Other uses for Pheasant...

[PaulSanderson]

Hello all...

..was out for a rough shoot on the farm today and bagged a lovely cock pheasant. Now I have shot loads over the years, and apart from using the crown and legs (and keeping tail feathers for those that have asked for them) everything else gets wasted. I was wondering what other folk use the rest for? Dog food?

I was going to put this in the lovely grub section, but as im not talking about game prep/cooking i thought maybe it was better of in here - if its wrong please feel free to move it Mods.

Cheers in advance...

 

[blacktimberwolf]

What do you mean by " apart from using the crown and legs,everything else gets wasted."...don't you eat the bird ?...........if not then once you've removed the shot then dogs would love it.....raw of course






Thankyou mods......I see the smilies & icons are back......

 

[PaulSanderson]

yeah of course i eat the bird...once the crown and legs are off theres not much left to eat as far as im aware. The livers will sometimes get used in a pate or the dogs get them. What im talking about is the remaining innards, wings, head, bones etc...

 

[Nonsuch]

No I have always done as you do - crown and legs. Would be interested to hear from others.

 

[shaggystu]

never tried it myself but i'd imagine that a pheasant carcass would make a great rich stock, just put it in a pan with some carrot, onion, celery, and some herbs and let it simmer away for a while, strain it through a seive and job's a good 'un. i'd bet that it'd make great gravy. failing that you could always just roast it and then hang it out for the blue tits to peck at, they'd thank you if they could

 

[santaman2000]

Can the feathers be used to tie flies? Speaking of fishing uses, might any of the innards be used as bait? For fin fish or crawfish?

 

[mountainm]

Offal for crayfish maybe - don't think our resident preds (pike, perch, Zander) would go for it though maybe worth a try but I'd bet on a dead fish myself.

 

[PaulSanderson]

ah good call on the bait for crayfish - never thought of that. We have loads of signal crays in a stream that runs through the farm that NEED to go! only once the official licence has been applied for of course! haha

I imagine the feathers could be tied for flies but im no angler - if anyone wants some (except the tail feathers as theyre claimed).

 

[Rod Paradise]

never tried it myself but i'd imagine that a pheasant carcass would make a great rich stock, just put it in a pan with some carrot, onion, celery, and some herbs and let it simmer away for a while, strain it through a seive and job's a good 'un. i'd bet that it'd make great gravy. failing that you could always just roast it and then hang it out for the blue tits to peck at, they'd thank you if they could

That was the first thing I thought of - great stock especially if they're wild reared pheasant (ie not having lived on a diet of corn in the runup to the shoot) - the flavour will all come through in the stock.

 

[PaulSanderson]

its definitly wild, we dont raise them on the farm...we have loads of them here. Usually I can easily spot 10-15 from the comfort of my living room, to the paddock at the back of the house. I thought the stock would be extremely rich given the meat is richer than say chicken...might have to give this a go cheers...

 

[yomperalex]

I always make stock from the carcass, great in soup and casseroles.

Alex

 

[Bushwhacker]

I chuck it in for the ferrets.

 

[santaman2000]

Offal for crayfish maybe - don't think our resident preds (pike, perch, Zander) would go for it though maybe worth a try but I'd bet on a dead fish myself.

I asked because chicken livers are commonly used for catfish and crab bait here. I was thinking maybe carp and crawdads might also go for it.

 

[NS40]

The feathers are certainly very useful for fly fishing. Mostly the tail feathers, which can be used for the wonderful pheasant tailed nymph which is one of my favourite and most productive flies. There's a variety of other flies which incorporate the tail feathers but the rest of the feathers can also be used for a variety of flies whether dyed or natural.

 

[PaulSanderson]

might have to take this time to learn to tie flies then...tail feathers are going into someones hat band though...

 

[bushcraftbob]

I have used the wing feathers from the cockbird to fletch arrows before.

I also saw a christmas wreath last year with the tail feathers of a pheasant going around it - looked brilliant.

 

[lannyman8]

brown the bones off in a pan then add veg and brown again, add water and boil for 3-4 hours topping up from time to time, reduce to 1/4 the amount of liquid and you will have a wonderfull rich stock or ready made soup....

you can also add the neck liver kidneys heart feet to the stock so nothing is waisted, or save the livers and hearts in the freezer untill you have enough for a lunchtime snack, liver with worcester sauce sarnies nom nom nom...

as for the feathers, make a pillow...

 

[PaulSanderson]

cheers for all the info fellas...i'll try in future not to waste anything. I'll be sure to give the stock/soup ideas a go...just in time for the festive period too, theres gonna be some good eatin' in my house!!

 

[Dougster]

The stock is to die for, I have stopped chucking them in the ferrets as the little buggers always spread the feathers everywhere, you must be a more chilled chap that me BW.

 

[Harvestman]

Carcass makes a damn fine pheasant stew, with a few veg in there. Lots of bones to pull out, but it is worth it for the flavour.