Roast Pheasant

Roast Pheasant © kvalifood.com

Roast pheasant is a classic autumn dish that belongs to the hunting season. The bird is browned and pot-roasted slowly with stock and cream. The liver is pressed through a sieve into the sauce, giving it a deep and complex game flavour. Pheasant meat is lean and can easily dry out, so low heat and patience are the key.

Ingredients

Yields 2–3 servings

  • 1 large pheasant, plucked (not skinned)
  • 50 g butter
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 3 dl stock
  • 1–2 dl heavy cream
  • lemon juice (optional), to taste

To serve

  • roasted potatoes
  • rowanberry (or redcurrant) jelly
  • apple sauce

Directions

Prepare the pheasant

Clean the bird and dry it thoroughly inside with paper towels. Rub the inside with salt and pepper. Place the giblets and a knob of butter inside. Close with trussing pins and truss the bird. Dry the outside and rub with salt and pepper.

Brown and pot-roast

Brown the remaining butter until golden in a casserole. Place the pheasant in and brown it on all sides — turn with two spoons. Lower the heat to minimum so the pot just holds a gentle simmer. Put on a tight-fitting lid.

Roast for the first 15 minutes with the breast facing down. Turn the bird, add the stock and cream. Continue roasting for 30–40 minutes in total. Test the thickest part of the thigh to check whether the meat is tender.

Make the sauce

Remove the pheasant. Take out the trussing pins and remove the giblets and butter with a spoon. Wrap the bird in foil and keep it warm in the oven at 175°F (80°C).

Whisk cream into the roasting juices. Press the liver through a sieve into the sauce. Let it reduce for 5–10 minutes. Skim and season with salt, pepper, and a little lemon juice if needed.

Serving

Carve the pheasant like a chicken. Cut the breast into 2–3 pieces. Arrange the meat on a warm platter, pour a little sauce over it, and serve the rest on the side. Serve with roasted potatoes, jelly, and apple sauce.

Notes

  • Pheasant meat is very lean and dries out quickly if overcooked. Slightly pink is ideal — the legs can continue cooking in the sauce if they are not yet tender.
  • A plucked pheasant (with skin) gives the best result. A skinned pheasant should be covered with thin slices of fresh or smoked pork fat to protect it from drying out.
  • Old pheasants cannot be roasted tender. Use them for pâté or ragout, or brine them in a salt solution for 24 hours and braise them.
  • Pheasant from the hunt may contain shot — warn your guests.
  • A hen pheasant weighs 450–600 g, a cock 600–900 g. One large pheasant serves 2–3 people.
  • Flambéing with cognac after browning adds extra depth: pour 4 tbsp of cognac over the hot pheasant and ignite.