SC - Pheasant

[Philippa Alderton]

Pheasant is a very dry bird- as a general rule, using a wet-heat method of
cooking is best. Avoid applying either alcohol or salt while cooking- both
will dry it out, making it rather chewy, at best ;-)

That said, the easiest method is braising it. Depending on the temp you put
it at, about an hour will do.

Frying it, as you'd do good Southern Fried Chicken also works well- the
trick here is to use a good coating, and put it in very hot oil.

If you want to roast it, you need to either lard it or bard it, meaning, lay
bacon or fatback strips across the breast while roasting, or take strips of
fat and lace it through the flesh- about 45 minutes will do this at 350
degrees.

I'm assuming here, that you have an adult male bird- the females are a bit
smaller, and would take a shorter cooking time. One bird will make two
servings for most people, but when I get my hands on one, it seems to make
one small serving ;-)

James Beard says the following, in his Fireside Cookbook:

Western-style Sauteed Pheasant with Cream gravy

Pheasant
Flour
Salt and pepper
8 slices bacon
3 T flour
2 c rich milk (I'd use half and half)

Cut pheasant into convenient serving pieces. Dredge with flour, salt, and
pepper. Fry bacon in an iron skillet until crisp. Remove the bacon to a hot
plate and place the pieces of the pheasant in the hot fat. Brown quickly on
both sides, salt and pepper to taste, reduce heat. Cover the skillet and
simmer for 20 minutes, turning once during cooking.

Remove the pieces, then add the flour to the pan and blend well with the fat
and juice from the pheasant. Add the milk slowly, stirring constantly- stir
until the mixture thickens. Salt and pepper to taste, pass the sauce in a
gravy boat. He also suggests that mashed potatoes and buttered cabbage are
good with this, w/biscuits and honey, I'd tend to want a light soup or a
salad, with wild rice and some fresh greens.

Braised Pheasant with Saurkraut

1 or 2 pheasants
2 lbs saurkraut
2 c broth
1 c white wine
Juniper berries
1/2 t caraway seeds
1/2 c butter or other fat
Salt and pepper

Drain saurkraut and place in a deep earthen vessel (Phlip's note- avoid
cooking saurkraut in steel or aluminum- rather than an earthen vessel, a
non-stick coated Dutch oven, or a porcelain lined pot will work) Add broth,
wine, a few juniper berries, and caraway seeds. Cover and simmer for one
hour. Brown the pheasant on all sides in butter or other fat. Salt and
pepper to taste, then place in the casserole with the saurkraut. Cover and
bake at 350 about 35-45 minutes. Suggests serving on a platter with the
saurkraut and fried hominy squares.

Broiled young pheasant.

Tender young pheasant may be split and broiled. The broiling time should be
15 to 18 minutes. Butter the breasts well and baste frequently while
broiling, or you'll get a dry-meated bird. Salt and pepper to taste.

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That said, I have a few preferences, which I'll share, but use your own
judgement.

Most recipes I've found use heavy sides- usually potatoes and cruciferous
vegetables- and I suspect that's because most pheasant seasons open in the
fall, so they're wanting to give you stick-to-your-ribs type of fare. I've
found that I prefer pheasant with lighter, sweeter sides, such as the peach
sauce you mentioned, as long as it isn't heavily sugared. A light soup,
basicly a broth and veggie type, a goos salad, then gently cooked greens and
a pasta work fine, with perhaps a sherbet for a dessert. I also make a
fruited pasta (recipe follows- I'm no spoon tease ;-) which I like to serve
with game meats, because the meats themselves tend to be rather heavy and
the sides ameliorate that a bit. OTOH, if you live somewher, for the extra
heat generation.

Fruited Pasta

Pasta
Fresh fruit- apples, pears, apricots, peaches, like that.
Spices (curry powder, if you have a good one, a bit of cinnamon, a dash of
mace, a bit of white pepper)

Cook pasta (If it's long like a spaghetti, break into 3 or 4 inch pieces-
don't use the tiny ones like orzo) as per instructions.

Peel and cut up fruit(s), cook until soft in 50/50 mix of white wine and
water- just enough so it doesn't burn. Remove from heat, and either blend or
mash to preferred texture (it's great whether chunky or pureed- your
preference). Toss with pasta and serve as a side.


Phlip

Nolo disputare, volo somniare et contendere, et iterum somniare.

phlip at morganco.net

Philippa Farrour
Caer Frig
Southeastern Ohio

"All things are poisons.  It is simply the dose that distinguishes between a
poison and a remedy." -Paracelsus

"Oats -- a grain which in England sustains the horses, and in
Scotland, the men." -- Johnson

"It was pleasant to me to find that 'oats,' the 'food of horses,' were
so much used as the food of the people in Johnson's own town." --
Boswell

"And where will you find such horses, and such men?" -- Anonymous