Wood grouse

Capercaillie has long been a desirable prey for hunters. These birds are close in size to geese or small turkeys, but have a completely different taste. Gourmets consider the meat of this feathered game a delicacy.

Most representatives of this genus live in Russia, Ukraine, Slovakia, Sweden, Spain, Greece, Germany, on the territory of Asia Minor. It is easiest to hunt capercaillie during the mating season, when males are much less vigilant. By the way, this is where the name “grouse” comes from.

General characteristics

Capercaillie is the largest member of the partridge family. The male is recognizable by its black plumage interspersed with white. The plumage on the chest is with a blue-green sheen. The “dress” of the female is brighter, mostly in brown-red shades. Capercaillie mainly feed on needles, in summer – berries, buds and leaves. The male can weigh about 6 kilograms and his meat is enough to feed 5-8 people. The weight of the female is 2 times less. True, hunting for it is prohibited by law. In our latitudes, 2 types of capercaillie live: ordinary and stone (another name is long-tailed). The average life expectancy of these birds is no more than 14 years.

Life

Capercaillie is practically impossible to meet in deciduous forests. Their main habitat is coniferous or mixed thickets, swamps, forests rich in berries. These birds live sedentary. For “complete happiness”, capercaillie need plots with tall grass where they will build nests, a “pool” with sand for “bathing” (representatives of this genus categorically do not accept swimming in water) and, of course, blueberry bushes are the main delicacy of these birds .

Interestingly, females and males in ordinary life live separately. They are found only during the breeding season. The capercaillie does not belong to the flying birds, he bypasses his “possessions” with a quick step or runs around. But if necessary, he can fly up to a thick branch (for example, for an overnight stay) and at the same time will loudly flap his wings.

Mating games for capercaillie take place at the end of winter – the beginning of spring, when the ground is still covered with snow. Interestingly, for many years this ritual can take place in the same specific place in the forest, where all the females and males that live in the vicinity flock.

After mating, the female leaves the clearing and begins to look for a suitable place for the nest. In April-May, she lays 5-12 eggs, of which chicks appear after 25-27 days. They live with their mother until September, then they begin their adult life separately.

Capercaillie meat

In the Slavic tradition, the consumption of capercaillie meat has a long history. Even in Rus’, this bird was considered a delicacy. It was served mostly fried. And to get rid of the bitter aftertaste after prey, the carcass was hung by the head in a cold place (for example, in the cellar) for a couple of days.

Gourmets say that the meat of the female is tastier (although it is impossible to hunt capercaillie). When deciding to try this living creature, it is important to be prepared for the fact that its meat, like other game birds (grouse, black grouse, partridge) has a specific flavor. Capercaillie meat has a relatively coarse texture and a bitter taste. But after heat treatment, the product acquires a truly incomparable taste.

Usually capercaillie meat has a pronounced coniferous aroma, especially for older individuals. The fillet of young birds is soft and tender.

The nutritional value

This product is characterized by a fairly high calorie content. A serving of game birds can provide an impressive amount of important minerals and vitamins. For example: more than 60% of the daily intake of vitamin B12, almost 70% of cobalt, 33% of vitamin PP, a quarter of the recommended daily intake of phosphorus, zinc, sulfur. Also, 100 grams of capercaillie will replenish the reserves of vitamin B6 and chromium (almost a fifth of the norm), iron (about 17%), copper and molybdenum (within 18%).

Useful Properties

Capercaillie meat has many useful properties. Among the main advantages of this product for the human body are usually called:

• improving brain function;
• acceleration of protein synthesis;
• normalization of the nervous system;
• beneficial effect on the condition of the epidermis;
• benefits for the digestive organs.

Capercaillie meat is rich in iron, which means that this product can rightfully be considered food for the prevention of anemia. In addition, it contains substances that can stabilize the level of glucose in the bloodstream.

How to cook capercaillie

Game meat – for an amateur. But, perhaps, those who do not know how to properly cook the caught bird say so. Here are a few secrets on how to make capercaillie meat even tastier.

1. Game feathered meat tastes better on the day of cooking than heated.
2. Capercaillie are cooked first at a high temperature, then the fire is reduced to preserve juiciness.
3. If you’re cooking a whole bird, remember that the breast meat will be the fastest to cook.
4. The fillet of these forest dwellers goes well with onions, garlic, bacon, butter, thyme, red currants, pistachios, mushrooms, and herbs.

Baked capercaillie in the oven

The first stage of poultry preparation is the removal of feathers and giblets. The liver, heart, and stomach can be preserved (they can also be used to make delicious meals). Add a little fat under the skin of a cleaned, washed and rubbed bird with paper napkins. To do this, you can use lard or slices of bacon. After the carcass, rub with seasonings both from the outside and from the inside.

In this form, the capercaillie can already be sent to the oven for baking. But before that, to give a neat shape, tie with threads. The readiness of the meat will be indicated by the clear juice flowing from the carcass. Before serving the finished capercaillie, leave it to “rest” (wrap it in foil for a few minutes).

Fried capercaillie brisket

Fry the meat in a large amount of oil with the addition of chopped garlic. Then put the brisket in a heat-resistant dish, sprinkle with herbs and put in the oven, heated to 120 degrees, then reduce the temperature to 65-70. Cool the finished dish and divide into portioned slices.

What else to cook

Capercaillie fillets can also be used to make meatballs or as a component of meat salads. To make the finished dish more juicy, you can add a little pork to the minced meat.

Capercaillie dishes will be even tastier if they are supplemented with the right sauce. Creamy or sour cream with mushrooms is ideal for game birds. The classic sauce for capercaillie is made from black currants, red wine and meat broth. The role of marinade for capercaillie meat is excellently performed by dry wines (white or red). As a festive dish, you can cook stuffed capercaillie. For the filling, take apples, wild berries, mushrooms, vegetables, veal liver.

Have you ever tried game bird meat? So maybe it’s time to change your gastronomic tastes? After all, properly cooked capercaillie is not only tasty, but also healthy. Not without reason, well-known restaurants include dishes from these birds in their exquisite menus.