Easiest tastiest way to cook pheasant

SimpleSimon

Well-Known Member
Hi all,
I've been given a brace of pheasant by my father in law via his retired keeper friend. I've eaten it a few times, but never cooked it. It's a bit of a novelty and a treat for us (no way I'm paying supermarket prices for it!) so I want it right first time. What's best for a traditional Sunday roast type result?
Hints, tips, dos, don'ts?
 
I always brine my pheasant before roasting. Assuming they're plucked and ready to go, dissolve half a cup of plain table salt in hot water. Add a couple of tablespoons of brown sugar, some garlic & a crushed star anise & peppercorns. (you can add rosemary, thyme, bayleaf or any other herbs you like too) Make the volume up to half a gallon or so with cold water. Make sure the brine's chilled, then add the birds & make sure they're submerged for at least 6 hours (overnight is better)

Then just roast them at around 180C for half an hour (check & give them a wee bit longer if they need it, until the juices run clear). The brine will reduce the standard cooking time, but also keep the birds beautifully-moist :thumb:
 
plucking pheasants is tricky and a chore,
I usually rip the skin off ,cut out the breasts and legs
check for lead shot
cook with bacon covered with foil,
or cook as "cock au vin"
 
plucking pheasants is tricky and a chore

Do you scald them first? Dip them in 70C water for half a minute prior to plucking them if you've never tried it. The feathers more or less just 'rub' off. Once you try it you'll never go back :thumb:
 
I'm another one that has a hard time plucking them (although I haven't yet tried the scalding trick).

Anyway, I usually just put the breasts and legs through a meat grinder and make a terrine (dried cranberries and pecans go nicely, as do dried apricots and pistachios).

Cheers,
Jeff.
 
Butter, bacon, oven.
well said just about to put a couple in the oven . not for more than 40 mins though plenty of salt on the top makes a tasty crispy skin.keep coverd for the first 30 min then uncover to get that crispy skin hot oven all the way
 
well said just about to put a couple in the oven . not for more than 40 mins though plenty of salt on the top makes a tasty crispy skin.keep coverd for the first 30 min then uncover to get that crispy skin hot oven all the way

Sounds like a winner, I'll give it a go!
 
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