BBQ'ed Spatchcock Grouse

As lovely as a roast grouse is, we at Game to Eat are always aiming to prove that game can be treated in exactly the same manner as the more standard meats. Game is traditionally seen as a winter warmer, especially roasted game, we believe this is solely due to the seasonality of the birds. However, we found a flaw; the Glorious Twelfth occurs before many of us have even had a summer holiday. Temperatures are still flying above 20 celsius, and what we are trying to say is – do not feel pressurized into cooking a roast!

I was recently given the idea of marinating and then BBQing grouse and thought, why the hell not. Truth be told, I have never taken part in either marinating or BBQing grouse before, so I was (to put it mildly) a little excited.

First of all I had to source the grouse. The answer was the ever reliable Blackface Meat Company. They can source all your special culinary needs, with great deals throughout the season, well worth a look.

Sadly, I am no expert at the spatchcock technique, for if you are one you will notice I have done it completely wrong! You are meant to cut out the backbone and then flatten out. Sadly in my over excitement I did not read the instructions and decided to cut out the breast bone instead. Anyway, I did not feel like getting the sewing kit out so I powered on through.

The marinade was a stiff mixture of maple syrup, Dijon mustard, thyme and the usual seasoning. Different to say the least, but in the name of cookery, I marched forward. The grouse were left in the fridge overnight with a swift spin and rub whenever I remembered.

The BBQ was lit and at full heat, the grouse needed only a couple of minutes on both sides. Unlike chicken, you can eat grouse (and other game birds) rare, reducing the dryness and toughness of the end product. Once grilled to your standard let the game rest for a couple of minutes to let the meat relax before tucking in.

Served with a red wine jus, new potatoes and green veg.

Ratings: The taste was a mixture between the richness of the grouse, sweetness of the maple syrup and the smoky BBQ. Never before have I had such a succulent grouse. However there is certainly room for improvement - and next time I shall try to spatchcock the right way round!!!