2whole-plucked chukar (also works with; Hungarian Partridge, Small forest grouse, and even large mountain quail)
4tbsprich fat; butter, olive oil, or duck fat
2-6clovesgarlic
4tbsprich stock or Glacé di Viande
½Juice of lemon
2tbspflour
Rosemary fresh
Coarse salt & Blackpepper to taste
Instructions
Roasting the Chukar
Pat the inside and outside of your plucked and brined Chukar dry. Salt the chest cavity. Allow the birds to chill uncovered in your refrigerator a minimum of two hours or up to 24. Your refrigerator is among the safest and most arid environments in your home. It’s perfect to facilitate the evaporation of excess water from the surface of your bird and improve the efficacy of the maillard reaction responsible for the deep roasty flavor we’re always after. When the skin is tacky and not damp, the bird is sufficiently dry.
Add a sprig of rosemary or sage and a smashed clove of garlic to the cavity. Place your Chukar in an oven-safe glass or ceramic dish, brush with fat, butter, or a drizzle of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Place your Chukar in the center of a 515 degree Fahrenheit oven for 20 minutes or until the skin is golden-brown all around.
Remove the birds and allow them to rest 5 minutes before slicing in
The Sauce
Now, no roast poultry is really complete without a sauce. Combine the drippings with about 4 tbsp rich stock or 2 tablespoons of reduced stock or glacé di viande, 2 tbsp flour, and 2 tbsp lemon juice in a saucepan. Whisk and reduce the mixture by half, and finish by whisking in 2 tbsp of cold butter.
Serve the bird whole or carved with a generous pour of sauce and the side of your choice; risotto, rice pilaf, or a simple salad.