smoked grouse

[blue_healer_guy]

im sure its great, any tips? i was thinking wrapped in bacon might be good.

[OnAFly]

I did some pheasants for a guy at work. He brined them using an apple juice based brine. I just smoked them with apple wood to 155F internal temp at 275F smoker temp. He said they turned out very good.

[blue_healer_guy]

i guess its been a down yr for grouse.

[Deitz Dittrich]

I'd brine it, and so that it doesnt get too dried out, i would maybe only smoke it for about 2 hours, then either finish in a crock pot or wrap in foil and finish on the grill.

[pikestabber]

I'd brine it, and so that it doesnt get too dried out, i would maybe only smoke it for about 2 hours, then either finish in a crock pot or wrap in foil and finish on the grill.

+1

We've brined and smoked, and the flavor is great, but the texture is poor if oversmoked, even when brined. The crock-pot afterward is a must, I think.

[blue_healer_guy]

thanks guys, very helpful. i will give this a shot.

[Pinusbanksiana]

Grouse meat is so much a delicacy that I could never bring myself to smoke it. So many other ways to prepare it. When I have sampled smoked grouse, it was not nearly as good as any other recipe I use. One of my favs is to cook it like you would a walleye fillet.

[toughguy]

+1 I didn't want to be the first to say it but I wouldn't smoke grouse. Not that it wouldn't be good - I just love it pan fried in butter too much. Next to morels it's the best tasting food you can hunt/gather in MN IMO.

[pikestabber]

So what you guys are saying isn't I shouldn't share my smoked grouse and morel recipe?

I agree, too, and even though I have smoked grouse before to see how it was, I wouldn't do it again just based on the fact that it took six hours between smoking and then having to tenderize it to get it to to a point of tasting good, whereas I can make it delicious in 10 minutes in the saute pan.

[Pinusbanksiana]

I wouldn't do it. Share it if you want let the members decide, but grouse is meat from the gods and the simpler the recipe the better in my opinion.

[smurfy]

I wouldn't do it. Share it if you want let the members decide, but grouse is meat from the gods and the simpler the recipe the better in my opinion.

+1 I PUT MINE IN A SLOW COOKER or bake it in the oven. grouse is way to good to smoke in my opinion!!!!!

[Alagnak]

+1 I didn't want to be the first to say it but I wouldn't smoke grouse. Not that it wouldn't be good - I just love it pan fried in butter too much. Next to morels it's the best tasting food you can hunt/gather in MN IMO.

+ 1

I'll trade you pound for pound with king or sockeyes from Alaska to smoke- just so the bird is not disrespected like that. :-)

[Ferny]

1st time I have ever heard of anybody smoking a delicious grouse.

Now Geese, pheasants, and salmon are another story.

To each his own. My favorite involves lots of butter some flour and a dash of Canadian Steak seasoning or plain old salt and pepper.

p.s. anybody got a recipe for woodcock?

Ferny.

[smurfy]

reciepe for woodcock????? how many ya got. must take like 12 just to make a sandwich!! I took my one to a taxidermist!!

[NoWiser]

Ferny,

Woodcock seem to be about the only thing I can hit when I'm grouse hunting. For some reason I never miss a timberdoodle but can never hit a grouse. I made mine fresh when I got home. I just seasoned them with some Lawrys, threw them on the grill for a few minutes, and ate them extra rare (as in they were still bleeding on my plate.) Honestly it was awesome. I'd take it over pheasant any day, and put it right up there with grouse. It's just too bad they are so small.

Smurfy, the first one I got this past weekend was a dandy, and my pooch had a very awesome and unique point on it in the snow. When I walked up to it I was definitely thinking taxidermy material. Unfortunately it was still alive and I couldn't stand to see it suffer so I wrung its neck. The next good one the dog points is definitely going to the taxidermist. I love those little things.

[OnAFly]

Made one tonight in the oven.

1 grouse, legs detached from breast portion

1/2 onion in large chunks

1/2 cup white wine

2 Tbsp butter

Pinch rosemary, maybe 1/2 tsp

1 Tbsp flour

Salt and pepper to taste

Chunk the onion and put it into a small aluminum cake pan with the wine. Put the grouse in and put 1 Tbsp butter over it in chunks. Sprinkle the rosemary over it, breaking it up slightly. Cover with foil and cook at 350 until the breast reaches 160 and put the grouse and onions onto serving plate and foil it. At this point, take the leftover Tbsp butter and the flour to make a roux (melt the butter, add flour and stir for 5 mins). Add the roux to the wine sauce left in the baking dish and cook down slightly to thicken. Pour the sauce over the grouse and onions and enjoy.

[blue_healer_guy]

No disrepect to you grouse guys by my post. Just looking for ways to cook them. I have not smoked them yet, i may not. I have fell in love with the smoker, everything turns out great. Just thought it was an option.

[Walleyehooker]

A light smoke might be OK to add a little flavor but lean birds tend to turn into jerky when totally smoked.