Green Fat on a Pheasant

[a1baz]

Skinned 3 pheasants today which had been hung in a shed since Monday. On one of them the fat was quite green. I've never seen green fat on birds before, doesn't look too apetising, any thoughts?

 

[bobt]

its been warm, too warm to hang birds more than a day or two.

 

[Dalua]

I do not like green pheasant fat.
I do not like it in a hat. I do not like it on the mat.
I would not feed to to the cat; you've hung the birds too long for that.
I do not like green pheasant fat.

 

[Alantoo]

According to the author of the cook book "One for the pot" it is the fat under the skin on pheasants that can give it the nasty flavours.

I have always followed his advice and skinned them and removed all that fat, replacing it with bacon if cooking the bird whole. We rarely do that...usually just skin the breast and take those off for casseroles and stir fry, and take the legs and thighs for the dogs.

If the fat is green and slimy and smells, we chuck the bird...it is cheap meat and not worth any risk. Don't like it gamey, so that helps make us get our act together and do them sooner rather than later.

Alan

 

[Alantoo]

I do not like green pheasant fat.
I do not like it in a hat. I do not like it on the mat.
I would not feed to to the cat; you've hung the birds too long for that.
I do not like green pheasant fat.

Nice one!

A farmer friend of my father's always hung the birds until they fell to the floor when the necks gave out...he reckoned they were about right then...revolting, virtually liquid inside...

Alan

 

[Kjf]

its been warm, too warm to hang birds more than a day or two.

Correct,

kjf

 

[Legolas]

I do not like green pheasant fat.
I do not like it in a hat. I do not like it on the mat.
I would not feed to to the cat; you've hung the birds too long for that.
I do not like green pheasant fat.

Ive heard it's very good with green eggs and ham.

Well done sir, very clever!

 

[TURNBOLT]

seen grouse hung until magots were droping out of them,the boss who they were for,said they wer lovely to eat!

 

[Pedro]

Personal preference, I guess. The more they hang, the more the muscles break down in the meat so the tenderer it is, but the taste gets more intense (gamey). Most good quality beef is hung for 21 days though. But there's a limit to how long I'd hang pheasants. The weather we've had this winter so far has been much too warm. Although we've had wind and lashings of rain, the temperature has often been in double figures, even up north. So these days, I usually do them the next day, and that's only because I'll be too knackered the day I've been out shooting.

 

[Alantoo]

The 21 day beef would be hanging in a chill room rather than a shed though, so the unseasonal temperature makes no difference. Pheasants, even with their guts left in would presumably not rot so fast if they were in a chiller

I do have a drinks chiller a few miles away at the studio which runs at 4˚C for the deer and base time in that by the 40 degree day formula. 40 days at 1 degree or 10 days at 4 degrees. etc. I should maybe make some hooks to hang the birds in that...maybe next season when it will be by the house.

Currently we hang the pheasants in a chalet style shed. The ones we had today will be dealt with when we come back from beating tomorrow.

Alan

 

[Monkey Spanker]

The small game required temperature is 4 degrees
MS

 

[Heym SR20]

Pheasants - I cut the breasts out as soon as I get home with them. I hate them hung - probably a throw back to having to deal with them as a boy at my grandparents. They too were ready when they fell on the floor. My preference for phaesant is a strong curry.

 

[TA6319]

I have been known to hang pheasants for a week or more, usually when I have forgot they are in the shed, on the plus side they take less to chew

 

[baguio]

You're running the risk of them getting fly blown and even riddled with maggots let alone having them rot if you leave them in the shed this year . Crazy weather for January!

 

[Psyxologos]

A farmer friend of my father's always hung the birds until they fell to the floor when the necks gave out...he reckoned they were about right then...revolting, virtually liquid inside...

Alan

I knew a keeper who did this, but I used to avoid anything he cooked. I hang mine for a week in a cool, dry place