Old Timber Outdoors
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Whole ruffed grouse, cleaned

Campfire Spatchcocked Ruffed Grouse with Lemon Garlic Butter

Whole ruffed grouse split and flattened, grilled skin side first over coals and brushed with lemon garlic butter.

Serves
4
Hands-on
30 min
Total
1 hr 43 min
Skill
Some experience

Cooks on: Campfire or grill · Dinner

Ingredients

  • 4 birdsWhole ruffed grouse, cleaned, about ¾ to 1 lb each, plucked and cleaned
  • 4 tbspButter
  • 3 clovesGarlic, minced
  • 1Lemon, half juiced, half cut into wedges
  • 1½ tspSalt
  • ½ tspBlack pepper, ground
  • 1 tbsp neutral oil
  • ½ tsp dried thyme

You'll need

  • Instant-read thermometer
  • Kitchen shears
  • Campfire with grate or coals or Grill

Helpful: large skillet, ideally cast iron.

Contains

Dairy.

Method

  1. Spatchcock each grouse: set it breast down and cut along both sides of the backbone with kitchen shears. Remove the backbone, open the bird, turn it over and press firmly on the breast to flatten it.
  2. Season both sides of the birds with the salt and refrigerate or keep them in the cooler, uncovered or loosely wrapped, at least 1 hour and up to overnight. The salt seasons the lean breast through and helps it stay juicy.
  3. Pat the birds dry, rub them with the oil, and season both sides with the pepper and thyme.
  4. Melt the butter with the garlic in a small pan or cup at the edge of the fire, then stir in the lemon juice. Pour half into a second cup and keep it clean for serving; the brush only goes in the first cup.
  5. Set the birds skin side down on a grate over medium coals, where you can hold your hand above the grate for 5 to 6 seconds. Cook 5 to 7 minutes, until the skin is browned and releases easily.
  6. Turn the birds and brush them with the garlic butter from the first cup. Cook 4 to 8 minutes more, brushing once or twice and moving them away from any flare-ups. Grouse are small and finish fast, so start checking early.
  7. Check with an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the breast and the thigh, and take each bird off as soon as both read 165°F; minutes are only a guide. Rest 5 minutes, spoon the clean garlic butter over the top, and serve with the lemon wedges.

When it's done: 165°F

The federal chart lists poultry at 165°F, and Kansas State University Extension says to fully cook game birds to at least 165°F. Check the thickest part with an instant-read thermometer.

If it goes wrong

Skin burning
The coals are too hot. Spread them out or raise the grate, and keep a cooler spot to move birds to.
Breast done before the thighs
Shift the birds so the legs face the hottest coals.
Birds sticking
Oil the grate and let the skin brown fully before you try to turn them.
Breast dry and chalky
It went well past 165°F. Grouse breast is thin; check at the first turn and pull each bird the moment it reaches temperature.

Leftovers. Keep the birds in a cooler at 40°F or below until they go on the fire. Serve right away; refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and reheat to 165°F.