Simple Roasted Pheasant
I have lost count of the number of pheasant I have drawn, dressed, and roasted but it is still one of our favourite game birds cooked just like this. At Lodge Hill, Kimber cottage, and Wilton Lodge this was a popular dinner party dish served with all the trimmings during the late autumn and winter months.
I have lost count of the number of pheasant I have drawn, dressed, and roasted but it is still one of our favourite game birds cooked just like this. At Lodge Hill, Kimber cottage, and Wilton Lodge this was a popular dinner party dish served with all the trimmings during the late autumn and winter months.
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup butter melted
- 1 cup mushrooms sliced
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 2 whole pheasant cleaned and plucked, traditionally tou will have 1 cock and 1 he
- bay leaf crumbled
- 1/2 cup celery leaves
- 1/8 lemon sliced
- 1/4 pound bacon sliced
- 1 cup sliced onions
- 1 cup game stock you can use chicken stock
- Carbohydrate 5.81459937611082 g
- Cholesterol 333.543125 mg
- Fat 61.4114287500168 g
- Fiber 1.16201251084708 g
- Protein 95.3664162502137 g
- Saturated Fat 22.317177625003 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (506g)
- Sodium 478.059187500571 mg
- Sugar 4.65258686526374 g
- Trans Fat 6.60404268750506 g
- Calories 979 calories
Step-by-step
- Season the pheasant inside and outside with salt and pepper, place the bay leaf, garlic, celery leaves, and lemon in the cavity truss the legs and wings with cotton string, the place, breast-side up into a roasting pan.
- Arrange the bacon slices over the breast, soak a piece of cheesecloth with melted butter, and place over the breast.
- Arrange the onions and mushrooms around the bird, moisten the pheasant with the stock, and roast at 350F, 180?c, Gasmark 5 for 40 to 45 minutes, or until tender and golden, basting often.
- Remove and discard cheesecloth and cotton string, carve as if it is a roast chicken
- Serve hot with bread sauce, gravy, vegetables, and roast potatoes.
Moisture Control in Lean Game Birds
Roasting lean game requires active intervention because pheasant meat contains significantly less intramuscular fat than domestic poultry. Draping butter-soaked cheesecloth over the breast meat creates a physical barrier that prevents the surface from drying out during the initial thirty minutes of high-heat exposure. Removing that cheesecloth during the final ten minutes allows the skin to brown properly without scorching the delicate underlying tissue.
Trussing for Even Thermal Conduction
Securing the wings and legs tightly against the body prevents the extremities from cooking faster than the thick breast meat. Cotton kitchen twine holds the bird in a uniform cylinder, ensuring that heat penetrates the cavity at an even rate. Placing sliced onions and mushrooms directly into the roasting pan builds a rich fond that can be immediately reduced into pan gravy.
Second-Day Transformations
Chilled roasted pheasant meat shreds cleanly for use in cold-weather grain bowls, heavy cream soups, or savory pastry pies. Store leftover carved meat in an airtight glass container for up to three days at 38 degrees Fahrenheit or below. Cold game pairs well with acidic preserves like lingonberry or tart cherry chutney to cut through the concentrated protein richness.
