Roast Grouse, Bread Sauce & Game Crumbs

Drogo

Servings

3 - 4

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

25 minutes

This classic roast grouse recipe celebrates one of Britain’s most distinctive game birds, served with traditional bread sauce, crisp game crumbs and buttery cavolo nero. Grouse has a rich, characteristically gamey flavour, so simple accompaniments work particularly well alongside it.

Cooking grouse quickly in a hot oven with plenty of butter helps keep the meat succulent while giving the outside a beautifully roasted finish. If you’re wondering how to cook grouse, the key is to avoid overcooking these small birds and to baste them generously as they roast.

Serving grouse with bread sauce is a traditional combination. The creamy, gently spiced sauce provides a mellow contrast to the intensity of the game, while crisp game crumbs flavoured with Madeira introduce another layer of texture and richness.

For anyone exploring classic British grouse recipes, this is an excellent way to make the most of the relatively short grouse season.

Roast Grouse, Bread Sauce & Game Crumbs

Ingredients

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    • 4 tender young oven-ready grouse

    • 80g unsalted butter, plus extra for cooking the grouse
    • 300ml whole milk
    • 4 cloves
    • 4 black peppercorns
    • 1 bay leaf
    • Pinch white pepper
    • Half a small onion, peeled and roughly chopped
    • 4 tablespoons double cream

    • 175g breadcrumbs

    • Freshly grated nutmeg
    • 50ml Madeira

    • 500g Cavolo Nero, stems removed

    • Watercress for serving the grouse

    Directions

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      1. Step 1, Make the bread sauce by combining the milk, 30g butter, onion, bay leaf, cloves and black peppercorns in a saucepan. Bring the mixture just to the boil, then immediately turn off the heat. Cover the saucepan and leave the milk to infuse with the aromatics while you prepare the remaining elements.

      2. Step 2, Make the game crumbs by melting 25g butter in a frying pan. Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring regularly, until they become a deep golden brown. Pour in the Madeira, mix thoroughly and continue cooking until the liquid has evaporated and the breadcrumbs become crisp again. Remove from the heat and set aside.

      3. Step 3, Preheat the oven to 200°C.

      4. Step 4, Prepare the grouse by rubbing the breasts and legs generously with softened butter. Season the birds well with salt and freshly ground black pepper, making sure the seasoning is evenly distributed.

      5. Step 5, Place the grouse in a roasting tin and transfer to the oven for 8 minutes. Remove the tin and baste the birds thoroughly with the melted butter and cooking juices from the bottom of the pan. Return to the oven for a further 10–15 minutes. The breasts should feel firm and springy rather than soft. Once cooked, remove the roast grousefrom the oven, transfer to a plate and loosely cover with foil to keep warm while you finish the accompaniments.

      6. Step 6, Place the cavolo nero in a lidded pan with a splash of water and cook until wilted. Finish with a knob of butter and season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

      7. Step 7, Strain the infused milk for the bread sauce through a fine sieve, discarding the onion and aromatics, then return the milk to the saucepan and gently reheat. Stir in the breadcrumbs, followed by the double cream, white pepper and freshly grated nutmeg. Season with salt to taste and cook gently until you have a rich, creamy bread sauce.

      8. Step 8, Divide the cavolo nero between the plates and serve the grouse with bread sauce alongside. Finish with a generous scattering of crisp game crumbs and add fresh watercress before serving.