Some Lessons in Dressing Birds

It took all day, two of my brothers and I cleaned and ate nine birds today. One female black grouse, three ptarmigans, four teals and one hazel grouse. All shot by my brother Laje.

A few observations on preparing birds:

• Don't use flames for singing off the remaining feathers, use coals. The flames will put a foul taste on the skin.
• Do empty the stommach right in front by the neck or it too will taint the taste of the flesh.
• To make sure the skin becomes all crisp and down free, warm up the skin until it becomes hard and brown. Scrape off the remaining charred down and feathers with a knife.

Below Laje is plucking the black grouse.