# Sharptail Grouse "Chicken Fried" Steak, Tasso Homefries, and steamed greenbeans



## indaswamp (Feb 15, 2020)

I went bird hunting in Montana last October with a buddy from Kansas. We shot some sharptail grouse, pheasants and ducks.














I've never shot or eaten sharptail grouse before this trip. Neat bird. My buddy highly recommended doing chicken fried steak with the breast meat so that's what I did.

First, mix up the buttermilk, 2 eggs, and 10 drops of Tomorrow Sauce (made by my friend in Maryland with peppers from his garden). It really not that bad.....<wink, wink> Think Tabasco X20....







Next, pound out the sharptail breasts with a meat mallet to about 1/4" thick. I like to use a large piece of saran wrap to make it easy and contain the splatter. Put the meat in the buttermilk wash and then in the frig. Let soak for about 4 hours.

Now it's time to start prepping for the Tasso Home Fries.

Cube the tasso and dice the onion.






Slice the potatoes 1/4" thick in either rounds or half rounds. par boil the potatoes in boiling salted water 3 minutes, then drain.







In a #8 cast iron pot, Fry down the onion in a little bacon grease for 10 min. or so, then add the tasso. Fry another 5 minutes, then add the potatoes. Stir together then let fry. Flip the potatoes after 3 minutes, Do not stir. Should look somehting like this when done.







When ready to start cooking the steaks, start mixing up the flour:

1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup corn starch
1 tsp. cracked black pepper
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Then pull a steak out of the buttermilk with a fork and shake excess off. Coat in flour and set on a baking sheet. Be sure to sprinkle flour on the surface to prevent sticking. After all are done, repeat once again, in buttermilk, and back in flour mix.






Heat up 1/2 cup of oil in a cast iron skillet. Let the cutlets sit for about 5 minutes in the sheet pan then you are ready to start frying.







Fry the steaks 3 minutes per side @ 325*; 2 at a time...do not overcrowd the pan.

When done, make the gravy. Drain all but 1/4 cup of the oil out of the pan into a stainless steel bowl. Add about 2 TBSPS. flour to the pan and stir 2~3 minutes to make the roux. Slowly add the milk and stir in. Bring to a slow simmer. Season with salt and cracked Black pepper to taste.






And there you have it.....







A hearty meal on a cold night. Just remember..that Tomorrow Sauce ain't too bad......LOL!!!


----------



## indaswamp (Feb 15, 2020)

For those interested, the sharptail grouse tasted like a large dove breast, but just a touch milder. I liked it.


----------



## jcam222 (Feb 15, 2020)

That looks fantastic!! I have some birds in the freezer I was given I think called Chukkars


----------



## indaswamp (Feb 15, 2020)

Would make excellent chicken fried steak my friend....


----------



## Mastercaster (Feb 15, 2020)

Holy Moly! Your plate belongs in Southern Living.


----------



## indaswamp (Feb 15, 2020)

jcam222 said:


> That looks fantastic!!


Thanks jcam222.


Mastercaster said:


> Holy Moly! Your plate belongs in Southern Living.


Pssshh.... I'm lucky I remembered to snap a pic. before devouring it!!! LOL!!! Thank you for the complement.


----------



## chef jimmyj (Feb 15, 2020)

That dish looks great. Jcam, Chukkars are tasty. I've been looking into raising them...JJ


----------



## indaswamp (Feb 15, 2020)

chef jimmyj said:


> That dish looks great. Jcam, Chukkars are tasty. I've been looking into raising them...JJ


Thanks Chef jimmyj!


----------



## crazymoon (Feb 16, 2020)

IDS, Good looking meal and a great recipe for the grouse. They look fairly close in markings to the ruffed grouse we have up here in NH.


----------



## gmc2003 (Feb 16, 2020)

Those look great, I like "chicken fried cooking", but since I don't know what Dove or grouse tastes like - I'll assume a gamy chicken. 

Point for sure
Chris


----------



## indaswamp (Feb 16, 2020)

crazymoon said:


> IDS, Good looking meal and a great recipe for the grouse. They look fairly close in markings to the ruffed grouse we have up here in NH.


Thanks Crazymoon.


gmc2003 said:


> Those look great, I like "chicken fried cooking", but since I don't know what Dove or grouse tastes like - I'll assume a gamy chicken.
> 
> Point for sure
> Chris


Thanks gmc2003.


----------



## HalfSmoked (Feb 16, 2020)

Wow  what a great looking dish all the way around.

Warren


----------



## mike243 (Feb 16, 2020)

Looks great, never had those but the ruffed Grouse we have here in Tn are all white meat, wife loves them but 1 bird per 5-10 mile walking is a little much for me these days lol


----------



## indaswamp (Feb 16, 2020)

HalfSmoked said:


> Wow  what a great looking dish all the way around.
> 
> Warren


Thanks Halfsmoked.


mike243 said:


> Looks great, never had those but the ruffed Grouse we have here in Tn are all white meat, wife loves them but 1 bird per 5-10 mile walking is a little much for me these days lol


These did not have white breast meat, it was colored like a dove breast, not as dark as a duck breast though. Yeah, the locals told us the sharptail grouse was a bird of 8 miles. We walked a 16 square mile area and flushed 11, killed 6. Flushed 3 different coveys.


----------



## mike243 (Feb 16, 2020)

The ruffed run in single or pairs, don't think I ever jumped more than 2 at a time.


----------



## gary s (Feb 16, 2020)

That really looks Great    Nice !!!

Gary


----------



## indaswamp (Feb 16, 2020)

gary s said:


> That really looks Great    Nice !!!
> 
> Gary


Thanks Gary.


----------



## indaswamp (Feb 16, 2020)

About that Tomorrow Sauce....

My buddy says he named it that because, "You will remember you ate it- Tomorrow! After it makes it's way through your digestive track." LOL!!!


----------

