The Hunter’s Table: Upland Rillete
Recipes and Photos by Ryan Sparks, Quail Forever Journal Editor
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Every year before bird season, I make rillette with whatever upland birds I have left in my freezer. Rillette is a spreadable meat mixture from France, where it is traditionally made with pork. It is also perfect for any combination of upland birds.
For this batch, I used sharp-tailed grouse, Hungarian partridge, and pheasants, all taken on the same trip to South Dakota. In the past, I’ve used woodcock, ruffed grouse, bobwhite quail, and even doves. Again, any combination of upland birds will work.
This upland rillette is delicious and decadent and should be thickly spread on toasted bread or crackers. The jars are small and durable enough to throw in your bird vest with some crackers for a quick field lunch. They are also perfect on a tailgate shared with friends and a beer at the end of the day. I always bring a jar or two on hunting trips and they always come back empty. They make great gifts for gracious landowners, are a fantastic addition to a charcuterie board, and will impress your hunting buddies. If you’re feeling generous, I bet your dog would love some too.
Upland Rillette
Upland Rillette
Servings: Makes eight ½ pint jars
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 4.5 hours
- 2.5 pounds upland bird meat (from around 5 pounds of whole birds)
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 2 tbsp. bird broth (cooking water)
- ½ cup brandy (preferably Armagnac)
- 2-½ tsp. kosher salt
- 12 oz. melted duck fat + more for covering (available in many grocery stores as well as online)
- 3 tsp. herbs de Provence (optional)
- Minced chives for topping
1. For the 2.5 pounds of bird meat, place birds in a crock pot set to high and cover with water. When the meat begins to fall from the bones (around 4.5 hours), remove the birds to a sheet tray, place in the refrigerator, and let cool overnight. Strain the cooking water (now broth) and reserve it in a container in the refrigerator alongside the bird meat. The next day, separate the meat from the bones. You should end up with around 2.5 pounds of boneless meat.
2. Place the bird meat in a stand mixer with a flat beater attachment (a large mixing bowl and wooden spoon will also work). Add mustard, cayenne, black pepper, bird broth, brandy, salt, and herbs de Provence.
3. On the lowest speed, mix the rillette contents. Slowly pour in the melted (but not hot) duck fat. You should see the mixture start to combine as the fat emulsifies. After several minutes, the rillette should become spreadable. If it becomes too thick, add more of the bird broth. Taste for seasoning.
4. Spoon the rillette into small jars (I prefer half-pint swing-top jars), pressing it in to remove any air pockets. Smooth the top of the rillette with a spoon, making it as flat as possible. Pour melted duck fat over the top of the rillette mixture (see note below). This helps to seal and preserve the rillette. Sprinkle minced chives over the top.
*Note: If you run out of duck fat for topping, melted butter works just as well. The rillette is best after several days in the fridge and will last two weeks or longer. It can also be frozen for up to a year. Serve at room temperature over crusty bread or crackers.
This recipe originally appeared in the Spring 2024 issue of Quail Forever Journal. If you enjoyed it and would like to see more delicious recipes in the pages of the magazine, become a Quail Forever member today!