Red grouse, the ‘King of Game Birds’, should be available again when the season opens on the 12th August. Numbers are likely to be down on 2014 because the wet spring affected numbers of grouse on the moors.
All grouse are shot for the table with the intention that all birds will be used for food. For those who have not cooked or eaten grouse before it may be useful to keep the recipe simple to ensure that the magnificent flavours of plainly roasted grouse are not concealed by other ingredients. BASC’s Taste of Game programme has an excellent recipe for roast grouse here. It can be served with game chips, bread sauce and watercress.
BASC has released a short film to welcome the Twelfth which can be viewed here.
For those who love grouse dishes or haven’t tried grouse before, BASC has produced grouse and whinberry flavoured crisps which can be purchased here.
Richard Ali, Chief Executive of BASC said; “New season’s red grouse is one of the great game dishes of the world – and only available from the heather moorland of the UK. Game meat has enjoyed a remarkable increase in popularity and BASC hopes that more people will be able to enjoy a taste of grouse this season.”