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First Grouse

Posted: Sat Sep 21, 2013 5:16 pm
by robert_lh
Hey everyone. I just got back from my first grouse hunt and ended up with three in the bag. It has been a LONG time since I had grouse and I want to know the best way to cook it. I dressed them by pulling the legs and head through the body.

Re: First Grouse

Posted: Sat Sep 21, 2013 6:35 pm
by ibbowhunting
Fillet the breast off the bone ,cut into strips about 6 strips per breast,roll in bisquick and pan fry until golden brown cut the leg from the back bone and cook the same as the breast, also my family also likes the heart and grizzards if your into that your have to remove inside of the gizzards before you cook them , just the way we do it

Re: First Grouse

Posted: Sat Sep 21, 2013 10:00 pm
by robert_lh
Thanks for the recipe! My wife loved it as well! I had already tossed the gizzards, but I will give it a try next time.

Re: First Grouse

Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2014 4:20 pm
by AtTheMurph
The next time you get a grouse (or any game bird) don't field dress it. Hang it for several days in a cool place. I would let a grouse hang for at least 3-4 days. Then pluck (or skin it) and clean it.

Much more tender, much more flavor. Pheasants I hang for a week or so.

Cook like any chicken recipe.

Re: First Grouse

Posted: Tue Mar 10, 2015 2:04 pm
by bagofdonuts
If your talking ruffs.Hang it for 3 days, pluck it, coat it with flour or your favorite fry mix, then fry it like chicken.

Re: First Grouse

Posted: Tue Mar 10, 2015 7:13 pm
by DudeRN
AtTheMurph wrote:The next time you get a grouse (or any game bird) don't field dress it. Hang it for several days in a cool place. I would let a grouse hang for at least 3-4 days. Then pluck (or skin it) and clean it.

Much more tender, much more flavor. Pheasants I hang for a week or so.

Cook like any chicken recipe.
so you don't do anything to the bird, no gutting or anything, for 3-4 days? when you say cool, like in a shed outdoors? I'm kind of a germophobe, so the idea of eating a bird that has been unrefridgerated for several days makes me a little squeamish :oops: , but I know people have been doing this sort of thing for centuries.

Re: First Grouse

Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2015 12:48 pm
by bagofdonuts
You can gut them, especially if the bird was gut shot or retrieved by my dog. Hanging does a couple of things. 1.Loosens feathers for easy plucking, 2.Gets you past the rigormortis(not sure on spelling) that sets end soon after death. Results in much more tender meat. Cool enough to me means below 50. If its any warmer than that I put them in the fridge.

Re: First Grouse

Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2015 2:17 pm
by ezzy333
Hanging or ageing have been a part of butchering for centuries. Though it doesn't sound appetizing so we came up with different words, it is all just part of the rotting process. As the meat ages the fibers in the flesh break down and the meat is tenderer. Many places they still hang pheasant by passing a wire through the bottom beak and when the beak falls off and allows the bird to fall is when they clean and prepare the bird. I would not advise not field dressing any animal that has been shot as damaging the internal organs allows many bacteria to get into the carcass which is no good. It also is best when you can age with a controlled temperature so I normally age birds after cleaning in the refrigerator for 4 or 5 days at least. Deer are hung for up to ten days if the temp is OK before skinning. Our beef is always aged for 10 days in a cooler. Some of the real aged beef the fancy restaurants advertise are aged for longer yet in their coolers that have introduced selected molds that enhance the flavor and further tenderize the meat. I have often wondered how long you would have to age a dinosaur or any of the huge animals of yester year. Don't suppose they worried about it back then and possibly much of what they ate was road kill if they had roads. lol

Ezzy