# Smoking Fowl?



## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

Looking to try my hand at smoking some birds. Have a few Blue and Sage grouse in the freezer already and want to smoke em.

Any suggestions, recipes out there? Want to do it right and not end up with dried out leather.

Thanks in advance!


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## duneman101 (Nov 6, 2009)

Get a good brine on them, you can by brine mix or you can find a good recipe online... a good brine will keep it moist and tasty.


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## pkred (Jul 9, 2009)

+1 on the brine makes for a juicy bird.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

These guys are on it; brine the bird. Brining or curing allows one to smoke meat to a low temperature, helping to keep it moist. Follow the brining procedures in this post:

Follow the brining directions in this smoked bird post: 
viewtopic.php?f=50&t=22463

If I'm going to smoke wild fowl I usually pick the birds, leaving the skin to keep the meat from drying out. For skinned birds try wrapping the bird in cheesecloth and then smoke it.

Here's some skinned pheasants I brined and then wrapped in cheesecloth that was kept damp with brine. The cheesecloth also allows one to baste the meat with stuff like honey mustard or a little brown sugar and wine after smoking for awhile:









The final product smoked for an hour or so after removing the cheesecloth:









Also, butter mixed in brine helps keep the bird moist. Use Butter Buds dry powder. It mixes well with a brine.

I like to eat Sage Grouse, but not smoked.


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## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

Smoked up the grouse last night....came our really good!


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Wow, those look great!

Ah, where's the legs and thighs? You smoked them and mailed them to me didn't ya? You shouldn't have. :lol:


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