20 Nebraskaland • August-September 2020
"Katsu" means cutlet in Japanese,
and it is equivalent to German
schnitzel. Meat — typically pork
or chicken — is breaded in Panko,
deep fried and served in bento box
lunches. Sharp-tailed grouse worked
surprisingly well as katsu, as long as
you don't overcook it.
Serve sharpies pink in the center;
this bird turns gray easily, and its
flavor goes downhill with it. I kept the
meat cold until the last minute, and
as the breaded pieces hit the hot oil,
the Panko quickly browned while the
inside stayed cool enough that it didn't
overcook. The meat came out warm,
juicy and rosy. About medium, or 140-
145 degrees, is perfect with sharptails.
If you can't find bottled tonkatsu
sauce, make your own. Look for a
recipe online: It's little more than a
mixture of ketchup, Worcestershire
sauce, oyster sauce and sugar.
Servings: 2
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
•
2 grouse breasts and 2 grouse legs
(skin on or skin off)
•
1 large egg
•
⅓ cup of all-purpose flour
•
1½ cup of Panko breadcrumbs
•
Kosher salt, to taste
•
Freshly cracked pepper, to taste
•
Vegetable oil for frying
•
Bottled tonkatsu sauce, to taste
•
Freshly chopped green onion, for
garnish
•
Cooked jasmine white rice
•
Braised or pickled vegetables
1. Season grouse pieces with salt.
In a shallow bowl, beat the egg until
all whites are no longer visible, and
it begins to form small bubbles. Pour
flour into another bowl. In a third
bowl, combine Panko breadcrumbs
with ¾ teaspoon of kosher salt and
freshly cracked pepper to taste.
2. In a medium saucepan or deep
skillet, heat 1½ inches of vegetable oil
to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. When the
temperature approaches 325 degrees,
begin breading the grouse: First lightly
coat pieces in flour, and then dip in
egg and then cover with the Panko
mixture.
3. When oil reaches 350 degrees, fry
breaded grouse until golden on both
sides, flipping halfway through. Do
not overcrowd the pan, and fry meat
in batches if necessary. Watch the
oil temperature carefully, and adjust
heat as needed. Drain and rest on a
cooling rack. Serve grouse katsu with
tonkatsu sauce, rice, chopped green
onion and vegetables. Photographed is
burdock root kinpira, a Japanese style
of braising root vegetables.
By Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley
SHARP-TAILED GROUSE KATSU
PHOTO
BY
JENNY
NGUYEN-WHEATLEY
IN THE FIELD
