Highland Roast Grouse with Bread Sauce
Plump red grouse roasted fast and served blushing pink with classic clove-infused bread sauce, crisp fried crumbs, and rich pan gravy.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 620 kcal
Equipment
- •Roasting tin
- •Small saucepan
- •Frying pan
- •Sieve
- •Kitchen string
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 620 kcal
- fat
- 32 g
- carbs
- 28 g
- fibre
- 2 g
- protein
- 54 g
- calories
- 620 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Stud each onion half with three cloves and place in a saucepan with milk and bay leaf.
- 2
Heat milk gently until steaming, then remove from the hob to infuse for twenty minutes.
- 3
Preheat your oven to 220°C (200°C fan).
- 4
Season the grouse cavities and skin generously with salt and black pepper.
- 5
Rub 20 g of softened butter over the breasts and lay two bacon rashers over each bird.
- 6
Roast in a roasting tin for fifteen minutes, discarding bacon for the final five minutes to brown.
- 7
Transfer roasted grouse to a warm plate, cover loosely with foil, and rest for ten minutes.
- 8
Strain the infused milk, discard the onion and bay leaf, and return milk to the saucepan.
- 9
Stir in the fine breadcrumbs and simmer over low heat for five minutes until thick and creamy.
- 10
Stir the double cream and a knob of butter into the bread sauce, then season with salt.
- 11
Melt remaining butter in a frying pan and fry coarse breadcrumbs until crisp and golden brown.
- 12
Deglaze the roasting tin on the hob with stock, simmering until glossy, then serve immediately.
Chef's tips
Red grouse is very lean and must be roasted hot and fast so the breast meat stays pink and juicy. Overcooking makes the game dry and metallic.
Ingredient substitutions
- oven-ready red grouse → young partridge or wood pigeon
- game stock → rich brown chicken or beef stock
Storage
Store leftover carved grouse meat and bread sauce in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to two days.
Reheating
Reheat carved meat gently in warm pan gravy over low heat, and warm the bread sauce with a splash of milk.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Over-roasting the grouse beyond medium-rare, resulting in dry and tough meat.
- •Letting the bread sauce boil too vigorously, which scorches the bottom of the pan.
Serving suggestions
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