Headline: Get your grouse grub on
BY JAMES HODGINS
For Wild Northerner
The 2017 grouse hunting season is at an end. It was great to have those extra days this season, with the extended closure date to Dec. 31 for Ruffies and Sprucies.
Each season I try to add a new grouse recipe to my repertoire and while some recipes have been a one-shot deal, others have been outstanding as I find myself making them each season for family and friends. Since a lot of us like to stockpile some grouse in the freezer for the winter months, I thought for this edition of Wild Northerner Magazine that I would share with you my Top-3 homemade grouse recipes, which will be a hit with anyone who enjoys the taste of free range bush chickens. I am always
on the lookout for new grouse recipes and I encourage anyone to break away from the stew and grouse fingers that are the most common meals of choice with grouse.
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BBQ Pulled Grouse Sliders
You can use whatever BBQ sauce you like. I have made my own homemade BBQ sauce (ingredients below) in the past, but lately I have enjoyed using Diana's BBQ which you can find in most grocery stores.
This is the base BBQ sauce I started with, you then add whatever ingredients your taste buds desire, otherwise use 4 cups of your favorite BBQ Sauce.
4 cups of ketchup
4 tablespoons of brown sugar
1/2 cup of molasses
1 tablespoon of dry mustard
2 tablespoons of Italian seasoning
1 Tablespoon of worchestire sauce
Pinch of salt and pepper
4 onions
5 birds (bone in)
Directions:
Boil birds in water for about 20 minutes then remove and let cool.
With your hands, pull the meat from the bone, it will usually come apart like string cheese.
Place all the meat in a crockpot or roasting dish.
Cut up 2 onions and sauté them in butter with some salt and pepper and then
add the onions to the crock pot or roasting dish.
Mix the rest of the ingredients in a pot and bring to low boil, then add the BBQ sauce to
Crockpot or roasting dish.
Slow cook for 8 hours stirring the ingredients every hour. If you need more liquid you can cut some
BBQ sauce with water and add during the roasting time; however, if you over saturate the meat with
liquid just cook longer to get your desired consistency.
Add the remaining chopped onion during the last hour of cooking.
When done, serve up on a dinner roll or Kaiser roll with some shredded cheese.
This is a great one for the trails. I will vacuum seal individual portions and bring them for lunch
on the trail or on the ice during Ice fishing.
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Homemade Grouse Ravioli (2 people)
Filling
4 grouse breasts
1 onion (thinly chopped)
1/2 tablespoon of minced garlic and ginger
2 tablespoons pesto
4 tablespoons ricotta cheese
A few dashes worchestire sauce
Pinch of salt and pepper
1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning
Mince the meat so you have what looks like Ground Grouseand then add all the remaining ingredients mixing well.
Pasta
2 cups of flour
2 egg yokes (beaten)
1/2 tablespoon Olive Oil
Add whichever herbs you like if you want to "infuse" your dough
Place flour in mound and dig a hole in the middleso it looks like a volcano. Pour Egg yokes in thehole and slowly with a fork start mixing the flower into the egg yokes. You want a fairly dry consistency where the doughis not sticking to your hands. If your dough ends up getting too dryyou can add for 5 or 6 minutes you should end up with a consistency that
springs back when you flatten the dough. Form into a ball, rub in a few drops
of Olive Oil place in plastic wrap and let rest in the fridge for a 1/2 an hour.
Split the dough in half and roll out 2 sheets approximately 1/8th thick
Place about a tablespoon of mixture 5 inches apart and then cover with remainingdough. Use a glass or cookie cutter to extract each individual Ravioli and lastly,with a fork, "pinch" all for sides to seal.
Boil in water for approximately 10 to 15 minutes and serve with your favorite homemade or store-bought pasta sauce and grated parmesan cheese.
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Grouse Pot Pie (2 People)
Ingredients
2 grouse breasts per person
4 table spoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon of minced garlic
1 tablespoon of minced ginger
1 sprig of chopped fresh rosemary (must be fresh)
1 egg beaten
salt & pepper
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups water
1 cup flour
4 tablespoons of butter
Frozen vegetables (corn, carrots, green beans)
4 sheets of philo pastry
Directions
Cut the grouse into small cubes and placeinto a large Ziploc bag.
Add minced garlic, ginger, rosemary, olive oil and a dash of Salt and pepper.
Place in fridge overnight.
Check philo pastry instructions for preparation.
In a skillet add olive oil and grouse mixture and fry it up. Place aside.
In a sauce pan bring chicken stock, water and salt to a boil. I like to get my stock to a taste that I am
satisfied with by adding more or less stock to the water. This will vary from person to person.
In another saucepan melt butter and slowly add flour until you achieve the consistency you wish your
Pot Pie Sauce to be. (for more directions YouTube "How to make a roux". You can add more or less butterand flour until desired consistency is achieved). Slowly add this mixture to your boiling chicken stock and stir.
You want a thick "milkshake" consistency.
Preheat oven to 425F
Next step is to place a little bit of the meat mixture into the bottom of the mug and then add a small amount offrozen veggies. Ladle in a bit Sauce and then repeat until you fill your mug, layering the ingredients.
Brush the beaten egg over the philo pastry and also around the outside of the top of the mug down to the middle.
Place 2 sheets over each mug and pinch around the top edge cutting off any excess pastry you don't want and, usinga knife, place 3 slits
Place in middle oven rack and back for approximately 15 to 20 minutes. The pastry should be golden brown and the mixture should be bubbling. Remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes. Enjoy.
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I hope you take the time to try each of my recipes and make them your own by adding your favorite ingredients and techniques. I have a few other recipes I wish to try in the upcoming months so keep an eye out for them in future issues - if they turn out edible.
Get your grouse grub on
The 2017 grouse hunting season is at an end. It was great to have those extra days this season, with the extended closure date to Dec. 31 for Ruffies and Sprucies.
Each season I try to add a new grouse recipe to my repertoire and while some recipes have been a one-shot deal, others have been outstanding as I find myself making them each season for family and friends. Since a lot of us like to stockpile some grouse in the freezer for the winter months, I thought for this edition of Wild Northerner Magazine that I would share with you my Top-3 homemade grouse recipes, which will be a hit with anyone who enjoys the taste of free range bush chickens. I am always
on the lookout for new grouse recipes and I encourage anyone to break away from the stew and grouse fingers that are the most common meals of choice with grouse.