Shooting and Cooking Wild Pheasant

[ms244]

So I'm going pheasant shooting for the first time in about 6 weeks.

I don't think I've ever had pheasant, but I'm told its good.

What should I do with my cache ? Any tips on cooking, preserving (or hunting?)

 

[Nosu3]

De-feather before eating. How will you be disposing of the feathers? If not, turn them into a dream catcher and share your dreams. Smoke the meat to preserve it.

As for the cache, I am not sure. I've only seen one pheasant around here and I had to block the entire intersection in order to save it's life and that of the drivers.

Good luck.

 

[ama]

Originally Posted by Nosu3

De-feather before eating. How will you be disposing of the feathers? If not, turn them into a dream catcher and share your dreams. Smoke the meat to preserve it.

As for the cache, I am not sure. I've only seen one pheasant around here and I had to block the entire intersection in order to save it's life and that of the drivers.

Good luck.

+1

 

[ms244]

Originally Posted by Nosu3

De-feather before eating. How will you be disposing of the feathers? If not, turn them into a dream catcher and share your dreams. Smoke the meat to preserve it.

As for the cache, I am not sure. I've only seen one pheasant around here and I had to block the entire intersection in order to save it's life and that of the drivers.

Good luck.

Thank you for your words of wisdom, I will ensure the bird is relieved of its dream catching features
prior to cooking.

I intend to use a shotgun, I would advise the same the next time you see a pheasant or drivers.

 

[ysc]

I always liked Pheasant stew, I can't recommend a particular recipe since I have never been the one to cook it, it has often had cranberries in it. The are pretty good roasted with all the trimmings too. I am sure there are all kinds of fancy ways you can cook them, but I like the British classics.

Remember you will have to hang them for a bit before you can eat them.

As to shooting them, if you are an experienced shotgun shot it should not be too challenging, if not go clay pigeon shooting a couple of times, with an instructor at least the first time, and explain you will be pheasant shooting so he can show you the ropes and you don't embarrass yourself. The "bag" tends to be a collective effort, so even if you don't hit **** you should have some birds to take.

 

[medwards]

Roast pheasant can be quite wonderful -- the challenge is that it can be rather dry (particularly in the case of wild birds), so you need to take some care to keep it moist. Clean the bird, add several tablespoons of butter mixed with tarragon and parsley in the cavity, and butter the skin as well, securing a sheet of fat (perhaps even a flattened bard of salt pork) over the breast. Roast in a 375 degree oven on each side for 15 minutes each and then -- with the fat lying just loosely on the breast -- roast it breast side up for another 10 to 15 minutes. It will be done when the juices run a slight pink. If you wait until the juices run clear, the pheasant will be overcooked. If the juices are darker rather than pale pink, remove the fat and continue roasting until you almost reach the desired outcome. Keep in mind the impact of carry over cooking (that is the bird will continue to cook a bit even when removed from the oven. Basting often is helpful, but be mindful that your oven temperature drops each time you open that oven door. Manton would probably suggest serving it with a sauce veloute seasoned with a bit of chopped tarragon. Enjoy!

 

[Manton]

My college girlfriend's father was an obsessive pheasant hunter. I had so much of that stuff; I really miss it (and him). I recently bought two d'Artagnan pheasants at Fairway and roasted them but I was not as careful as medwards recommends and they came out a little dry.

Also, it's a bony bird with a lot of ligaments, so not easy to eat.

 

[Huntsman]

Pheasant is wonderful.

Cooking:

I like to treat game birds like the pork of the fowl-world. Brining them (just like a turkey) is great for seasoning and keeping them moist. Here's one.

Hunter's style: cut the brined bird into parts, dredge very lightly in seasoned flour, fry in canola/butter. Try not to move the bird around much, just flip it once (takes a little practice to figure out just when -- it should be a nice mahogany). Put the pieces onto a baking sheet at 350F to finish cooking in the oven. Meanwhile, saute a variety of mushrooms with butter and shallots. Deglaze with Madeira and stock. Add mushrooms. Season. Add some thyme (I am not a tarragon fan, but it is a good choice, too). Remove pheasant pices from oven when cooked, drain drippings into sauce, de fat, then thicken with roux. Serve.

Hunting:

Pheasant hunting is usually an open-field sort of affair; rarely are there many obstructions, so take your time setting up your shot and getting the right lead. What are you shooting? A twenty? If you are a fast shot, or snapshoot, do not use a 12ga -- a pheasant is a big bird and it'll get pulverized. It's ok thought if you let the bird get out there a ways. I usually shoot a 20ga O/U with Mod/Mod chokes, which is great for taking a medium amount of time to get on the bird.

The first time a pheasant flushed in front of me, I, awestruck, just stood their and watched it fly in that rather majestic way -- I probably remember than moment more than the many I've shot, so the things you remember are not always the things you think you remember.

Oh, and it's obvious, but know where all your party is -- I've done a lot of good pheasant hunting with a friend walking on the other side of a hedgerow from me -- which is both a good situation to know your cone of fire (like, 160deg on my side of the hedge), and also a good one to pull a Cheney if you don't.

Oh, I never wore earplugs when hunting, only when shooting at targets. I am regretting that -- now that they have the electronic kind that clamp on loud noises I think I would use that.

~ H

 

[happy hooligan]

my dog use to catch wild pheasant all the time. She also caught wild turkey and even a woodcock once....

She ate well...

 

[itsstillmatt]

Pheasant is best cooked in a covered pot, not roasted. Either in pieces or whole is fine. Brown it lightly in foaming butter, then cover and cook at 350-400 until just done. Serve it with its natural juices and cooking butter, and eat with endives. Simple is better here. If the bird is old, then debone and make it into a pie.

 

[jpeirpont]

I've actually hunted pheasant before, somewhat common to do here in CT among people who have southern roots and also popular with the Polish. My family typically braised them or brined and roasted them.

 

[ms244]

Thanks for the replys.

I've been shotgun shooting before, I'm not too horrid at it, but this is my first time out hunting.

Next week there is a gunshow out here, I'm going to go shotgun shopping. Last time I was at one, all the black evil guns were stupidly overpriced but I saw some decent normal guns for not too much. Browning A5s or the like.

Can you freeze some of these birds to preserve them without ill effects?

 

[Huntsman]

Ah, an opportunity to get something new....nice. Maybe I am stupidly old-fashioned, but I really don't like the new 'hunting with tactical weapons' tilt that the industry has right now. I suppose it latches into certain emotions with the younger crowd and is good for business. Not that I mind the guns themselves (though I am no AR fan), it just seems out of phase to me. A5s are pretty neat. I like taking old/unusual things out hunting if they are appropriate and I am comfortable with them --once took my father's little Rossi 20 ga for partridge.

Oh, and yes, so long as they are cleaned and dressed, the ill effects are pretty much limited to those same you'd experience with a chicken. ~ H

 

[ysc]

Originally Posted by ms244

Browning A5s or the like.

I imagine it is drastically different in the states, but you would not be allowed to take a gun like that on a pheasant shoot in the UK, double barrels only, still I bet you can get more with a semi-automatic weapon like that.

 

[Huntsman]

Originally Posted by ysc

still I bet you can get more with a semi-automatic weapon like that.
If you need more than two shots to get a pheasant, you should probably go home anyway -- the bird will be out of range by the time you would get to the third unless you are just blasting away. ~ H