This Grouse & Wild Rice Mushroom Soup does the trick to warm up my wife and 10-year-old daughter on a cold winter's night here in North Dakota. For this grouse recipe, you’ll make the stock and cook the grouse to pull apart tender in the same pot so you can utilize the entire carcass, including the legs and thighs.
We love chicken and wild rice soup, so isn't never a big jump to make a pheasant wild rice soup or grouse wild rice soup. Garlic and thyme add aromatic depth to this wild game soup, along with the classic base of onions, carrots, and celery. Finish it with a drizzle of lemon and cream to add a touch of richness.
I used Sharp-tailed grouse for this wild rice soup recipe because I had a pile of them from an upland bird hunt in southwest North Dakota. I also made some Grouse Tsukune Meatballs with the meat. If you are looking for new pheasant recipes, you could use pheasant here as well, or even partridge or wild turkey.
Ingredients You'll Need to Make Grouse and Wild Rice Mushroom Soup
For such a deep, rich, delicious flavor, this soup has a pretty short ingredient list. It’s just that each ingredient here is really doing their part, bringing their own special something to this beautiful soup. Here’s what you’ll need!
- grouse (or pheasant or chicken could also work)
- wild rice
- mirepoix (chopped onions, carrots, and celery)
- chicken broth
- thyme and rosemary
- mushrooms
- heavy whipping cream
- lemon juice
Also get a great loaf of crusty bread ready to tear because you are definitely going to want to be scooping and dipping into this soup over and over again.
How to Make Grouse and Wild Rice Mushroom Soup
1. Start by making the Grouse stock. Place the grouse, onions, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt, pepper, chicken broth, and water in an 8-quart stockpot. Simmer, uncovered, for 4 hours.
2. Chill the stock for 4 hours or overnight so you can handle the meat and bones. Using your hands, shred the meat and return to the pot. Remove all of the grouse bones and discard them.
3. Return grouse stock to the stovetop, add the uncooked wild rice, and bring to a boil, then simmer over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat. Add the mushrooms. Do not move the mushrooms until they have caramelized on one side. When they are caramelized, stir them and continue to cook for about 5 minutes.
5. Add the butter to the mushrooms. Cook and toss for 3 more minutes, until beautifully browned.
6. Transfer mushrooms to the soup. Stir in the cream and lemon juice. Simmer for 5 more minutes. Season with more salt and pepper if needed. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
Use a different bird: Sharp-tailed grouse isn't the only upland bird you can use for this wild rice mushroom soup recipe. I've also made it with pheasant, turkey, and partridge.
Use a different seasoning: This soup would taste delicious with a variety of different seasonings in place of the thyme and rosemary, such as Italian seasoning, Herbs de Provence, or even Old Bay seasoning.
More Favorite Soup Recipes
If you love this recipe, try one of these nourishing soups next:
- Greek Lemon Pheasant Soup
- Pheasant Olive Garden Gnocchi Soup
- Green Pozole (Mexican Stew) with Pheasant
- Venison Stuffed Cabbage Soup
- Duck Soup
Hunting Sharp Tailed Grouse in North Dakota
I shoot A LOT of sharp-tailed grouse every year. Here in North Dakota, you can find these upland birds in wide-open spaces of shortgrass prairie common in the same areas you'll find mule deer. A great area to start looking for sharp tailed grouse is the 1,000,000 acres of Little Missouri National Grasslands found in the western part of the state. Just like ruffed grouse, I prefer to use 6-shot when chasing these as well.
Come Bird Hunting in North Dakota
If you are headed our way for North Dakota upland bird season, check out the North Dakota Game & Fish Department website. And if you want me to come along with you as your camp cook, photographer, or butcher, you can find out more details here.
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If you make this Grouse and Wild Rice Mushroom Soup Recipe, tag @wildgameandfish so I can share it on my Instagram stories.
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Grouse & Wild Rice Mushroom Soup
Ingredients
Grouse Stock
- 2 grouse (plucked, gutted and cleaned)
- 2 large yellow onions, diced
- 20 baby carrots, cut in half
- 4 stalks celery with leaves, diced
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
- 1 ½ tablespoons salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 10 cups water
Grouse & Wild Rice Soup
- 2 cups wild rice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 16 ounces white button or baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
Grouse Stock
- Place the grouse, onions, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt, pepper, chicken broth, and water in an 8-quart stockpot.
- Simmer, uncovered, for 4 hours.
- Chill the stock for 4 hours or overnight so you can handle the meat and bones. Using your hands, shred the meat and return to the pot. Remove all of the grouse bones and discard them.
Grouse & Wild Rice Soup
- Return grouse stock to the stovetop, add the uncooked wild rice, and bring to a boil, then simmer over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat. Add the mushrooms. Do not move the mushrooms until they have caramelized on one side. When they are caramelized, stir them and continue to cook for about 5 minutes.
- Add the butter to the mushrooms. Cook and toss for 3 more minutes, until beautifully browned.
- Transfer mushrooms to the soup. Stir in the cream and lemon juice. Simmer for 5 more minutes. Season with more salt and pepper if needed. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.
Ashley Fullerton says
This recipe is 10/10. Used Sharp-tailed Grouse and Hungarian Partridge to clean out the freezer.
I always add a star anise, 1-2 whole cloves, pickling spice and a few peppercorns when I make stock and then strain it when finished. I cut up more vegetables and cooked them in the bottom of my soup pot with some bacon grease/butter, then made a little roux before adding the stock and meat back to the pot. I added leftover jasmine rice from the fridge just before serving.
This is a new favourite recipe. Glad I tried it. The fresh thyme is a great ingredient.
Jerry says
Best soup ever! I used pheasant and everyone loved it.
Jeff Benda says
Thanks Jerry. Happy to hear you used pheasant and that everyone enjoyed it.
Toni says
Best soup ever!
Jeff Benda says
Thanks Toni! Glad you liked it.
Danielle says
This is an earthy,hearty, and warm soup…perfect for fall
Jeff Benda says
Thanks Danielle! Glad to hear you enjoyed the soup!
Rachel says
The best soup ever - even my mother-in-law said she's never had soup as good as this!
Jeff Benda says
Thanks Rachel! Glad to hear it was a hit for both you and your mother-in-law!