Sharptail grouse and prairie chickens, the two prairie grouse species, are good eating if they are young birds and prepared correctly. If they have been eating grain, weed seeds , insects or alfalfa that is much better than sage buds. They have dark meat. I prepare them by cooking quickly and leaving a pink center, like medium rare steak. If cooked for too long, they will taste like overcooked liver.
Prairie grouse were the birds shot and eaten by eastern sportsmen who came by train to the plains states in the 1880's through World War I and before pheasants became established. I believe that the birds shown on early Parker G grades are prairie grouse.
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