NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?

Subject: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 29 Jan 01 - 11:54 AM

My son is bringing us three pheasants for dinner on Wednesday. I've got pheasant recipes, but they all call for wine or spirits, and he's a recovering alcoholic, so I need to avoid that. Yes, I could modify the recipes I found, but I thought I would ask if anyone has any favorite approaches to suggest.

And/or, does anyone have any suggestions for other elements of the festive meal that would particularly go with pheasant? I've been thinking asparagus, but am not locked into that.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: InOBU
Date: 29 Jan 01 - 11:57 AM

Look Dave, enough is enough. I think that just because Conrad is a loyalist, we needed constantly rib him. He has some good qualities, he likes funny cars. So enough of this cooking a Peasent stuff...
Larry

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: InOBU
Date: 29 Jan 01 - 11:57 AM

OH Pheasent... never mind...

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: MMario
Date: 29 Jan 01 - 11:59 AM

roasted, larded with bacon; and stuffed with a mix of long grain, wild rice and mushrooms.

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: Giac
Date: 29 Jan 01 - 12:02 PM

There's the dish that occurred when a truck loaded with green leafy material overturned on a farm worker ...

peasant under grass.

Sorry ~;o)

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: MMario
Date: 29 Jan 01 - 12:08 PM

or: cut into serving pieces. marinate overnight with 1/2 cup oragano, 6 cloves garlic (diced) 1/2 cup oil, 3/4 cup cider vinager, 1/2 cup each green olives and black olives, 1/4 cup capers; 1 cup prunes, 3 bay leaves. put pieces into a roasting pan in a single layer, filling in spaces with pieces of sweet potato (we use canned - but can use fresh peeled and cut). Sprinkle with i cup brown sugar. Pour marinade over and roast, uncovered, until tender.

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: Sorcha
Date: 29 Jan 01 - 12:34 PM

Pheasant is very dry and can be very tough. Definately bard, braise, or marinate. You can pressure cook it too, cut up just like a pressure cooked chicken. MMario's recipe sounds wonderful. Oh, and Dave, even if you use wine etc in the cooking, the alcohol all cooks out so all that is left is the flavor........it would be safe.

Wild rice or Uncle Ben's Wild and Long Grain with herbs, aspargus and hot bread.........ooooo yummy!!

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: Hollowfox
Date: 29 Jan 01 - 12:42 PM

Or you can substitute chicken broth for the alcohol. I've only had it roasted (yum), and if you pay attention to it, it shouldn't be to dry or tough.

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 29 Jan 01 - 01:35 PM

Sorry thought it said PEASANT!

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: MMario
Date: 29 Jan 01 - 01:40 PM

peasant should definatly be braised unless done luau style in a deep pit...

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: Grab
Date: 29 Jan 01 - 02:20 PM

Make sure your pheasant is well hung - they taste best that way...

On the alcohol side, you can get wine-replacement stuff which does just as well, which is a mixture of grape juice and red/wine grape vinegar. It's non-alcoholic, and unlike wine it can sit in a cupboard for months without going off (or being drunk either ;-) Have a look down the sauces section in your supermarket - over here it goes under the name "Bistro Chef" IIRC.

Grab.

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: Greyeyes
Date: 29 Jan 01 - 02:29 PM

A lot depends on the age and condition of the birds. Young birds not too mangled by shot and/or dogs are fine roasted traditionally and served with game chips, bread sauce and gravy made with the roasting juices, this is the classic English way of serving them.

If the birds are older than a couple of seasons, or have been chewed by dogs or are at all mangled, a casserole or pot-roast would be advisable, if you really want to avoid alcohol then a mixture of stock and fruit juice would be good, apple would work well. The classic French dish Pheasant Au Normande involves an apple, cream and calvados sauce, no reason why you couldn't leave the calvados out, but use a tart cooking apple, or it may be a bit sweet.

If you've any doubt about the age and condition of the birds, my preference would be to remove the breasts and serve them pan fried with a sauce, keep the other joints to casserole at a later date. It is quite difficult to roast a whole bird without either drying out the breast, or undercooking the thighs and legs.

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: Noreen
Date: 29 Jan 01 - 02:35 PM

The point of using wine (apart from the aesthetic reasons) is that alcohol acts as a tenderiser for what can be tough and dry meat. You could marinade (or MMarionade?) the bird overnight in red wine, and then cook in whatever way (those above have my mouth watering). The marinade , boiled vigorously until well reduced, would be the base for a wonderful sauce, and contain no alcohol. Mmmmmm!

Noreen

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: Greyeyes
Date: 29 Jan 01 - 02:45 PM

A fruit juice based marinade would, of course have a similar tenderising effect, the more acidic the fruit, the greater the effect.

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: GUEST,LynnT
Date: 29 Jan 01 - 04:22 PM

As an alternative to wine, try marinating in balsamic vinegar -- about 1/2 c to same of water per bird, marinating for at least 4 hours (overnight is better) then put marinade and birdies in a covered casserole with sliced onion, sliced carrots & parsnips, (pitted) prunes, dried apricots, and a dusting of ground ginger, pepper and garlic. Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour, then stir in sugar to taste. Thicken the broth with fine breadcrumbs.

This is a variant on a 15th-century Italian dish. Works beautifully with venison too, or pork loin. Just had it this weekend with venison.

Lynn

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: grumpy al
Date: 29 Jan 01 - 04:43 PM

Hi you've got some great recipes to choose from but a word of warning , from juanhoonose,the best way to prepare the bird is to skin it and then cover in streaky bacon as the fat layer under te skin of a pheasant can somtimes have a bitter taste the Grumps.

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: mousethief
Date: 29 Jan 01 - 05:03 PM

My dad was a mighty pheasant hunter at one time, and my mom had to find all sorts of different ways to prepare the things. The best was a thing called "pheasant Paprikas" which involved a HUGE amount of sweet paprika, onions, some broth, and cooking a long time. Just before serving you added a big dollop of sour cream. Serve over egg noodles. Fabulous.

I was the only kid at my Middle School who regularly brought Pheasant Salad Sandwiches in his brown-bag during hunting season.

Alex

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: GUEST,Ickle Dorritt
Date: 29 Jan 01 - 05:05 PM

and all the while it cooks you should chant those famous words 'I'm not a pheasant plucker I'm a pheasant plucker's son and i wont' stop plucking pheasants till the pheasant pluckings done!.'

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: Sorcha
Date: 29 Jan 01 - 06:49 PM

I have a few for goose, (roast, BBQ) but do you suppose these would work as well for goose? I know the marinades will. I've got 4 in the freezer.......(Kate will probably go to Burger King that nite, grin)

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: Gypsy
Date: 29 Jan 01 - 10:05 PM

Damn, ye beat me! I was gonna ask if you were a pheasant plucker! Anyway, if you want succulent bird...get a big glass hypodermic, and inject the hummer with butter. I use 1-2 pounds for turkey, would start with maybe 3/4 of a pound for a pheasant. Make sure you let it rest after roasting, so the butter doesn't all fall out. Best to use a bag.

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: MarkS
Date: 29 Jan 01 - 11:07 PM

Just one or two tips - if you choose to roast be sure to put the bird on a rack and have about 1-1.5 inches of water in the pan underneath. It can be tough and gamey, so you need to roast it with moisture in the oven so it will not dry out too much.
Also, try a lemon butter sauce thickened with arrowroot or cornstarch. Add garlic (lots if you are me) to taste and salt and pepper as well.
Enjoy
Mark

ps: Take care eating if the birds were taken by shotgun. Nothing can ruin your meal faster than biting down on some bits of birdshot overlooked when cleaning. In the old days when lead shot was used, it was not too bad but today with steel shot you might break a tooth!

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: GUEST,sooze(at work)
Date: 30 Jan 01 - 03:35 AM

Don't. Let it live in peace.

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: Llanfair
Date: 30 Jan 01 - 04:38 AM

What a useful thread!!! The lanes round here are full of pheasant, and they are so stupid it's only a matter of time before I run over one..........................
Cheers, Bron.

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: okthen
Date: 30 Jan 01 - 04:51 AM

Bron,

if you soak raisins in brandy, leave them in your garden for the pheasants to eat, wait untill they somewhat newtlike then go and pick them up. Not as messy as driving over them in a car

cheers

bill

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: InOBU
Date: 30 Jan 01 - 08:43 AM

Dear Sooze, if we don't eat pheasant they will grow as common as pidgions in New York, also refered to as winged rats. Unlike eating beef, which can scramble your brains in a number of places in the world, which as a result of industrial farming, has created environmental crises and mad cow desease, eating game is part of the communion of life which God in its infinate wisdom created.
To my game eating comrads a word of warning. The use of pesticides on lawns has put poisons in the meat of Geese, I beleive, as they feed on lawns here in the US, fly up to Canada, where Innu and other Natives eat them and Native friends are telling me that they are experincing odd illnesses which their grandparents never did... Also there was a report on the news last night of a mad cow like desease in American deer and elk... bummer.
the world is getting too effing filthy, isn't it?
Larry (who had a lovely venison and Yorkshire pud for Christmass dinner - cooked with a splash of cream sherry and smothered in Dijon mustered with big chunks of garlic stuffed into it... a bit of pork fat ontop for suiet...)

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: GUEST,Sooze (at work)
Date: 30 Jan 01 - 09:32 AM

I had a nut roast for my Christmas lunch - last year, the year before that and so on back for another 25 years. I'm not too concerned about what you do InOBU but my choice is to use no products from dead animals whether it to be to eat, to wear or to put on my skin. By the way - watch your fat intake wherever it comes from!

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: Midchuck
Date: 30 Jan 01 - 10:20 AM

The use of pesticides on lawns has put poisons in the meat of Geese, I beleive, as they feed on lawns here in the US, fly up to Canada, where Innu and other Natives eat them and Native friends are telling me that they are experincing odd illnesses which their grandparents never did... Also there was a report on the news last night of a mad cow like desease in American deer and elk... bummer. the world is getting too effing filthy, isn't it?

Most people in the world can't get the point that, since modern medicine has assured that the majority of children who are born survive to adulthood, and reproduce - which was not the case in primitive societies - they need to cut their breeding of children 'way back if we are to maintain a population level that the planet can sustain. I get the sense that nature, in her wisdom, is preparing to take care of the problem for us if we won't.

Unfortunately for us, all of us, equally, are part of the problem, even if we think of ourselves as environmentally aware and careful not to overconsume. Nature isn't keeping records on individuals....

Peter.

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: paddymac
Date: 30 Jan 01 - 01:27 PM

I've got a fierce hunger from just reading this thread. Dave, please let us know what you decided to do and how it worked out.

As to the alchohol question, it is true that alcohol cooks off quickly, but the fact that a dish had "wine" in it (irrespective of any remaining alcohol) can be a dangerous trigger for some people. It's best to avoid the potential problem by just avoiding the wine.

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: Mrrzy
Date: 30 Jan 01 - 01:29 PM

The thing about cooking with alcohol for alcoholics isn't that the alcohol cooks out, it's that the flavor stays in, and you don't feed nicotine-flavored stuff to someone trying to quit smoking. Also if they are on antabuse or something the vinegar (which is an alcohol) can make them really, really sick, we've done this before.

Also, if you have the chance to cook a whole animal, don't cut it up, whole animal is so much more fun. Although that paprikás recipe sounds great! Remember, don't let it boil again once the sour cream is in! And, if you use HOT paprika instead/in addition to sweet, you can use some sour cream on the side to cool it back down for the folks who can't handle hot...

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: Rowana (at work)
Date: 30 Jan 01 - 01:54 PM

Guest Sooze, would you kindly share your nut roast recipe? I'd like to try it.

Reen

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: Sooz
Date: 31 Jan 01 - 01:48 PM

Hi Reen - nut roast is not an exact science but try this: Chop an onion, some mushrooms and any other interesting veg you have and cook in a very small amount of water and a vegetable stock cube. (I do this in the microwave for about 5 minutes) Blitz 100g nuts (cashew are scrummy) and then add 100g wholemeal breadcrumbs, the cooked veg and an egg (omit if you want a vegan roast), blitz again until combined but not completely smooth. Add a little of the cooking stock if it is too dry. Put some whole nuts in the bottom of a microwavable container and add the nut mixtere - cook on full power for about 3 minutes. Turn out and finish off under the grill or in a hot oven for a few minutes to crisp up the outside. If you prefer to cook in the oven use a small loaf tin and bake for about 20 minutes at 180⁰ C. Hope you enjoy it!

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: mousethief
Date: 31 Jan 01 - 02:10 PM

Is "scrummy" good or bad?

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: GUEST,sooze(at
Date: 01 Feb 01 - 03:36 AM

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: GUEST,sooze (at work)
Date: 01 Feb 01 - 03:38 AM

Oops don't know what happened there. Mousethief - scrummy is good in the best Famous Five Tradition.

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: Crazy Eddie
Date: 01 Feb 01 - 06:31 AM

To Cook a Pheasant.
First, catch the pheasant.............

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 01 Feb 01 - 07:24 AM

To poach a pheasant, put some brandy-soaked raisins in a black cone...

Oh, wait, sorry. Cover the breast of the pheasant with fatty rashers (pheasant, unlike goose, is a dry bird), and stuff the inside with an onion spiked with about 20 cloves.

Put some water in a container in the oven to make sure the bird doesn't cook too dry. Cook it hot and fast.

It's nice served with rowan jelly (boil rowan berries with water, a sharp apple and sugar, then strain off and boil the liquid again) or with apple-and-onion sauce (cook chopped onions in butter till soft, add chopped apples and a teaspoon of red wine vinegar, cook till the mix is red and delicious-looking).

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 01 Feb 01 - 08:11 AM

Paddymac and anyone else who is interested:

Ah! A great dinner! I used GUEST LynnT's recipe, more or less. Couldn't get parsnips. I marinated in a mixture of "nonaloholic champagne" and wine vinegar, a little olive oil, and lots of garlic, for about six hours. Added onions, carrots, prunes, and Baked per the recipe at 350 for an hour. Thickened the sauce with commercial breadcrumbs.

Served with steamed asparagus in a lemon-butter sauce, and with herbed wild rice.

Then a nice salad of radicchio, spinach, oakleaf lettuce and cherry tomatoes, in a vinegar/oil/Dijon mustard dressing.

Dessert was a slice of imported Sienese pan forto, along with Irish Cream flavored coffee.

A great time was had by all, needless to say. SCrumptious!

DEBRIEFING: In retrospect, there were enough vegetables in the dish itself that I might well have done without the asparagus, wonderful as it was.

Thanx to all who offered advice!

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: MMario
Date: 01 Feb 01 - 08:47 AM

wow!~ Hey Dave, wanna cater the dinner at a Mudcat gathering sometime *drool,drool*

'scuse me. *

where's the bleedin' napkin when you need it?

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: Rowana (at work)
Date: 01 Feb 01 - 02:08 PM

Ta, Sooze, for the nut roast recipe. It sounds delish and I think even my old china (me want meat and potatoes!) might like it. It's difficult to shift him from meat to a veg diet.

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: mousethief
Date: 01 Feb 01 - 02:15 PM

So how was the texture? Tough, or tender? Inquiring minds want to know!

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 01 Feb 01 - 02:52 PM

Tender. These were young birds, probably not over 10 months old, and marinated to boot.

I had not mentioned before, but they were shot at a game farm near here. The pheasants are raised in captivity and released on the property in batches at hunting season.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: MMario
Date: 01 Feb 01 - 02:56 PM

Our neighbors used to raise pheasant. The pheasants were much better at escaping then the neighbors were at keeping them in; and both our dog and our cats were MUCH faster then the pheasants. It's amazing how fast a carnivore can devour it's prey!

Subject: RE: NonMusic: How to cook a pheasant?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 01 Feb 01 - 03:05 PM

OK I can't take it anymore.

If the bird was harvested through the technique known as bushwhacking, what you need is simply an action plan. (I am assuming the gun question is already obvious.) Here is one action plan that may work.

Go outside (take the circle driveway). Set up the grill in the Jello Pit you have been building out back to remind you of Mudcat. Kick all the new members out. They don't know what they're messing with yet.

Among your neighbors (international), find a broad. Have her wrap the pheasant in a sheepskin. Place the sheepskin-wrapped pheasant in an enamel bathtub. Let the company in (invited through clickies you have cleverly placed in threads) and ask them to commence flaming. If the Dalai Lama shows up, perhaps he can apply the attractive grilling stripes that make a dish look as good as it is supposed to taste.

Serve hot, with gobshite sauce on the side. Before you dig in, be sure to say grace-- which, if you are effective, will result in Jesus Himself drop-kicking the servings onto your guests' plates, right through the sunday goalposts.

That's just one plan though. What would you do differently?

~Betty Crock Of