Bacon-Wrapped Partridge (Northern Ontario Ruffed Grouse)

This was my English grandmother's recipe for partridge, also commonly known as ruffed grouse. Partridge breasts are seared in bacon grease, then roasted in a simple wine sauce and served with a rich gravy.

Grouse:
4 partridge breast halves, boneless
4 Tbsp. butter, softened
8 slices bacon

Mushroom Sauce:
2 Tbsp. buttter
20 oz cremini and Portobello mushroom, rimmed and sliced thin
2 shallots, chopped
1 cup chicken broth
3 sprigs thyme
12 cups heavy cream or crème fraîche
1 Tbsp. bourbon
1 Tbsp. thyme leave, chopped
kosher or sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground

4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp. kosher or sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, unbleached

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C/200°C fan, Gas Mark 7).

Prepare the Grouse:
Trim off the wing tips, tail, and pull out the feathers against the grain. Pluck all feathers from your grouse, and use a lighter or torch to singe off the remaining down on the skin. Gut your birds, rinse thoroughly, and then pat dry with a paper towel.

Roast the Grouse:
Rub each bird with softened butter. Salt and pepper, especially inside the body cavity. Wrap 2-3 bacon slices around each grouse, depending on how big your birds and bacon slices are. If your bacon doesn't stay in place, tie it with butcher's twine. Set each bird in a roasting pan. Roast in the oven until the grouse is browned and bacon is crisping, about 25 minutes. Remove to a plate and let rest, covered loosely in tinfoil, while you make the sauce. Resting your birds is critical to the proper distribution of the juices within the meat.

Make the Sauce:
Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and a dash of salt and saute, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms release the majority of their moisture and begin to smell fragrant. This should only take about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add the minced shallot. Saute until softened, and until most of the moisture has gone out of the pan, about 4 minutes. Add the chicken stock and thyme sprigs and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half. Pour in the cream and bourbon and simmer until the sauce thickens. Should take about 3-5 minutes.

To Serve:
Spread the sauce onto your plates, and rest a grouse in the center of each. Sprinkle thyme over each bird.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition Facts:
Per Serving: 484 calories; protein 30g; carbohydrates 12.1g; fat 26g; cholesterol 111.6mg; sodium 1331.3mg. Full Nutrition