Pheasant........ideas please

Toddy

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Jan 21, 2005
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HWMBLT took the goretex trousers I'd altered round to our friendly neighbourhood poacher a couple of hours ago. Kind of repayment for last nights goose roast that was his dinner tonight, tomorrow and maybe Sunday lunch too
rolleyes.gif


Anyhow, our FNP had been beating today and is home with a brace of still warm pheasants...........one of which is now cooling in our shed
rolleyes.gif


Hang it (and if so for how long) or not ? Himself brought home the Hen.

I get fed up cooking things the same way all the time, it's good to hear other ideas.

cheers,
Toddy
 

Leonidas

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Oct 13, 2008
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As a rule of thumb between 2 days (Warm weather) and three weeks (Cold weather)

It is down to personal taste how long, but common sense should prevail i.e. do not hang for 3 weeks in hot weather, all you;ll do is feed the maggots.

Tom
 

widu13

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Feb 9, 2008
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Ubique Quo Fas Et Gloria Ducunt
If you like it gamey hand for at least a week in winter- my uncle knows his is ready when he has to pick the maggots out! I prefer it just 24-48 hrs (summer/winter) which is just fine for me.
 

Toddy

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Jan 21, 2005
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Y'know, he'd like that :D
He prefers his curry on the mild and sweet side, and really likes parsnips as a veggie.

Cheers Rob :)

atb,
M
 

Aaron

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Dec 28, 2003
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I personally cant stand the 'gamey' taste that comes with hanging meet, I prefer eating pheasant fresh, the downside is that it can be dry and tough if not cooked properly. If you are going to roast it, keep basting it with loads and loads of fat. Better to casserole it really.
 

Toddy

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Jan 21, 2005
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S. Lanarkshire
That used to be one of the main reasons for letting meat hang really. Still good advice.

Has anyone heard of burying them ? It's still done on some of the islands where people harvest young seabirds. Gugga they're called when they're done like that.
I remember my Grandmother telling my Mother just to bury a couple of grouse a good 18" down, and they wouldn't spoil for a week or so until she got time to deal with them. We were awash with salmon that year and no one wanted to waste that, then a family friend brought in the grouse.
I've wondered occasionally if it would work better than hanging in the open since technically it's less open to air, bacteria, etc.,

cheers,
Toddy
 

harlequin

Full Member
Aug 8, 2004
157
2
UK
How about.....

Grilled Pheasant Poppers --



INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 pounds pheasant breast
1 (4 ounce) jar sliced jalapeno peppers
12 slices bacon, cut into thirds
6 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 20 minutes
36 toothpicks



DIRECTIONS
Cut the pheasant breast into 36 pieces, and place into a bowl. Pour the liquid from the jalapeno peppers over the pheasant, stir, and set aside to marinate for 20 minutes.
Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat, and lightly oil the grate.
Drain the marinade from the pheasant and discard. Place a slice of jalapeno pepper onto each piece of pheasant breast, and wrap with a third of a strip of bacon. Skewer 6 of the pheasant pieces on each skewer.
Cook on the preheated grill, turning frequently, until the bacon is crispy, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the skewers from the pheasant pieces, and place a toothpick into each piece to serve.


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^…


Easy Pheasant Casserole --



INGREDIENTS
1 (6 ounce) package dry bread stuffing mix
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/2 cups hot water
1 (10.5 ounce) can chicken gravy
1 pound cooked pheasant, cubed
1 (16 ounce) package frozen mixed vegetables
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme



DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large bowl, combine the seasoning packet from the stuffing mix with the butter and water. Stir in the stuffing crumbs until all the liquid is absorbed.
In a separate 2 quart casserole dish, combine the gravy, pheasant, vegetables and thyme. Stir all together well , then spoon the stuffing mix over the top.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.



Braised Lemon Pheasant --



INGREDIENTS
2 pheasants, rinsed, patted dry, and cut into pieces
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour for dredging
1/4 cup butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed beef broth
1 1/4 cups water



DIRECTIONS
Season pheasant with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour, and shake off excess.
Melt butter in a large, heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear pheasant pieces until well browned. Stir in garlic, and cook for a few seconds until fragrant. Pour in lemon juice, beef broth, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the pheasant is tender, about 1 hour.
 

Nonsuch

Life Member
Sep 19, 2008
1,862
1
Scotland, looking at mountains
Hello Toddy

Hang two weeks, then cut the pheasants open with scissors. Cut out breasts and legs with the same. Sounds Philistine but it works ! Don't bother plucking them - nightmare !

Then follow options given above - casserole, pan fried, wrapped in bacon and baked. It's quite dry meat so it needs sympathetic treatment. Next time if he can nobble a brace of partridge they are MUCH more tasty.

NS
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
39,133
4,810
S. Lanarkshire
Cheers for the suggestions :D

Partridges he had last week, HWMBLT is thoroughly spoiled just now :rolleyes:
So's the moggie on the scraps :)

What went wrong with the curry Fred ? :confused:


atb,
M
 

fred gordon

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 8, 2006
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Aberdeenshire
What went wrong with the curry Fred ?

Well, Toddy it was just too gamey. The strongish meat of the pheasant just didn't go with the spices of the curry. Maby just my bad cooking but I've never tried it again. Know a friend who tried a grouse curry once. Same effect.:lmao:
 

Toddy

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Jan 21, 2005
39,133
4,810
S. Lanarkshire
Ah, got you :)

I don't eat meat. I just cook it for HWMBLT, and the cat :D
I kind of rely on others and the Scottish Women's Rural, *cookbook* and a few family receipts. It very rarely fails thankfully.

Okay, I think I'm going to open up the skin tomorrow and strip out the breast meat, and since this is a young looking hen, I think I might remove the thighs too.
If I slice them in 5mm slices and fry them in butter, put them in an ashet and just cover them with seasoned red wine, put it into the oven and poach until throughly cooked (HWMBLT does not eat 'pink' meat :rolleyes:) Roast the parsnips and serve it with potato hedgehogs and some damson jelly.
Do you think that would do ?

cheers,
Toddy
 

Chris the Cat

Full Member
Jan 29, 2008
2,850
14
Exmoor
I brown mine off and bung 'em in a casserole!
(My lab,Hennie keeps me in 'winged' birds this time of year!)
Tho. heart and liver,quickly fried off are the cooks treat!
C da C.
 

tobes01

Full Member
May 4, 2009
1,911
45
Hampshire
Got a couple of brace in the garage after today's shoot. Going to fry the breasts up with a few 'shrooms, cream, brandy and black pepper. Only takes a few mins, and completely delicious.
 

Jaysurfer

Settler
Dec 18, 2008
590
0
Somerset, UK
I had Pheasent this week...

I took the breast and shallow fried them, then let stand/put in oven on low heat to keep warm.
I tehn fried (in the same pan) sliced apples and hazlenut mushrooms with some butter once cooked i added a glass of cider and 3 dsp of creme freche.

I then sliced the breasts and re-added them to the pan. Let it all mix for 2 mins and served with fresh cooked pasta and bread.

It was bootiful.......................
 

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