Recipes, Game Bird Recipes

George’s Grouse Poutine

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This recipe is first and foremost a delicious plate of food, whilst also, at the same time, a bit of a laugh. And really, we can’t ask for more than that from our food.

We can become overly wedded to tradition when it comes to game, which is why, more often than not, you’ll see grouse roasted and served with all the trimmings: bread sauce, liver parfait, dripping toast, fruit jelly and game chips. Don’t get me wrong, that dish, when cooked well, is something truly special and one of my all-time favourite things to eat. However, it’s good to have a few different options in your repertoire for game birds, and especially grouse, which can seem a little daunting.

So, we landed on this recipe, a play on grouse and chips. In the traditional version it’s game chips; here, it’s a more classic take on the chip. For those unfamiliar with poutine, it is a Canadian dish of chips, gravy and cheese curds and, as you can imagine, it’s filthy and delicious. In our version, the grouse legs are braised and pulled through the gravy, whilst the breasts are dredged in seasoned flour and deep-fried.

A plate of grouse and chips served poutine-style with rich gravy, golden fried grouse breasts, crispy chips, melted cheese curds and chives

Serves 4

Ingredients

Gravy

Grouse Breasts

Assembling

Method

Butchering and Preparing the Grouse

  1. Using a small sharp knife, remove the legs from the grouse. Make an incision between the body and the leg through the skin, then pull the leg back to expose the joint. Cut through the joint to remove the leg. Repeat with the remaining legs.
  2. Locate the ridge that runs down the centre of the breasts. Run your knife down one side, keeping as close to the bone as possible. Use the tip of the knife to carefully release the breast, working along the bone until it is attached only at the wing joint. Cut through the joint to free the breast. Repeat with the remaining breast.
  3. Chop the carcass into pieces with a cleaver or large knife. Season the legs with salt.
  4. Set a medium pan over a medium heat and add a splash of oil. Once hot, add the legs and carcass and brown all over. Remove the grouse pieces and add the onions, carrots, bay leaf and spices. Season with salt, lower the heat slightly and cook for 12–15 minutes, stirring regularly.
  5. Return the grouse legs and carcass to the pan. Add the wine and cook for 2–3 minutes before adding the stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook for 1–1½ hours.
  6. Remove from the heat and leave to sit for 10 minutes. Pass through a fine sieve. Pick the meat carefully from the legs, discarding the tendons. Flake the meat back into the liquid and return to a gentle simmer.
  7. Mix the butter and flour together in a bowl to form a paste. Add a couple of tablespoons of the hot liquid to loosen it, then stir this paste into the gravy to thicken.
  8. Allow the gravy to reduce further if needed. It should be thick enough to coat the chips. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary.

Chips

  1. Cut the potatoes into medium-thick chips and wash under hot tap water to remove some of the starch.
  2. Place the chips in a large pan of cold water, season with salt, and set over a high heat. Bring to the boil and cook for 12 minutes.
  3. Drain through a colander and leave to cool completely.

Grouse Breasts

  1. Cut away the remaining part of the wing joint and peel off the skin, discarding it.
  2. Pull away the inner fillet, then cut the breast into three pieces.
  3. Place the grouse breasts and inner fillets in a bowl with a good pinch of salt, the buttermilk, and a few grinds of black pepper. Mix well and leave to sit for at least 30 minutes (longer if possible).
  4. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder. Remove the grouse pieces from the buttermilk and coat thoroughly in the flour mixture. Leave to sit for 15 minutes.

To Assemble

  1. Fill a large pan with vegetable oil to a depth of about 10cm and set over a high heat until the oil reaches 180°C.
  2. Carefully add the chips to the hot oil, taking care not to overcrowd the pan. This may need to be done in batches. Cook for 7–8 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Remove from the oil, drain on kitchen paper, and season well with salt.
  3. Once all the chips are cooked, add the pieces of grouse breast to the hot oil and fry for 5 minutes. Remove and drain on kitchen paper.
  4. Tip the chips onto a large plate and scatter over the cheese curds, mixing them through the chips. Pour over the gravy, add the fried grouse breast, and finish with a good sprinkle of chives.

Order meat online

For 15 years George worked in some of London’s most loved restaurants, including Padella and Primeur, and had a 5-year stint as Head Chef at the Garden Museum Café. George earned rave reviews for his simple, thoughtful cookery, his dishes were firmly rooted in the classics, and always paid homage to the produce. In 2021 George realised a long-held ambition and released his first cookbook entitled, A Year In The Kitchen. It celebrates the annual cookery cycle, taking readers on a journey through the British seasons, showcasing native produce, and inspiring year round creativity. In 2022 George left London behind, and moved back home to Yorkshire. His passion for seasonal cookery and reverence of quality British ingredients proved that for George, home is where the heart is. Like his food, George is led by the seasons, he’s open to new opportunities, and always following his heart.