More grouse recipes
Ruffed grouse breast fillets
Poached Grouse Salad Sandwiches
Ruffed grouse breasts gently poached, chilled and chopped into a lemony grouse salad with celery and dill, piled on rustic bread.
- Serves
- 4
- Hands-on
- 25 min
- Total
- 1 hr 15 min
- Skill
- Easy
Cooks on: Stovetop · Lunch
Ingredients
- 1 lbRuffed grouse breast fillets, breast fillets from 3 to 4 birds
- ½Onions, half for the poaching liquid
- 1Shallot, finely minced
- 1Lemon, zested and juiced
- 8 slicesRustic bread
- 1½ tspSalt, divided
- ½ tspBlack pepper, ground
- 3 cups chicken stock or water
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 celery ribs, finely diced
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
- 4 leaves lettuce
You'll need
- Stovetop
- Instant-read thermometer
- Saucepan
Helpful: dutch oven.
Contains
Egg, Gluten. Mayonnaise is made with egg. Bread can contain dairy, soy or sesame. Check the label.
Method
- Put the stock, onion half, bay leaf and 1 tsp of the salt in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
- Add the grouse breasts and lower the heat so the liquid barely shivers, with only a few small bubbles. Poach until an instant-read thermometer reads 165°F in the thickest piece, usually 8 to 12 minutes. Check the smaller fillets first and lift each one out as it gets there.
- Spread the grouse on a plate, spoon 2 tbsp of the warm poaching liquid over it so it does not dry on the surface, and refrigerate uncovered until cold, about 45 minutes.
- Stir the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon zest, 1 tbsp of the lemon juice, the remaining ½ tsp salt and the pepper together in a bowl.
- Chop the cold grouse into small pieces and fold it into the dressing with the celery, shallot and dill. Taste and add more lemon juice if you like.
- Toast the bread if you like, then build sandwiches with the lettuce and grouse salad.
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
- Grouse dry and stringy
- The water boiled. Keep it at a bare simmer and pull the breasts right at 165°F.
- Salad bland
- Season the poaching liquid well, and add lemon and salt to taste at the end.
- Soggy sandwiches
- Toast the bread and put the lettuce between the bread and the salad.
Leftovers. Serve right away or keep the grouse salad refrigerated and eat it cold within 3 days. Do not leave it out more than 2 hours. If you prefer it warm, reheat to 165°F.