Poultry
Red Grouse
S tier
Red grouse is the celebrated moorland game bird of Scotland, northern England, and Ireland, with liver-dark flesh and a flavour that needs little more than butter, toast, and confidence with pink doneness. It is smaller than capercaillie and more prized on British menus than almost any other grouse. Season is short and prices high; buy from reputable game dealers. Rest after roasting so juices settle. Older birds become pot-roast or pie filling. This is the gold standard of UK feathered game.
Also known as: Red grouse, Moorland grouse
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History
Red grouse shooting and table use were established in upland Britain.
Railways rushed grouse to London restaurants within a day of the Twelfth.
Managed moors sustained red grouse as economic and culinary icons.
Chefs continued to treat red grouse as the season’s defining wild bird.