Wild Pheasant Recipes from Pheasant City Lodge
Cooking South Dakota Pheasant
Wondering How to Cook a Pheasant Breast or Whole Pheasant?
Field Care - It's good practice to field dress birds as soon as feasible after they're shot. Normally, birds may be kept for a few hours before removing entrails, but if a bird is quite shot up, flavor of the meat is affected. Also, it's desirable to separate the birds to allow them to lose their body temperature as quickly as possible. Field dressing birds hastens the cooling process. Some hunters skin birds rather than pluck them. However, others feel flavor is lost when birds are skinned.
Cooking Tips - When cooking older birds, add small amounts of moisture at a time, and use a covered container during part of the cooking period. This is not necessary for young birds. In general, the age of the bird may be determined by the spurs. Spurs on a young bird are neither long nor sharp; on an older bird, they are both long and sharp.
Allow one pheasant for two people. A larger bird or breast may serve at least three people.
Come & Plan a South Dakota Pheasant Hunt to harvest some wild pheasants to prepare some of these delicious recipes!
Creamy South Dakota Pheasant Breast
Ingredients
» 6 skinless pheasant breast fillets
» 1/2 cup flour
» 1/2 cup milk or cream
» salt & pepper to taste
» 1/4 cup crisco or vegetable oil (less if you like)
» 1 sm. can cream of chicken or mushroom soup (gravy lovers double this)
Directions
Combine flour, salt, & pepper. Coat breasts with flour mixture. Brown floured fillets in heated crisco until golden on both sides. Place fillets in greased baking dish in single layer. Combine soup & milk to pour over browned fillets. Bake covered 2 hours at 325ºF. Serve with mashed potatoes, and you'll have enough gravy to use on potatoes.
Note: Don't throw pheasant legs and thighs away. Boil them in water for an hour or so (until tender). Let cool, then remove meat from bone and use in soups or hot dishes. May be substituted for chicken in chicken soups or hot dishes.
Stir-Fried Boneless Pheasant Breast with Ginger & Orange
Ingredients
» 1 pound boneless, skinless pheasant breast
» 6 tablespoons fresh orange juice, divided
» 1/2 cup chicken stock, divided
» 4 tablespoons dry sherry, divided
» 4 tablespoons hoisin sauce
» 2 tablespoons soy sauce
» 2 teaspoons cornstarch
» 1/4 teaspoon salt
» 2 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
» 3/4 pound snow peas, trimmed
» 1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
» 4 green onions, thinly sliced
» 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger root
» 4 cups cooked rice
Directions
Cut pheasant into 3/4-inch pieces. Mix with 3 tablespoons orange juice and 2 TBS sherry and set aside. Combine remaining 3 TBS orange juice and 2 TBS sherry with 1/4 cup chicken stock, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, cornstarch & salt in small bowl. Set aside.
Heat 1 TBS oil in wok or 12" nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When hot (but not smoking) add snow peas, mushrooms, green onions & ginger. Stir & toss everything together for 1 minute. Add 2 TBS chicken stock and continue cooking until liquid evaporates (about 1 minute). Add remaining 2 TBS stock and cook again until it evaporates. Transfer mixture to bowl and set aside.
Add remaining 1 TBS oil to pan and place over medium-high heat. Add pheasant mixture and stir-fry about 3 minutes, until pheasant is done. Stir cornstarch mixture well and add to pheasant along with reserved vegetables. Stir and cook about 1 minute, until sauce bubbles and thickens. Immediately transfer to serving bowl and serve with hot rice.
Note: Estimated prep time: 15 min.; Estimated cooking time: 7 min.; Serves 4
Tawny Roasted Pheasants
Ingredients
» 2 pheasants
» 1/4 cup orange juice
» 1/4 cup olive oil
» 1/2 teaspoon salt
» 1/4 teaspoon pepper
» 4 tablespoons parsley, chopped
» 2 garlic cloves
» 12 strips of bacon
Directions
Rinse pheasants, trim, & pat dry. Sprinkle with orange juice then brush with olive oil (inside and out). Sprinkle with salt & pepper. Divide chopped parsley and garlic cloves, placing inside each cavity. Place pheasants on rack in roasting pan. Arrange bacon strips on top; bake at 350ºF for 1 hour, basting often. Remove bacon and continue baking for 30 minutes, or until breasts are browned & cooked through. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.
Note: Estimated prep time: 15 min.; Estimated cooking time: 1 Hr. 30 min.; Serves 4
Potted Whole Pheasant
Ingredients
» 2 pheasants
» 2 onions
» 2 garlic cloves
» 4 pieces celery
» 1 c. water, wine, beer, or chicken stock
» Butter or 2 slices bacon
» Salt & Pepper
» Choice of vegetables
Directions
Stuff cavity of each bird with an onion, garlic clove, & 2 pieces celery. Place in terra-cotta pot (heavy metal covered roaster, pan with tight cover or doubled aluminum foil, plastic bags made for pot roasts also work).
Butter breasts liberally or use slice bacon on each. Surround birds with vegetables.
I use more onions, 1 or 2 tomatoes, peeled carrots, halved white & sweet potatoes, yellow turnips, parsnips, celery sticks. Lightly salt & pepper veggies. Use enough to feed the gang, and 1/2 pheasant per person (unless birds are really small).
Add cup of water, wine, beer, or chicken stock. Cover or seal bag according to directions. Roast about 1 hour at 350ºF, or until juices run clear. Check there is enough liquid half way through. Cook tough older birds a little longer.
Scalloped Pheasant
Ingredients
» 1 pheasant (cut up)
» 1 teaspoon salt
» 1 cup bread crumbs
» 2 tablespoons melted butter
» 2 cups whole milk
Directions
Cook pheasant until tender. Pour off & save broth. Remove bones & dice pheasant. Make gravy of broth, using 1/2 broth and 1/2 whole milk. Thicken slightly. Season to taste. Moisten bread crumbs in melted butter. In greased casserole, place alternate layers of diced pheasant, gravy and crumbs. Bake at 350ºF until thoroughly heated and top crumbs are brown.
Pheasant and Wild Rice
Ingredients
» 2 pheasants (cut up)
» 1 cup raw wild rice
» 1 can cream of chicken soup
» 1 can cream of mushroom soup
» 1 can mushroom stems and pieces
» 2 1/2 cups water chestnuts (optional)
» 1 package dry onion soup mix
Directions
Flour & lightly brown pheasant pieces. Mix rice, canned soups, mushrooms & water chestnuts in casserole dish. Add pheasant. Sprinkle dry onion soup mix over top. Cover lightly with foil and bake 3 hours at 300ºF.
Cream Cheese Stuffed Pheasant Breast
Ingredients
» 4 boneless pheasant breasts, skinned
» 1/2 cup butter
» 1 1/2 cups crushed corn flakes
» 1 8 oz. package cream cheese
» 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
» 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
» 1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
Directions
Soak breasts in butter. Coat each breast with corn flake crumbs. Mix cream cheese, garlic powder, Parmesan cheese & green onions together, divide into 4 parts. Place each coated breast flat in ungreased baking dish. Place one part cream cheese mixture on each breast and fold breast in half to sandwich mixture between two sides. Use toothpick to hold breast in place. Bake 35-40 minutes at 375ºF.
Barbecued Pheasant
Ingredients
» 1 young pheasant, cut in pieces
» 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. salt
» 1/8 tsp. pepper
» Melted butter
» Your favorite Barbecue Sauce
Directions
Use breast, thighs and legs. With sharp knife, cut meat from each side of breast bone, making 2 breast pieces. Sprinkle pheasant pieces with salt & pepper. Brush well with melted butter or other fat. Line bottom of broiling pan with foil. Flatten pheasant pieces on foil.
Do not use a rack. Broil with surface of meat 7-9 inches from heat. Broil slowly. Regulate pan position so that browning begins after 10-15 minutes. Turn occasionally and baste with your favorite barbecue sauce. Keep the browning even. Broil until fork tender - approximately 30-40 minutes.
Roast Pheasant
Ingredients
» 1 young pheasant
» Salt
» 8 slices salt pork or bacon
» 1/4 cup oil
Directions
This method works well for birds that have been skinned. The high oven temperature and continuous basting from the salt pork or bacon slices helps keep the meat juicy.
Rub cavity of pheasant with salt. Smoked salt may be used with bacon slices if desired. Shape or plump bird. Stuff with favorite dressing if desired. Completely cover breast and all meaty portions with strips of salt pork or bacon. Tie in place. Place bird breast side up on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Pour 1/4 cup oil over bird. Roast at 400°F. Do not cover.
Baste with oil if necessary, turn if necessary for even browning. Roasting time about 50-60 minutes depending on size of bird and degree of doneness desired. Pheasant need not be well done. Too long a cooking period should be avoided. If dressing has been used, avoid letting it stand in bird cavity for any period of time after meat is cooked.
Roast Pheasant with Cabbage
Ingredients
» 1 young pheasant
» 1/2 cup chopped onion
» 1/2 cup chopped cabbage
» 1 egg, lightly beaten
» 1/4 tsp. salt
» 1/8 tsp. pepper
» 2 Tbsp milk
» 1 slice bread, cubed or 1/2 c. crumbs
» 8 strips bacon
Directions
Combine onion, cabbage, lightly beaten egg, seasonings, bread cubes and milk to make a wet dressing. Stuff cavity of bird with dressing. Shape or plump bird, use round toothpicks for skewers, and lace with string to close openings. Completely cover breast and all meaty portions of bird with strips of bacon. Tie in place.
Place bird breast side up on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Roast at 400° F until tender, about 50-60 minutes. Avoid letting dressing stand in bird cavity for any period of time after meat is cooked.
Roast Pheasant with Horseradish Sauce
Ingredients
» 1 young pheasant
» 4 slices bacon
» 1 Tbsp. horseradish
» 2/3 c. cream
» Salt
Directions
Rub cavity of bird with salt. Shape or plump bird. Place bird breast side up on a rack in shallow roasting pan. Cover breast of bird with bacon strips. Roast uncovered at 350° F for about 1 hour.
Stir cream & Horseradish together and pour over bird. Stir horseradish sauce into pan juices, baste bird frequently. Continue roasting for 15 minutes longer. Serve sauce with pheasant.
Pheasant in Cream
Ingredients
» 1 pheasant, cut in pieces
» 1 tsp. monosodium glutamate
» 1/4 c. flour
» 1/4 tsp. salt
» 1/8 tsp. pepper
» 1 tsp. paprika
» 1/4 to 1/2 c. sour (or sweet) cream
» 1/4 c. cooking fat
» 1 3-1/2 oz. can mushrooms (optional)
» 2 Tbsp. chopped onion (optional)
Directions
Works well for older birds, too! Mix seasonings with flour. Dredge pieces of pheasant in seasoned flour, if convenient allow them to dry on a rack about 1/2 hour. Heat 1/4-inch layer of cooking fat in skillet to 340-360° F, or until a drop of water just sizzles. Brown pheasant pieces evenly and slowly in heated fat. Avoid crowding pieces in skillet; turn as necessary using kitchen tongs to avoid piercing the coating.
Allow 15-20 minutes for browning. Remove browned pieces from skillet and place one layer deep in a shallow casserole. If desired, add mushrooms & chopped onion which has been browned in the fat in the skillet. Drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons of sour or sweet cream (or 1 Tbsp. butter and 1 Tbsp. milk) over each of the browned pheasant pieces in casserole.
Bake at 325°F 45-60 minutes or until fork tender. Do not cover young bird. An older bird may be baked covered until tender, then uncovered for 15-20 minutes to recrisp. If needed, turn once or twice (so that pieces cook and crisp evenly. Add more cream if meat gets dry.
Variations:
- When pheasant pieces are evenly browned, reduce heat in skillet (about 220° F). Cover & cook until fork tender (20-40 minutes). Add small portions of liquid at a time, turn as necessary for uniform cooking. Uncover last 10-15 minutes to recrisp. If desired, prepare gravy with pan drippings.
- Sprinkle dehydrated onion soup generously over browning meat instead of using fresh chopped onion.
Parmesan Pheasant
Ingredients
» 1 pheasant, cut in pieces
» 1 tsp. monosodium glutamate
» 1/4 c. flour
» 1/4 tsp. salt
» 1/8 tsp. pepper
» 2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
» 1/2 tsp. paprika
» 1/4 c. butter
» 1/2 c. stock (or dissolve 1 chicken bouillon cube in 1/2 c. hot water)
Directions
Use for either young or older bird. Parmesan cheese is flavor-key.
Mix seasonings with flour. Roll pheasant pieces in mixture. If possible, place coated pieces on rack to dry about 1/2 hour. Brown slowly in butter in skillet (340-360° F). Allow about 15 minutes each side.
When golden brown, add stock or hot water in which bouillon cube has been dissolved. Cover. Simmer about 20 minutes or until tender. Uncover and cook about 10 minutes longer to recrisp.
Casserole of Pheasant and Broccoli
Ingredients
» 1 10-oz. package frozen broccoli pieces
» 2 c. sliced or cubed cooked pheasant
» 1/4 c. chopped pimento
» 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup)
» 1 Tbsp. finely chopped onion
» 1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
» 1/2 tsp. curry powder
» 2 drops Tabasco sauce paprika
Excellent for left-over cooked pheasant.
Directions
Cook broccoli according to directions on pkg except limit cooking time to 5 minutes. Drain thoroughly; arrange in bottom of shallow casserole. Arrange pheasant slices or cubes over broccoli, scatter pimento over this.
Combine salt & seasonings except the paprika and a little of the cheese. Pour this sauce over pheasant mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheese & with paprika. Bake at 350° F for 20 minutes. Serves 4.
Pheasant Steaks
Ingredients
» 1 young pheasant
» 1/4 c. flour
» 1/4 tsp. salt
» 1/4 tsp. pepper
» 1 1/6 tsp. oregano
» 1/16 tsp. basil
» 1/4 c. butter
Directions
Use breast & thighs only. With sharp knife, cut meat from each side of breast bone, making 2 steaks. Split thigh to remove bone. Pound steaks to even thickness. Mix salt, pepper, oregano & basil with flour. (Variation: substitute 1 tsp. paprika for basil & oregano.)
Brown steaks slowly in butter or other shortening (340-360° F). Turn when golden brown. To test doneness, cut gash in center of steak with sharp knife. Steaks should be juicy, without evidence of pink color. Cooking time will be about 3-5 minutes. Serve immediately. If desired, sprinkle with a little lemon juice just before serving.
Braised Pheasant with Mushrooms
Ingredients
» 1 pheasant, cut in pieces
» 1/4 c. pancake mix
» 1/4 c. butter
» 1 c. mushrooms
» 3 Tbsp. chopped onion
» 1/2 c. stock (or use 1 chicken bouillon cube dissolved in 1/2 c. hot water)
» 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
» 1/2 tsp. salt
» 1/2 tsp. black pepper
Excellent method for older birds; suitable for young birds, too.
Directions
Dredge cut up pieces of pheasant in pancake mix. Brown pieces in butter until golden brown (about 10 minutes). Remove pheasant pieces. In butter remaining in skillet, saute mushrooms & chopped onion until golden brown (about 10 minutes). Return meat to skillet, add stock, lemon juice & seasonings.
Cover & simmer 1 hour or until tender. Remove cover last 10-15 minutes of cooking time to re-crisp meat.
Pheasant Baked in Onion Rings
Ingredients
» 1 young pheasant, cut in pieces
» 1/4 c. pancake mix
» 1 large or 2 medium onions
» 1/4 c. melted butter
» 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
» 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce Salt
» Pepper
Directions
Roll pheasant pieces in pancake mix (or seasoned flour). Arrange dredged pieces in single layer in greased shallow casserole. Slice onions; cover pheasant pieces with onion rings. Cover with melted butter. Sprinkle lemon juice, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce. Bake at 375° F until tender (about 1 hour).
If more browning desired, use 450° F oven last 10-15 minutes turning pieces as necessary.
These recipes are great for family trips, corporate pheasant hunts or any time you want to prepare some wild pheasants.