aging grouse

[wildcatter]

I've heard once aging grouse hanging by the neck, ready when it falls off

[wing shooter]

If you brine the meat for a about four hours just prior to cooking it you will find it much better. Google brine recipes fore turkey and you will quickly learn how to do it. The most important thing is to not over cook the meat, it should be just done enough that there is no pink juices or clear raw center. Good luck!

[Marlin375]

Moose camp Chicken Fingers w/ Fries

4-5 Ruffed grouse.....(the smart chickens with the white meat are more desireable than the stoopid dark meat birds)
Cut the breasts into strips ACROSS the grain, put strips into a large ziplock bag with some water, soya, ginger and garlic overnight.
The marinade can be pretty light/watery so the flavor will not be too strong.

Move the clock ahead to lunch time the next day.

Get out the big cast iron pot and get the oil to 350........best to be done outdoors for obvious reasons.
open a bag of this ($0.99 a bag in the states...never found it in Canada)


put it in a big ziplock bag, add a dozen grouse fingers and do the shake-n-bake to get them coated.
this breading mix is very light and seals the moisture into the fingers. They are tender and tasty.

alternate fingers and fresh cut fries untill everyone is ready to have a nap.


For birds that are going in the freezer, I sit the breasts in a bowl of water with a pinch of salt overnight and bag them or vacuum seal them the next day.
They never end up tough or chewy.

[FirePower]

2 schools of thought...... an old Brit that mentered my early dog training always said "Ang oum oop by the nick till the gots fall dun and plug the oss ole un their fit 't eat". GREAT dog trainer not much of a chef in my oppinion, My take is fresh grouse brest cubed, nice seasoned flour coating in hot oil drain and a good dip....Grouse McNuggets nothing better!!

That was Da's oppinion as well wouldn't eat them untill you could smell them 100 yds away. Then make the kids dress them ughhh its a wonder I can eat game birds and rabbit today. He was also a great dog man but no gormet for sure the English(and I am one) can breed and train a fine dog, make a fantastic shotgun or double rifle but cant cook to save their souls.

[835]

That was Da's oppinion as well wouldn't eat them untill you could smell them 100 yds away. Then make the kids dress them .

I've heard that but still cant believe people did it!!

I "Age" my birds when i get them sometimes. If i shoot too many to eat some get aged in the cooler! And seriously i have noticed a big differance if they sit cold for 2-4 days. I am a believer the age makes Grouse more tender. Now this is also almost always Franklins and Willows, I dont know how well it would work with a big blue!

At home i put them in a bowl with ceran wrap covering the bown for a few days and dump out the water in the bown periodically. I do this with some of the bad sea ducks too.

[Foxton Gundogs]

Believe it Dru, old Newell would eat birds I wouldn't even consider using for training never accepted his dinner invites during hunting season. lol

[835]

Thats funny,,

[Foxton Gundogs]

Thats funny,,

Not when you got a wiff of them.

[CanuckShooter]

If your grouse is dry, your overcooking them.....just like frying an egg, if you overcook the yolk will be hard and dry!!

We brown grouse [fast] in a little butter, then put the browned breasts [deboned] in wild mushroom soup and simmer on low heat. Serve delicately over a bed of rice. Good luck on your next batch, your getting some good recipes on this thread.

[6 K]

The ONLY way to properly age grouse is through the "tooth for the truth" program.