Old Timber Outdoors
More grouse recipes

Ruffed grouse breast fillets

Ruffed Grouse Fried Rice

Diced grouse breast, egg, peas and carrot stir-fried with day-old rice, soy sauce and scallions in a hot skillet.

Serves
4
Hands-on
25 min
Total
45 min
Skill
Some experience

Cooks on: Stovetop · Dinner, Lunch

Ingredients

  • ¾ lbRuffed grouse breast fillets, breast fillets from 2 to 3 birds, cut into ½-inch dice
  • 3 tbspSoy sauce, divided
  • 3Eggs, beaten
  • 1Carrots, finely diced
  • 3 clovesGarlic, minced
  • ¼ tspBlack pepper, ground
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 3 tbsp neutral oil, divided
  • 4 cups cooked white rice, cooked a day ahead and refrigerated
  • ¾ cup frozen peas
  • 4 scallions, sliced
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil

You'll need

  • Stovetop
  • Large skillet, ideally cast iron
  • Instant-read thermometer

Contains

Soy, Gluten, Egg, Sesame.

Method

  1. Toss the diced grouse with 1 tbsp of the soy sauce, the cornstarch and the pepper. Refrigerate 10 minutes. Break up any clumps in the cold rice with your hands.
  2. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Pour in the eggs and scramble until fully set with no runny parts, about 1 minute. Move them to a plate.
  3. Add 1 tbsp oil and the grouse in one layer. Cook, stirring once or twice, until browned and an instant-read thermometer reads 165°F in the largest piece, 3 to 4 minutes. Add it to the eggs.
  4. Add the remaining 1 tbsp oil, the carrot and the white parts of the scallions and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add the garlic for 30 seconds.
  5. Add the rice, spread it out, and let it sit 1 minute to crisp, then stir. Repeat until the rice is hot and a little toasted, about 5 minutes. Stir in the peas.
  6. Return the grouse and eggs with the remaining 2 tbsp soy sauce and the sesame oil and toss until everything is steaming hot. Top with the green parts of the scallions and serve.

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

Mushy rice
Freshly cooked rice is too wet. Use rice cooked the day before and kept in the refrigerator.
Rice sticking
The skillet was not hot enough or needs a little more oil. Let it heat fully before the rice goes in.
Grouse gray and dry
Cook it in a single layer over high enough heat to brown quickly, and pull it at 165°F.

Leftovers. Use rice that was cooled and refrigerated within 2 hours of cooking. Serve right away; refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and reheat to 165°F.