Then he started preparing the second, somewhat plump, grouse.
"Let's try a unique cooking method with this one—mud charcoal roasting, known as 'called Flower Chicken' in China."
Lin Yu'an gathered some fine yellow clay near the shelter, mixing in just the right amount of stream water to make a mud paste of the perfect consistency.
The tin foil he found by the lake during his first fish roasting came in handy once again, wrapping the entire grouse as if dressing it in a silver-white coat.
After wrapping it in tin foil, Lin Yu'an applied the mixed yellow clay evenly and thickly over the outside of the foil.
Until it formed a very rough, airtight mud shell, completely enclosing the entire grouse as if it were an oval-shaped mud egg.
"This mud shell must be thick and without cracks to evenly heat in the charcoal fire, forming a natural 'oven'."
He placed this gigantic "mud egg chicken" into a fire pit that had been burning for some time, full of scorching coals.
Then he buried most of it with hot ashes and coals, leaving only a small part of the mud shell exposed.
"Now comes the phase of waiting patiently, usually taking several hours for the charcoal fire to slowly stew-roast the chicken meat inside until it's cooked through."
Wrapped in clay, the grouse emitted a unique aroma blending the earthy char and the slow roast of meat within the coals.
And in the clay pot, the grouse soup bubbled away, with the fresh aroma of chicken meat wafting upward through the air.
Lin Yu'an skimmed off the gray-white foam floating on the surface with a wooden spoon, which was the blood and impurities from the meat; removing them made the soup clearer and reduced gamey odor.
He frequently checked the cooking of the Flower Chicken, ensuring the charcoal fire didn't go out.
He would need to periodically turn the "mud egg chicken" in the charcoal fire to ensure even heating.
Time seemed prolonged in the wait, with the intensifying aroma constantly teasing Lin Yu'an's rumbling stomach.
Finally, judging by the cracks on the mud shell's surface and the emitted fragrance, the "mud egg chicken" seemed ready.
Using two thick wooden sticks, he maneuvered the scorching "mud egg" out of the charcoal fire.
"Guys, I'm going to crack open this mud egg!"
He picked up the logging axe, tapping lightly with the axe's back on the baked, hardened, and browned mud shell.
"Crack, crack..." The mud shell responded by splitting open, revealing the tin foil inside, slightly charred from baking.
He tore open the tin foil, releasing a rich aroma that flooded the stone shelter almost tangibly!
Once completely removing the mud shell and tin foil, a golden-yellow, shiny roast chicken with an enticing luster was revealed in front of him!
Thanks to the foil's protection, the chicken skin wasn't burnt but roasted just right, displaying an appetizing caramel color.
First, he deeply inhaled the overwhelming fragrance, showing an expression of extreme satisfaction on his face, then eagerly tore off a chicken leg with his hands.
"Hiss—so hot!"
Scalded, he grimaced, but uncaring, he quickly switched the chicken leg between his hands, blew on it, and then took a big bite!
"Mmm—!"
Lin Yu'an's eyes widened in shock as he was rendered speechless by the extraordinary flavor.
The chicken inside was overwhelmingly tender, separating from the bone with a gentle press of teeth, bursting with juicy goodness in his mouth, mixed with the complex aroma of the marinade, instantly captivating his taste buds!
"So... so delicious!"
Lin Yu'an mumbled praises, his mouth glistening with oil, though his eating manner was somewhat untidy.
But the genuine enjoyment from the heart couldn't be hidden no matter what.
In no time, he devoured the chicken leg clean, even savoring the bones meticulously, sucking the remaining juices and flavors.
"You can't imagine how tender and flavorful this chicken is!"
After devouring most of the "called Flower Chicken," Lin Yu'an finally gazed at the grouse Jerusalem artichoke soup, bubbling away for a long time on the stove.
He ladled a bit with a wooden spoon, golden chicken fat floating atop, exuding the freshness of chicken and the special sweetness of Jerusalem artichoke.
He blew on it before cautiously taking a sip.
"Mmm—!"
The soup was rich and sweet, with the chicken's essence fully integrated into it, while the Jerusalem artichoke, after prolonged boiling, became soft, melted in the mouth, perfectly balancing the chicken soup's richness!
Although there's still a slight hint of wild game odor, apart from this one flaw, the soup's taste is otherwise impeccable!
Scooping up a piece of stewed, tender chicken, it almost needed no chewing, dissolving on the tongue, leaving behind a mouthful of savory goodness.
After fully satiating himself with this lavish meal, Lin Yu'an didn't immediately rest.
The remaining Flower Chicken and grouse soup were carefully covered with a clay pot lid, stored away, intended as food for tomorrow.
Then, his attention turned to the intestines he deliberately saved while processing the grouse—primarily the chicken liver, gizzard, heart, and some trimmed off chicken bones with a bit of meat.
"These excellent ingredients can't be wasted."
Lin Yu'an picked up those cleaned intestines, displaying them before the camera.
"Though in civilized society, some may dislike animal organs, out in the wild, these are valuable sources of protein and fat; however, I've eaten enough today, so I have other plans for these intestines."
He wasn't planning on cooking and eating these intestines directly but intended to use them as bait for traps.
He first sliced the relatively tender intestines like chicken liver and heart into small pieces using a multifunction knife.
"These fresh intestines naturally emit a strong gamey odor, which is quite attractive to many carnivorous or omnivorous small animals."
"To boost the lure's attraction, a little processing is in order."
Lin Yu'an retrieved a small amount of beaver fat, placing it on a small clay plate, slowly heating it over the fire pit's embers to melt it into clear oil.
The cut chicken intestine pieces were poured into the melted beaver oil, gently stirring with a wooden stick, coating each piece of intestine and bone evenly with a layer of oil.
"Coating with animal fat can make the lure scent stronger and spread farther, forming a protective layer to slow down intestine decay."
"The fat itself is also a high-energy substance craved by many animals."
He stored the prepared bait in a space to prevent overwhelming smells affecting him and to avoid prematurely attracting unwanted visitors.
After completing all this, he tidied up the shelter briefly, then climbed into the sleeping bag for a restful sleep.