Spatchcocked Grouse with Woodcock Breast and Legs

[Andy]

Dang this one was the best yet. Spatchcocked whole plucked grouse and woodcock breast/legs with flambe' mushrooms in brandy and butter/balsamic reduction. This bird's crop was full of pine nuts I believe, the flavor was amazing. I do love woodcock medium rare and the legs are always a treat. Good thing I don't do this for sustenance, I'd starve to death with the few I manage to get.

[mobirdhunter]

Someone has some cooking skills...

[Andy]

I can hold my own at times, thank you. I destroy the kitchen in the process however!! I find wild game very challenging but rewarding. This was the guides dish in Maine. Woodcock over grape and maple wild rice complete with the heads. It was fantastic and the highlight of one of our days.

[Dean Romig]

Looks interesting Andy. I too, like my woodcock done rare to medium rare but how do you attain that if you’re cooking whole birds together?





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[Andy]

Dean, I spatchcocked the grouse and seasoned it. Then seared it in a pan with a another pan on top of it for weight to get good contact. After it was cooked on both sides and breast was 135 degrees in the breast I pulled it, covered with foil, turned up the heat then tossed in the legs/breast of the woodcock. Literally 1 minute a side or less, put that under foil. Browned the mushrooms in the remaining pan drippings, scraped up the frond, tossed some brandy in there, nearly caught the house on fire and when the flames went out tossed in some Vermont butter and made the sauce and then spooned that over the whole thing. I've done this with reduced wild apples I picked while hunting instead of mushroom, it's sweeter and I'm not sure which I prefer.

[Dean Romig]

Sounds great now that you explained how you protected the woodcock from being overcooked.

Hmmm, Vermont butter you say? Was it from the Cabot Creamery? A dear friend, long since passed, was the president of the Dairy Cabot Farmers Co-op long ago.





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[Andy]

I don't know Dean, I can look when I'm home. It was in a local grocery labelled "Hand Made Vermont Butter" but I can't recall the brand. Damn is it heart clogging good and rich!

[Steve Hodges]

With all the Woodcock being taken this fall I will post this recipe that I stole from the Upland Journal site. I have not tried it yet but intend to very soon. Enjoy!
The cant lose woodcock/venison/waterfowl/gamebird recipe
6-8 Woodcock -feeds 3 or 4 people
Fillet off breasts of the woodcock w/no skin
Cut off legs w/thigh, w/no skin.
Mix a marinade w/this:
Minced fresh ginger- about 3 quarter size pieces
Minced 2 large cloves of garlic
3-4 tablespoons of Soy sauce
1 tbs+- of brown sugar
Several drops + of Asian Sesame oil
Black pepper
1 oz+- hard liquor. (I used rum but whiskey etc would work)
(cut up some green onion-put aside)
Marinade WC meat for an hour or so.
Heat a pan w/1 tbs veg oil til smoking hot. Add meat and stir cook til meat turns color--keep heat high. Just a few minutes. Check to make sure it is rare! Dont overcook.
Just at end add a small handful of green onion.
Place meat on top of white rice or to side and add a little more fresh green onion on top.
Thanks to Ben Hong for providing me this recipe. This recipe will work well w/venison/duck and geese. And is good w/any gamebird.

[Andy]

Is it the Asian stir fry one? If so that’s amazing. I’ve also made Hank Shaws roast woodcock with Cumberland sauce. Amazing but a bit of work.

[Steve Hodges]

Originally Posted by Andrew Sacco

Is it the Asian stir fry one? If so that’s amazing. I’ve also made Hank Shaws roast woodcock with Cumberland sauce. Amazing but a bit of work.

I think it is Andy