These tasty birds are about as seasonal as it gets and August 12 is the fateful day the UK shooting season starts.
August 12th is a fateful day for British grouse because it spells the beginning of the shooting season – the lesser-known snipe and ptarmigan also come under fire. From then on until 10th December on mainland Britain (and 30th November in Northern Ireland) the grouse is up for grabs.
Once a strictly aristocratic sport, grouse shooting has been criticised in recent years by animal rights charities because of the way in which 'beaters' flush the birds out, pushing them in the direction of guns.
Ironically, the heather moorlands upon which grouse so rely need to be landmanaged – as a result, some argue that without grouse shooting the justification to maintain these areas of outstanding natural beauty wouldn't be so relevant. Some believe that the grouse shooting season is a price worth paying to ensure the ongoing biodiversity of moorland as it's the only way to finance a grouse moor.
Throughout the year, gamekeepers protect grouse numbers and other moorland birds from predators such as foxes, and should you cook a grouse you'll know it was are wild and not artificially reared.
Grouse look a bit like partridges and are high in protein, low in fat and free from artificial additives. They're probably the most popular game bird of the season, in part because there's more meat on them, but the controversial obtainment of these creatures (and they're fast, too) mean that they're a costly choice for a roast. However, the price does drop as the season progresses. Most people see them as a treat in an upmarket restaurant, and they make a great late summer/early autumn dish because they naturally complement earthy root vegetables.
How to roast grouse