[Shoot!]

I make an annual pilgramage to North Dakota in October for duck hunting. A few grouse (sharptails) and the very occasional pheasant rooster are bagged during the afternoon (while the ducks are marinating). Anybody got a quick and easy (!) recipe? Grilling is preferred since this is camp food, but a low-prep/cook time oven/skillet recipe would work too.
Thanks!
Arkansas Dave

 

[MikeG]

Wife cooks pheasant in the oven in a corning-ware dish with cream of mushroom soup. Not sure of the exact recipe, but that's about all there is to it. Simple and tasty. I'd cut up a few onions in there also. Should be able to make this in a dutch oven easily enough.

 

[nathanupnorth]

Hey All,
Try a very hot iron skillet, goos coupla splashes of olive oil, tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, 1000(to taste) bulbs of garlic cut-not minced,and a big ole onion. Pheasant grouse any tasty flapper!
Good eats
Nathan

 

[Shoot!]

Nathan,
Thanks for the recipe. One question... Do you leave the bird on the bone or fillet it off before the skillet fry?
Thanks,
Dave

 

[nathanupnorth]

Hey Dave,
I prefer to debone it first. I found this recipe by accident,My wife and I got home late one sunday night after camping. After unloading the jeep and washing the dog I didnt feel like going to the sotre and Had to throw soemthing together fast. No w we eat it all the time-works well with pork too.I have also been marrinating alot of foul in citrus juice,the acid breaks down any fat.
good eats
Nathan

 

[nathanupnorth]

Hey Dave,
One more thing-you may want to try this with some chicken at first.The balsamic vinegar can give a pretty strong taste.I would hate to see you cook up a pheasant that you worked hard to harvest and screw up the meat, and not like it.
Good luck
nathan

 

[Doc]

Campfire Grouse

Does anyone know any proven methods for cooking Grouse on an open campfire? I have only used an oven, but am going on a hiking hunting trip and there will be no ovens.

Any ideas or input would be greatly appreciated.

Doc.

 

[Shoot!]

Doc,
I'd bet the best method would be to wrap the bird in foil and bury it under the coals with butter/oil and seasonings. I think that any spit-type, over-the-fire method would make for a dry, tough bird. I've not even had good luck on a grill over low coals, but I'm far from Emeril...

 

[MikeG]

I'll agree with wrapping it up. Even wild pig is tough to cook on the grill, and it has a lot more fat than any wild bird. If my piggie goes on the grill, it either has to be basted constantly, or only sees the flames for a short time then gets wrapped up in foil.

 

[Doc]

Thanks for the tips.

I think wrapped up and placed in the coals sounds like a fantastic method, I can't wait to try it!

My trip is not until late November, but I will keep you posted on how it works out.

Thanks again.

Doc.

 

[patrick]

pheasant

I have to do all of my game cooking, as my wife tolerates the sport but won't touch the stuff.

I too do the oven w/cream of whatever soup (broccoli, mushroom , whatever you prefer) but before I put it in the dish, I shake it up in a big ziplock filled with a 50/50 mix of flour and brown sugar. Sear the meat in a skillet w/ hot oil for just a minute or three, then into the oven dish. The hot oil browns the meat and carmelizes that brown sugar/flour coating.

I sprinkle french fried onions over the casserole for the last 5 minutes of baking. Delicious !!!

Sorry, this is probably too involved for the camp, but I agree with Mike, the baking part should also work in a Dutch oven.

 

[Doc]

That sounds fantastic Patrick. mm mm good!
I will try the flour/brown sugar shake in the
campfire coals. I will let you know how it works out.

doc

 

[Walter30-06]

Does anyone know any proven methods for cooking Grouse on an open campfire? I have only used an oven, but am going on a hiking hunting trip and there will be no ovens.

Any ideas or input would be greatly appreciated.

Doc.

Doc;

I don't know if you have a dutch oven or not, but you should get one if you don't. (the dutch oven is the BEST way to cook over an open fire.) That's what this recipe is cooked in.

You melt a large chunk of butter in a preheated Dutch oven. brown two medium sized birds (duck, quail, grouse, whatever bird or other small animal you got in your game bag). Add a quart of boiling water and enough salt, pepper, thyme, garlic, and cloves to season. Add chopped onions and diced carrots. cover and simmer for one to two hours. Make thick gravy from the juices.


{Taken from the Old Fashioned Dutch Oven Cookbook by Don Holm.}


I hope you enjoy it. I haven't tried it yet, so let us know how it is

Walter30-06

 

[Doc]

Thanks for the tips and recipe's everyone. My hiking/hunting trip was unsuccessful. I did not bag any grouse. I did have a great weekend with some buddies though, even though the temperature was -3!! I was in an area that I have never hunted in before, and according to the locals there, grouse are sparse at the best of times. I hiked up a mountainside in search, but the closest I came was a few tracks in the snow.

I will try the dutch oven recipe (Walter30-06) as well, but since grouse season ends in another week, it will have to wait until next season.

Thanks.

Doc

 

[Doc Sharptail]

Howdy Cooks!

I came in late here, but would like to relate one recipe that has stayed with me. This was done over a pine fire the first time I had it, and it pretty well hooked me.

2-4 Sharptailed or Ruffed Grouse

2 Mallards

2 cooking onions

1/2 lb carrots

handful cabbage leaves

1 lb potatoes

1 small rutabaga

salt, pepper, and some fresh garlic cloves seperated, but not diced.

Bone and marinate ducks over night. Singe the feathers off the ducks over the fire coals- this saves the skin which helps retain flavour. A 2-3 gal pot with lid will be required. Salt water and bring to a boil. Add mallards and slow simmer 1 1/2-2 hrs under lid. Add veggies and spuds and grouse meat. Slow simmer another 1/2 hr to 45 minutes. Serves 6-8 hungry people.

This has a unique taste when done over an open fire- I have tried to replicate it at home, and while it was still quite tasty, it lacked the flavour of the fire cooked meal.

Regards,

Doc Sharptail