The grouse or prairie-hen is in season all the year, but is at its best during the fall and winter.

To Prepare. Clean, wash, and wipe it. Lard the breast, or fasten to it with slender skewers a thin slice of salt pork. Grouse has dry flesh, consequently it will be improved by rubbing softened butter over it, as well as by using pork. Sprinkle on a little salt, dredge it with flour, and cook in a quick oven for thirty minutes.

Grouse are also very nice potted. After they are made ready for cooking, fry a little fat pork and some chopped onion together in a large deep spider for a few minutes, then lay in the grouse, cover the spider, and fry until the outside of each bird is somewhat browned, or for twenty minutes, slowly. Then put them into a granite-ware kettle and stew until tender, which will take from one to two hours. When they are done, lift them out, thicken the liquid slightly with flour, and season it with salt and pepper for a gravy. Serve the grouse on a deep platter with the gravy poured around, or simply season the liquid and cook tiny dumplings in it, which may be served around the birds. Then thicken the liquid and pour over. The amount of onion to be fried with the pork should not exceed half a teaspoon for each bird, and of pork the proportion of a cubic inch to a bird is enough.

Pigeons potted according to these directions for grouse are excellent.