuring you leave enough to smear over the outside of the bird. Leave in a cool place (overnight is best, or at least 4 hours) to allow the flavours to really develop!

Heat up a tbsp of oil in large casserole dish big enough to fit the four birds and suitable for oven use. When hot, sear the birds on all sides, turning after two minutes. Place all the birds on their backs and place the pan in the oven. Roast for about ten to 15 minutes and leave in a warm place for the meat to relax. If you like the meat a little more 'well done' then cook for another 5 minutes or so, but do not overcook as grouse can become very dry, very quickly.

To make the gravy, add red wine/water to the pan scraping up the debris and bring to the boil. Allow to 'reduce' by about half. Taste and season. Strain through a fine seive. If brambles (our name for blackberries), blaeberries or blueberries are available add a good handful to the sauce. Keep warm.

Serve on a bed of skirlie (recipe on here somewhere!) with chappit tatties and runner beans!

[Shadows]

Here is one I have :

GROUSE, PHEASANT, PARTRIDGE
Of the four grouse varieties in Scotland; Capercaillie or Cock o' the Woods, Black Grouse, White Grouse or Ptarmigan and Red Scotch Grouse, the last is thought by gourmets to be the finest game bird in the world. Found only in Scotland and the very north of England in any number, there are a few in North Wales and Ireland. Scots like grouse hung for a week in warm weather and at least 10 days in cold to give them a 'gamy' flavour. The young ones are usually roasted, the older birds being kept for casserole dishes, pies or pâtés. They are so good that the simplest ways of cooking them are the best. Grouse is not usually stuffed, but in the Highlands small wild mountain raspberries, rowan berries or wild cranberries are mixed with butter and put inside the birds. The fruit almost melts away during cooking, but the spicy, buttery juice seeps through. Outside Scotland, this recipe should spice any grouse you can get your hands on. Accompaniments include watercress, fried oatmeal or Skirlie/Mealie pudding, fried bread crumbs, rowan or cranberry jelly, or pickled peaches. This recipe can be used for pheasant (allow 50 - 60 minutes cooking time), partridge, pigeon or guinea fowl. Wash all birds thoroughly washed in cold running water, dry carefully; do not overcook. Remember, older birds can be quite tough. You may need to add thin sheets of pork fat over the bird if it is very lean; do not overcook.

· 2 young grouse
· 6 rashers fat bacon
· 1/2 cup port or claret
· 1/2 cup butter
· juice of 1 lemon or wild raspberries, etc.
· sprigs of heather (if available) or rosemary soaked in 2 tbsps whisky
· 1/2 lb seeded, peeled white grapes
· salt and pepper to taste

1. Wrap birds in bacon rashers and whisky-soaked heather sprigs.
2. Mix walnut-sized piece of butter with squeeze of lemon, salt, pepper (or wild fruits).
3. Place inside body of each bird.
4. Place birds in dutchoven. 5. Add remainder of butter to pan, cook in oven at 400°F (205°C) Medium hot, for 10 minutes.
6. Add port or claret, baste well, return to oven for 5 - 10 minutes.
7. Remove birds from pan, take off bacon, heather, keep warm.
8. Reduce gravy on stove top, serve separately.
9. Serve the grouse with game chips, bread sauce.
10. Accompany with bowl of peeled, seeded white grapes in their own juice.

Serves 4.
From the Scotcook

[barddas]

I have a friend at work, he and his father bought some property in SE Ohio. In the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. They went walking the property this pass weekend, and jumped 15 flushes of grouce!!! Nice to hear that there were so many in relativley short walk about thier property. Just thought I would share...

[Shadows]

Pack em in ice and send my way !!!!

[Arianrhod]

I stir up grouse riding a good bit..and phesant too ..
Been taking the dog out with me more and more..
LOL you can tell she was breed for sheep herding and not birding ..
she bolts when they go up..
Even the horse looks at her ... like, chill !

Seems we see everything but fox latley !



Sly things they are!

In Service to the Dream,
Paula