Roast Grouse

Good grouse needs no messing around and fancy flavours. This simple recipe will show off the meat at it’s best. Be careful not to over cook the meat so it doesn’t dry out and make sure you rest it well before serving. Roast grouse is traditionally served with bread sauce, game chips and watercress

Preparation

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves: 2 people

Ingredients

2 whole grouse per person
10g butter
1tsp juniper berries, crushed
4 sprigs of thyme
Salt & pepper
4 rashers fat streaky bacon

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6.
Season each bird inside and out, put the juniper berries inside the cavities of the birds, tuck a sprig of thyme under each leg and lay two rashers of streaky bacon over the breast of each grouse.
Heat a little butter or duck fat in an oven-proof pan. Sear the birds on their backs and on each side and the breast until golden brown. Then turn them back onto their backs.
Roast for between 16 and 20 minutes, depending on size.
Leave to rest before serving.

Photo credit: Game-to-eat

Related Recipes

Recipe

Summer grouse ratatouille

If you’ve got a garden full of courgettes and tomatoes, there’s no better way to celebrate the Glorious Twelfth and the start of the grouse season than with a colourful ratatouille.

Recipe

Venison Rillettes on Sourdough

Lean full-flavoured venison is braised slowly with duck or goose fat and wild boar bacon in this wild version of the classic French dish created by Hannah from Herbs and Wild. Surprisingly easy to make, it’s superb as a starter or lunch with sourdough toast.