Poultry
Tetrao urogallus
S tier
Tetrao urogallus is the western capercaillie, the largest grouse of Eurasian conifer forests. Meat is dark, powerful, and can taste resinous from pine needle diets—magnificent when young and carefully cooked, challenging when old and under-rested. Traditional recipes use long marinades, cream sauces, or braises; young birds may be roasted pink. A trophy table bird of Central and Northern European game culture.
Also known as: Capercaillie (T. urogallus), Tetrao urogallus
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Characteristics
Preparations
Traits
History
Capercaillie were hunted across boreal and montane Europe.
Germanic and Alpine cuisines codified elaborate capercaillie preparations.
British populations crashed; culinary supply shifted to continental game.
Strict management made capercaillie a rare premium wild meat.