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–+ servings
A serving of fried woodcock and yellow grits topped with fresh scallions on a white plate
A.J. DeRosa

Woodcock and Grits

Give woodcock a proper southern treatment with this mustard-fried preparation
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Southern
Calories: 688
Ingredients Method Nutrition

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups yellow grits
  • 8 cups water
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Dash Worcestershire sauce
  • Dash Tabasco sauce
  • 4 tbsp salted butter divided
  • Salt to taste
  • 4-6 woodcock breast fillets from 2-3 birds
  • 2 tbsp French's yellow mustard
  • 2 cups chicken breader aka breading
  • 4 cups peanut oil for frying
  • 4 oz country ham finely diced
  • 1 stalk celery finely diced
  • ½ bell pepper finely diced
  • ½ medium onion finely diced
  • 2 tbsp fresh thyme
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 quart chicken broth
  • 2 cups fresh sweet potato greens washed thoroughly (use whatever is local and in-season, but don’t @ me if you use spinach)
  • Scallion tops for garnish

Method
 

For the grits
  1. Add 2 tbsp salt and the bay leaves to a large pot with the water and bring to a boil. Stir in the grits and boil for 1 minute, then reduce heat to low.
  2. Stir the grits frequently with a silicone scraper, taking care to unstick any bits from the bottom of the pot.
  3. Continue stirring for 30-40 minutes while you dice the veggies and country ham.
  4. When the grits begin to stand on their own after stirring (you’ll start seeing the bottom of the pot when you stir with the scraper), add the Worcestershire, Tabasco, and 2 tbsp butter.
  5. Cover the pot and place on a warming station.
For the gravy
  1. In a heavy-bottomed skillet, heat 2 tbsp peanut oil until shimmering. Then, add the sweet potato greens and wilt until they’re reduced in size by at least half. Sprinkle with a dash of salt and then set them aside on a plate.
  2. Add 1 tbsp of peanut oil to the pan and heat until shimmering, then add the diced country ham and saute until browned on all sides and fond is beginning to develop.
  3. Add the diced vegetables and thyme and saute until translucent, about 2 minutes (if you like a darker gravy, extend this a bit until the fond develops further).
  4. Sprinkle the vegetables with the all-purpose flour. Stir to incorporate.
  5. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, a half cup at a time, until you’ve used at least 2 cups.
  6. Reduce heat to the lowest setting and stir occasionally while you fry the woodcock breasts.
For the woodcock
  1. Fill a cast iron skillet with peanut oil about 1 inch up the sides. Heat the oil to 400-425 F.
  2. Prepare 2 bowls for breading, one with the mustard and one with the breader.
  3. Bathe woodcock breasts in yellow mustard, then dredge them through the breader.
  4. Gently place the breasts in the hot oil, turning them with tongs until they develop a golden brown exterior.
  5. Remove the breasts and place on a paper towel to drain.
To plate
  1. Fill a shallow serving bowl with the grits. Tilt the bowl in a 360-degree motion to ensure the grits are evenly distributed.
  2. Place a bed of the wilted sweet potato greens on top of the grits.
  3. Top the greens with thinly sliced woodcock breast.
  4. Spoon gravy over the top, garnish with scallion, and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 688kcalCarbohydrates: 92gProtein: 20gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 53mgSodium: 1653mgPotassium: 493mgFiber: 5gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 2614IUVitamin C: 30mgCalcium: 128mgIron: 4mg

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