Sharp-Tailed Grouse Fajitas

A citrus marinade helps to tenderize and bring out the amazing flavors of sharp-tailed grouse in this fajita recipe

This recipe is the perfect way to prepare sharp-tailed grouse. I’ve prepared them this way for people that were not huge fans of sharptail, and they were pleasantly surprised. The preparation will tame the “gaminess” many people are wary of and the marinade will tenderize the meat with lime and grapefruit juice.

I understand everyone has their preferences, but I find most of the time people that don’t enjoy sharptails just don’t know how to properly cook them. I like to treat it as I would duck or venison, as I find it is best cooked to medium-rare or medium. Anything past that, and it will become tough with a strong taste.

So, next time you get a few sharptails, give this recipe a try—you won’t be disappointed! 

Sharp-Tailed Grouse Fajitas

Rossano Russo

Marinated sharp-tailed grouse breast becomes tender and flavorful in this fajita recipe

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Marinating Time 4 hours hrs

Total Time 4 hours hrs 45 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 4

Calories 469 kcal

Ingredients

  

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Marinade

• 1 cup cilantro freshly chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• ½ cup lime juice
• ½ cup grapefruit juice
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp cumin
• ½ tsp ancho chile powder
• ½ cup canola oil or grapeseed oil

Fajitas

• 4 sharp-tailed grouse breasts
• 1 yellow onion sliced stem to root
• 3 bell peppers red, orange, and yellow
• 1 jalapeño sliced crosswise
• Flour or corn tortillas
• Dressing sour cream, plain yogurt, guacamole, etc.

Instructions

 

• Remove the sharp-tailed grouse breasts from the breastbone.
• Prepare the marinade by combining all the ingredients except for the oil in a medium-sized bowl. Slowly add the oil while whisking until it is emulsified.
• Add the breasts to the bowl of marinade. Make sure they are fully submerged and let it rest, covered, in the fridge for a maximum of 4 hours. Don’t let them marinade longer, as the meat can become mushy.
• After marinating, remove the breasts and reserve the marinade.
• In a bowl, toss the bell peppers, onions, and jalapeños in a ladle-amount of marinade. Heat a large cast-iron pan over medium-high heat, and, once hot, add vegetables to the pan. Close the lid and allow them to cook while stirring every so often. Cook for 15 minutes or until caramelized.
• Remove vegetables from the pan and keep warm.
• In the same pan over medium-high heat, add some grapeseed or canola oil and sear the breasts on each side until cooked to medium-rare, roughly 3 minutes each side, though cook time will depend on the size of breast. If you want to be sure, use an instant-read thermometer. Note: medium-rare is around 130 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Take breasts off the heat at around 125 degrees Fahrenheit and allow them to rest. While resting they will continue to cook.
• While the meat is resting, warm up the tortillas on a griddle to get some nice grill marks.
• Thinly slice the breast meat against the grain. If you see the meat isn’t cooked enough, you can add the slices to the warm peppers and onions and toss. This will cook the meat a little more without overcooking them.
• Build your fajita using the thinly sliced breast meat, peppers, and onions. Top your tortilla with guacamole, plain yogurt, a squeeze of lime, chopped cilantro, and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 469kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 48gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 174mgSodium: 707mgPotassium: 984mgFiber: 3gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 3346IUVitamin C: 149mgCalcium: 39mgIron: 12mg

Keyword sharp-tailed grouse

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