I regularly cook pheasant and duck and have settled on the following recipes as being the most delicious, both slow cooked. I haven't adapted these to cooking over an open fire yet, as the cooking times would take a lot of firewood - maybe the haybox method would be the way forward. So still some experimentation to be done there!!
I do all my game bird cooking in a casserole that can be used on the hob or in the oven and has a lid. Both recipes are good with roast potatoes and vegetables, as well as your choice of jellies and sauces. Extra gravy is not needed, as the juices from the cooking are excellent.
Pheasant
Fry some onions in oil. Fry the whole pheasant in with the onions so the outside is browned. Pour in a can of cider, crumble in a chicken oxo cube, stir. Add a couple of chopped apples (not the peels or the core) - Braeburn, Coxes or Granny Smiths would all be good in season. You might need to add some water - it should come at least half way up the pheasant when it's lying on it's back. Turn the pheasant so it's lying on it's side. Put the lid on and place in the oven at a low temp - gas 3 - for 2 or 3 hours until the pheasant is falling off the bone tender. Turn the pheasant half way through the cooking time, if you remember. (If not, it doesn't seem to matter, although it helps a bit with keeping it moist. I'm a bit lazy and tend to just lie it on its back and not bother with turning it.)
Take the pheasant out and keep it warm. Simmer the apple sauce mixture that's left in the casserole until it's about the right amount for a bit less than a pint of gravy (as much as you think, really - can't go very wrong here!). Add as much salt and pepper as you like - taste it to see. Add a dollop or two of creme fraiche and stir, pour over the pheasant meat and serve. Best with roast potatoes (I like maris piper) and a selection of lovely fresh vegetables.
Duck
I adapted the pheasant recipe to get this duck one - but it does taste very different and the gravy makes the most delicious gravy bread!
Fry some roughly chopped onions in oil. Fry the whole duck in with the onions so the outside is browned. Pour in a can of guiness or other bitter, crumble in a beef oxo cube, stir. You might need to add some water - the liquid should come at least half way up the duck when it's lying on it's back. Turn the duck so it's lying on it's side. Put the lid on and place in the oven at a low temp - gas 3 - for 2 or 3 hours until the duck is falling off the bone tender. Turn the duck half way through the cooking time, if you remember. (If not, it doesn't seem to matter much, although it helps a bit with keeping it moist.)
Take the duck out and keep it warm. Simmer the gravy that's left in the casserole. Use cornflour to thicken (mix a tablespoon full with cold water, then add to the gravy and stir) and add some juices from the fresh vegetables if you boil them. I've done this with Cranberry sauce and bread sauce and both made for excellent accompaniments.
If anyone else has come up with favourite game bird recipes or accompaniments, I'd love to hear them, and maybe give them a go myself!
I do all my game bird cooking in a casserole that can be used on the hob or in the oven and has a lid. Both recipes are good with roast potatoes and vegetables, as well as your choice of jellies and sauces. Extra gravy is not needed, as the juices from the cooking are excellent.
Pheasant
Fry some onions in oil. Fry the whole pheasant in with the onions so the outside is browned. Pour in a can of cider, crumble in a chicken oxo cube, stir. Add a couple of chopped apples (not the peels or the core) - Braeburn, Coxes or Granny Smiths would all be good in season. You might need to add some water - it should come at least half way up the pheasant when it's lying on it's back. Turn the pheasant so it's lying on it's side. Put the lid on and place in the oven at a low temp - gas 3 - for 2 or 3 hours until the pheasant is falling off the bone tender. Turn the pheasant half way through the cooking time, if you remember. (If not, it doesn't seem to matter, although it helps a bit with keeping it moist. I'm a bit lazy and tend to just lie it on its back and not bother with turning it.)
Take the pheasant out and keep it warm. Simmer the apple sauce mixture that's left in the casserole until it's about the right amount for a bit less than a pint of gravy (as much as you think, really - can't go very wrong here!). Add as much salt and pepper as you like - taste it to see. Add a dollop or two of creme fraiche and stir, pour over the pheasant meat and serve. Best with roast potatoes (I like maris piper) and a selection of lovely fresh vegetables.
Duck
I adapted the pheasant recipe to get this duck one - but it does taste very different and the gravy makes the most delicious gravy bread!
Fry some roughly chopped onions in oil. Fry the whole duck in with the onions so the outside is browned. Pour in a can of guiness or other bitter, crumble in a beef oxo cube, stir. You might need to add some water - the liquid should come at least half way up the duck when it's lying on it's back. Turn the duck so it's lying on it's side. Put the lid on and place in the oven at a low temp - gas 3 - for 2 or 3 hours until the duck is falling off the bone tender. Turn the duck half way through the cooking time, if you remember. (If not, it doesn't seem to matter much, although it helps a bit with keeping it moist.)
Take the duck out and keep it warm. Simmer the gravy that's left in the casserole. Use cornflour to thicken (mix a tablespoon full with cold water, then add to the gravy and stir) and add some juices from the fresh vegetables if you boil them. I've done this with Cranberry sauce and bread sauce and both made for excellent accompaniments.
If anyone else has come up with favourite game bird recipes or accompaniments, I'd love to hear them, and maybe give them a go myself!