Beautiful Pheasant Hen - Roadkill Meal

[Nightwalker]

On the way home from work yesterday I noticed a beautiful pheasant-hen that was lying in the middle road and looked intact, I pulled over to check it out (for a possible meal). As I walked over I discovered it was still alive, badly concussed and with a badly broken wing it was suffering so I rung its neck, paid some respect to the animal and took it home.

I have not yet tried pheasant, but this would be the third that I had skinned. Again following the superb guide of the BushcraftUK Magazine I skinned the bird with greater ease than my previous two. I think the bird being still warm made it much easier than the other pheasants I have skinned in the past. Nearly everything went so easily I was proud and the produce was better than that I got from a previous cock-pheasant.

The only thing I couldn't master was removing the lower leg and tendons with it, to pull the tendons from out of the meat. I could snap both of the lower leg joints but couldnt pull the tendons out with all my strength Im a strong lad normally so there must be some technique im missing. So this will be the first time I will try pheasant and I will be on the look out for nice recipes, any recommendations are greatly appreciated.

 

[Buckshot]

Gald you enjoyed the tutorial NW.
To be honest I don't normally bother with taking the tendons out like that either. I think the pheasant is small enough that you don't have to worry about it.
Anything much bigger than that and it's probably worth having a go at though (turkey, goose etc)
The best way I found was to break the bone slightly above the joint and bend it through 90 degrees so you end up with a T handle.
Wedge this in some immovable object like a door jam or tie it to a sturdy post or something.
Then use your weight and pull............. and pull....
Don't jerk if you can avoid it, you'll damage the meat.
It seems like nothing happens but then all of a sudden it goes and you end up on your back!

Well done though and glad it's been made easier

Mark

 

[andyn]

Well its the right time of year for it....so I would recommend Pheasant with Wild Mushroom sauce.

Dice the pheasant and fry it up with some onion in a deep frying pan or saute pan.
Add the mushrooms
Add some brandy and cream or mushroom soup.
Season to taste

Serve on a bed of wild rice. Perfection! yummy

 

[Nightwalker]

Thanks for the recommendation, unfortunatly I'll be missing the wild'mushrooms etc. for tonight, I've printed off five different recipes; I'll nip in Morrisons on the way home and see what other ingredients I can forage from those urban iles.

 

[TobyH]

Personally I'd roast it like chicken, you'll get the full flavour of the bird, especially if you've not eaten one before. Have the other bits on the side for sure.

I'm jealous!!

 

[Paganwolf]

Im not a fan of roast Pheasant, its very dry unless you cover it with bacon and cover it with foil and add a little stock to the roasting tray, apart from that its dry as old buggery by the time its cooked through, pretty dry and lean are Pheasants.
Id skin and draw it section it up put it in a casarole dish (or Pressure cooker fror a quicker cook / slow cooker for longer cook) add some chicken or veg stock and a 1/2 pint of cider (or wine enough to well cover the meat) and slow cook it for about 1 1/4 hr then add some nice root veggies plenty of (and a couple of cloves of garlic if you like it) , and salt n pepper and cook for another 3/4's to an hour till veggies are done, pour off the stock (and lid the meat and veg to prevent drying) and thicken slightly with corn flour and a little butter in a sauce pan and reduce for a bit( taste and season accordingly), but if you like thin gravy dont, put all the meat and veg in a nice crock pot and pour back over the sauce when you put the veggies in put some roast potatoes on too. As for the tendons pull them out with pliers mate or wait till its cooked how ever you cook it and do it before you plate the dish up they slide out easily. Errr round to yours for dinner then is it?

 

[Paganwolf]

Well its the right time of year for it....so I would recommend Pheasant with Wild Mushroom sauce.

Dice the pheasant and fry it up with some onion in a deep frying pan or saute pan.
Add the mushrooms
Add some brandy and cream or mushroom soup.
Season to taste

Serve on a bed of wild rice. Perfection! yummy

Bunny's nice like that too Andy

 

[Chris G]

ISTR that you can wind the tendons out of the legs somehow - it was on the old C4 River cottage web page.... Probably worth another look.

Chris

 

[andyn]

Bunny's nice like that too Andy

Nice one matey. Will give it a try. :You_Rock_

 

[Nightwalker]

Thanks for the input guys. I've enjoyed the bird this evening for the first time. For those who are interested I have posted the recipe I used below. Unfortunatly the super-market only had smoked-bacon left, so I couldnt get the plain I wanted. We had roasties, carrots, peas & the apple & sauce from the pot. I enjoyed it and look forward to trying some of the new things suggested, Thanks.

Pot roast pheasant (gypsy style) for two

Ingredients:

* 1 hen pheasant (if you only have an old cock it’s worth marinating the bird in olive oil, lemon juice and white wine overnight)
* 2 slices of white doughy bread to line the base of the casserole (crusts removed)
* 1 bramley cooking apple or two eating apples and ½ a lemon
* 6 slices of streaky bacon
* 1 large glass of white wine (150ml)
* 3-4 of sprigs of thyme (9-12 seperate twigs)
* 1 slug of brandy
* Parsley to garnish

Method:

Pre heat oven to 160c (140c fan)
Ideally you have an oval casserole and aluminium foil

1. Layer the base of the casserole with the slices of bread.
2. If using a cooking apple: Quarter the apple and remove the core (no need to peel the apple). Put half the apple, quartered again into the cavity of the pheasant. Chop the remaining half and scatter over the bread.
If using eating apples: Chop one apple and press it into the cavity. Chop the other apple and scatter over the bread base.
3. Chop three of the streaky bacon slices and scatter over the bread.
4. If using eating apples: squeeze the lemon juice over the pheasant and rub in. Halve the squeezed lemon and place in the cavity of the bird.
5. remove the woody bits from the thyme and scatter the leaves and soft stems onto the layer of bread. Place the three remaining slices of bacon over the breast of the bird and carefully place it breast down on the layer of bread.
6. Pour the glass of wine over the bird.
7. Put a piece of foil under the casserole lid to make a tight seal. Place in the centre of the preheated oven for 1.5 hours. Check to see how tender the bird is, using a fork. Bake for a further 15-20 minutes if necessary until very tender.
8. Adjust the oven temperature 180c (160c fan) and turn the bird over, breast up. Return the casserole (without lid) to the oven to brown the bird for ten minutes.
9. When it’s cooked splash on a glug of cooking brandy and replace the lid.
10. Allow to stand in a warm place whilst you prepare your vegetables: mini roast potatoes, carrots and peas are ideal.
11. Remove the pheasant to a warm place and stir your sauce well before serving.

Serve the bread, bacon and apple sauce on each plate with the pheasant, sprinkled with torn parsley leaves. We also serve the apple from inside the bird as an instant apple sauce.

Source : http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/?p=167