ROAST GROUSE

I’ve got a love hate thing going on with grouse, I’ve eaten it many times in my life, once it was fantastic, a couple of times okay, but usually, absolutely awful!

Grouse has a rather herb/ heathery kind of flavour I think, some people love it, others wouldn’t thank you for using it to clean the doorstep!! I guessing the latter is because grouse can be very dry if not cooked correctly, being of the “ classic “ brigade, I like mine with the Bread sauce, game chips, liver on toast and a good red currant gravy

Shopping list

1. 1 grouse per person

2. A couple of tablespoons of goose fat

3. 4 rashers of streaky bacon for each grouse

4. Salt and pepper

5. To make your gravy

6. Wings, giblets and neck of the grouse

7. 2 carrot roughly chopped

8. 2 small onions roughly chopped

9. A few bay leaves

10. 200 ml of red wine

11. A couple of tablespoons of plain flour

12. A good dollop of red currant jelly

Method

It’s a good idea to make your gravy first

1. Fry your grouse bits with the onion and carrot in a small amount of goose fat until nicely browned

2. Add the bay leaves, wine, and enough water to just cover

3. Bring gently to the simmer, don’t boil!

4. Simmer for an hour

5. Strain through a fine sieve

6. Return the stock to the heat and reduce by half, you’ll have a fantastic tasting gravy

Heat your oven to 230c

Now for the grouse

1. Rub the goose fat over the grouse, season well with salt and pepper, cover with the rashers of bacon

2. Place your grouse on a roasting tin and put into the oven

3. After 10 minutes remove the bacon

4. Baste quickly and return to the oven

5. Cook for another 15 minutes, the meat should be pink

6. Remove from the oven and rest for 10 minutes

7. Place the grouse on warm plates and set aside

8. Add a tablespoon of flour to the roasting tray and scrape all of the bits with a wooden spoon

9. Add the wine and the reduced stock, pour into a saucepan band ring to the simmer, add the red currant jelly and season to taste

10.serve your grouse with some game chips, bread sauce, buttered greens and the gravy