Poultry
Tetrao tetrix
A tier
Tetrao tetrix is the black grouse, a large Eurasian tetraonid of moor edges and forest clearings. Cocks are bigger with darker, stronger meat; flavour is bold and resinous compared with red grouse, needing confident seasoning and often longer cooking for mature birds. Roast young blackcock pink; casseroled older birds with bacon and juniper shine. Scientific labelling appears in European game documentation alongside the common name.
Also known as: Black grouse (T. tetrix), Tetrao tetrix
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Characteristics
Preparations
Traits
History
Black grouse were hunted across European forest-moor ecotones.
British sportsmen prized blackcock alongside red grouse.
Habitat change reduced many black grouse populations.
Conservation limited harvest while Nordic tables still featured the species.