The Best Grouse & Wild Rice Soup
Jeff BendaThis Grouse & Wild Rice Soup does the trick to warm up my girls 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. If you are looking for new pheasant recipes, you could use pheasant here as well, or even partridge or even wild turkey.HOW TO COOK GROUSE AND WILD RICE SOUP1. 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.HUNTING SHARP TAILED GROUSE IN NORTH DAKOTAI 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.MORE GREAT WILD GAME SOUPSIf you are looking for another great soup, check out these family favorites:– Venison Stuffed Cabbage Soup– Snow Goose Soup– Deer Bacon and Lentil Soup– Czech Garlic and Goose Soup– Gnocchi and Pheasant Soup– Antelope and Asparagus Hot and Sour Soup– Gnocchi and Squirrel Soup– Rabbit Tortilla Soup– Coot and Corn Chowder– Duck Gumbo– Pheasant GumboOr for more grouse and pheasant recipes, check out all of my Upland Birds and Small Game recipes here.COME HUNT NORTH DAKOTAIf you would like to come to North Dakota and experience an amazing upland bird hunt for grouse and pheasants, check out the North Dakota Tourism 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.CONNECT WITH ME AND JOIN OUR WILD GAME COOKING COMMUNITYDid you make this Grouse and Wild Rice Soup? I’d love for you to join our community and connect with me so we can all see pics of this dish and all of your wild game and fish creations. Be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #wildgameandfish and tagging me @wildgameandfishDid you enjoy this Grouse and Wild Rice Soup Recipe? Be sure to leave a 5-star rating RIGHT HERE!
4.91 from 30 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 4 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
Resting time 4 hours hrs
Total Time 8 hours hrs 50 minutes mins
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings
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 1/2 tablespoons salt
- 1 1/2 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.
Tried this recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @wildgameandfish or tag #wildgameandfish
Keyword chicken and wild rice soup, chicken wild rice soup, grouse, grouse recipe, grouse recipes, how to cook grouse, pheasant wild rice soup, sharp tailed grouse, upland bird, wild rice soup