Shooting season: 1 October — 1 February
In Britain, the pheasant is probably the best known and most easily recognised of all game birds either in the field, on the grass verges of a country road, or hanging resplendent on a market stall or butcher’s shop window.
The pheasant is a large conspicuous game bird, the cock having flamboyant colourings of glossy green and shiny chestnut. With its red wattles, white neck ring and long tail, it is easily identified and surely universally known. The hen is smaller and less colourful with mottled plumage ranging from light buffs to dark browns.
The pheasant was introduced to this country during the Roman occupation and is now common throughout the United Kingdom except on very high ground. It favours low wooded farmland, forest edges and fen country, and it will travel widely in search of food. Reared birds are often artificially fed, and holding crops are grown for food as well as cover.
It is difficult to state firmly exactly how long to hang a pheasant. A young bird shot in October will only need three days, whereas in January, two weeks would not be too long. Make sure that birds are hung singly from their necks, in a cool place where the air can circulate freely.
The only certain method of ageing a cock or hen pheasant is the bursa test (see Fit for the Table). A tapered matchstick or quill should penetrate the bursa about 2.5cm (lin). A cock bird in its first year may be distinguished by its short rounded spurs; these will be more pointed in its second year, and after that they will be long and sharp. A young hen has soft feet which become hard and rough with age.
Short, rounded spurs of a cock bird in its first year (left); pointed spur of a cock bird in its second year (right)
Pheasants are presented by the brace, one cock and one hen, although supermarkets often select hen pheasants only for their oven-ready range. For cooking, many people prefer the hen to the cock as it is considered to be more tender and better flavoured. However, young cock birds can be excellent when roasted and lend themselves to many casserole recipes. Whereas a hen pheasant will only serve two, a good-sized cock will serve three when roasted and can be stretched to serve four in a casserole with plenty of added vegetables. Pheasants are usually in prime condition in late autumn after feeding well on a varied diet of vegetable and animal food. They are available from game dealers and supermarkets from mid-October until the end of January.
Special care must be taken when plucking as the skin tears easily. Truss a pheasant as described in Fit for the Table. Remember to keep a few tail feathers which may be stuck in a small potato and placed in the body cavity to make an impressive decoration for roast birds.
Although only young birds should be roasted, this does not mean you may not use them for other recipes. Any chicken recipe may be adapted for pheasant. The meat is darker than chicken with a distinctive gamey flavour, dark on the legs and wings and whiter on the breast. Roast the birds breast down so that the juices run into the breast and not off it.
An invaluable item of equipment for pot-roasting and stews is an oval casserole just large enough to hold one cock pheasant, with a snug-fitting lid. The enamelled cast-iron type is ideal as it may also be used on top of the oven.
Pheasant is probably the most versatile of all the game birds as it combines so well with a variety of vegetables, fruits, herbs and spices, and is excellent in game pies, pâtés and soups. Pheasant may be stored in the freezer for about nine months.
There are various ways of roasting pheasants, either wrapped in bacon or foil, in a chicken brick, on a trivet or French roasted with wine and butter. All these methods can be delicious, and there is no doubt that simple roasting is one of the best ways of cooking a pheasant. In this recipe a self-basting roasting tin is used, and the birds are cooked breast down so that the juices run into and not off the succulent breast meat. The birds are uncovered and turned for the final stage of cooking to brown the skin.
2 young pheasants
Game chips
Fried breadcrumbs
Fresh cranberries, parsley and pheasant tail feathers for decoration
Truss the pheasants and place breast down in a self-basting roasting tin. Cover and cook at 200°C (400°F), gas mark 6 for 35 minutes.
Remove the lid, turn the pheasants and return to the oven for a further 10 minutes to allow the birds to brown. Transfer to a hot serving dish.
Make a thin gravy using the juices from the pan and serve this separately, together with the traditional accompaniments of game chips and fried breadcrumbs (see Good Companions). Decorate the birds with fresh cranberries, parsley and pheasant tail feathers.
It is possible to roast a pheasant or any young game bird in a microwave oven either using a roaster bag or placed directly in a dish and loosely covered with greaseproof paper. With the second method, microwave the pheasant breast side down for the first half of the cooking time.
1 young pheasant
25g (1oz) soft margarine or butter
Ground paprika
10ml (2 level tsp) flour
Truss the pheasant using string and a wooden skewer. Spread the margarine or butter over the pheasant and sprinkle lightly with paprika.
Sprinkle the flour inside the roaster bag and place the pheasant inside. Tie the bag loosely with string, making sure there is room for the steam to escape.
Weigh the pheasant, then stand on a dish. Microwave on medium (60 per cent of full power) for 9 minutes to the 450g (1lb).
Leave to stand for 15 minutes before unwrapping. Use the cooking juices to make a thin gravy and serve with traditional accompaniments.
It is not usual to stuff game birds in the same way as turkey or chicken, though a piece of onion, apple, orange or lemon may be placed inside the body cavity. The birds may be boned out and then filled with a stuffing, reshaped and trussed. Here the stuffing is cooked around the pheasants.
2 young pheasants
6 rashers streaky bacon
50g (2oz) fresh breadcrumbs
1 stick celery, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
50g (2oz) chopped salted peanuts
1 egg, beaten
2tbsp lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper
Mix together breadcrumbs, celery, onion, peanuts and pepper in a basin. Bind the ingredients together with the beaten egg and lemon juice. Form the stuffing into balls.
Truss the pheasants and place breast down in a roasting tin. Lay three rashers of bacon across the back of each bird and place the stuffing balls around the birds. Roast at 200°C (400°F), gas mark 6 for 35 minutes.
Roll the bacon rashers, turn the pheasants and return to the oven for a further 10 minutes to brown the birds and bacon.
Place the pheasants on a serving dish and decorate with the bacon rolls and stuffing.
This quick and easy recipe is ideal for pheasant breasts which have been damaged by dog or riddled with shot as the meat is cut into strips and any marked flesh may be discarded. The meat is briefly stir fried and combined with Madras curry paste and cool coconut cream. For a more fiery flavour add an extra tablespoon of curry paste. I have added mushrooms instead of the more traditional tomatoes which would give a darker coloured sauce.
4 pheasant breasts, cut into strips
1tbsp butter
1 onion finely, chopped
100g (4oz) mushrooms, sliced
2tbsp Madras curry paste
200ml (7floz) carton coconut cream
2tbsp plain yoghurt
Chopped coriander for garnish
Heat the butter in a frying pan and fry the onion until soft. Add the mushrooms and pheasant and fry for 3 minutes. Stir in the curry paste and coconut cream. Cook on a low heat for a further 5 minutes. Add the yoghurt and heat gently for 1 minute but do not allow the sauce to boil. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve with rice.
Brunswick stew is a popular one pot meal throughout the Southern States of America. Traditionally made with squirrel, corn, beans and other vegetables, it has evolved into a tasty dish with chicken often replacing squirrel but pheasant or rabbit works just as well.
The meat from a cock pheasant, cut into cubes
1tbsp seasoned flour
Oil for frying
1 large onion, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
Large tin chopped tomatoes
150g (5oz) okra, trimmed
450g (1lb) small potatoes, washed and unpeeled
200g (7oz) baby carrots
200g (7oz) baby sweetcorn
Large tin of cannellini or haricot beans, drained
1tbsp fresh thyme leaves
600ml (1 pint) water
2tbsp concentrated tomato purée
Salt and black pepper
Sprigs of thyme to garnish
Coat the meat in seasoned flour. Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole and brown the meat. Add the onion, pepper, tomatoes, okra, potatoes, carrots, thyme and water. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 11⁄4 hours. Add the sweetcorn and beans, stir in the tomato purée and cook for another 45 minutes. Season to taste and garnish with sprigs of thyme before serving.
Cream cheese makes a wonderful stuffing for pheasant breasts, helping to keep the meat moist and succulent. Sun dried tomatoes and basil add extra flavours.
4 pheasant breasts
75g (3oz) sundried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped
Handful of basil leaves, finely chopped
200g (7oz) light cream cheese
Make an incision along the length of each pheasant breast to create a pocket, but avoid cutting right through the breast.
Place the cream cheese, tomatoes and basil in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Spoon a quarter of the cheese mixture into each pocket and wrap each breast in foil. Place on a baking sheet and cook at 200°C (400°F), gas mark 6, for 25 minutes.
Unwrap the parcels, carefully transfer to four plates and spoon any creamy sauce which has melted over the meat. Serve with a selection of roasted vegetables.
Stroganoff is a rich soured cream sauce traditionally served with lean tender beef, but may be combined with any meat and served hot or cold.
700g (11⁄2lb) pheasant meat, cut into thin strips
Oil for frying
1 medium sized onion, finely chopped
200ml (7floz) crème fraîche
225g (8oz) closed cup mushrooms, sliced
1tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and black pepper
2tbsp brandy
Fresh chopped parsley
Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the onion and fry until soft. Add the mushrooms and fry for 2 minutes. Add the pheasant, season well with salt and pepper and stir in the mustard. Fry briskly for 5 minutes turning the meat frequently. Stir in the crème fraîche and brandy. Heat for a further 2 minutes, garnish with parsley and serve with noodles and a green salad.
Pheasant breasts and mushrooms are poached in stock. The addition of brandy and cream makes this a more extravagant dish suitable for a special occasion. One pheasant breast is sufficient for a modest appetite, but a good eater will probably manage two. This recipe is for six breasts which should serve four people generously.
6 pheasant breasts, skinned
225g (8oz) mushrooms
300ml (1⁄2pt) pheasant stock
300ml (1⁄2pt) single cream
2tbsp brandy
11⁄2tbsp cornflour
Salt and pepper
Watercress or parsley for decoration
Using a sharp knife, cut the breasts from the pheasants and remove the skin. Keep the legs and wings for use in a casserole or pie and use the carcasses to make a good stock.
Measure 300ml (1⁄2pt) of the stock into a saucepan and add the pheasant breasts, mushrooms, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 30 minutes or until the meat is tender.
Remove the pheasant and mushrooms, arrange on a serving dish, cover and keep hot.
Blend the cornflour with a little of the cream, add some warm stock from the saucepan and gradually return to the pan with the rest of the cream. Add the brandy and, stirring continuously, simmer gently for 5 minutes.
Pour the sauce over the pheasant, decorate with watercress or parsley and serve immediately.
During January it is usually the custom to shoot only cock pheasants. These may well be mature birds which need long, slow cooking. Pot-roasting is an easy economical way to prepare a hearty meal for the family on a cold winter’s day, especially if you are a working mother. Just add the jacket potatoes, set the oven timer and come home to a ready-cooked meal.
1 mature cock pheasant
2 large carrots, chopped
2 leeks, sliced
2 large parsnips, sliced
1 green pepper, deseeded and chopped
600ml (1pt) stock
2tsp mixed herbs
Salt and pepper
4 large potatoes, scrubbed
Place the pheasant in a large oval casserole, add the chopped vegetables, herbs, seasoning and stock. Cover and place in the centre of the oven.
Scrub four large potatoes, prick with a fork and place at the top of the oven. Cook in a moderate oven, 180°C (350°F), gas mark 4, for 2 hours.
Place the pheasant on a serving dish surrounded by the vegetables, and pour the gravy into a sauce-boat. Serve the jacket potatoes with soured cream or grated cheese.
Tender young hen pheasants cooked in red wine with mushrooms served with spiced red cabbage and château potatoes make an ideal menu for entertaining as they can all be cooked in advance and reheated just before your guests arrive.
2 young hen pheasants
450ml (3⁄4pt) red wine
100g (4oz) mushrooms
1 onion, finely chopped
Rind and juice of 1 orange
1tbsp cornflour
Salt and pepper
Parsley to garnish
Using game shears or strong kitchen scissors, cut the birds in half and carefully remove the backbone.
Place the birds in a flameproof casserole, add the onion, mushrooms and 300ml (1⁄2pt) of the wine. Cook in a moderate oven, 180°C (350°F), gas mark 4, for 1 hour.
Remove the birds from the casserole and place on a serving dish. Arrange the mushrooms around the pheasants, cover with foil and keep hot.
To prepare the sauce, add thinly pared strips of orange rind to the liquid in the casserole, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove rind.
Blend the cornflour with a little of the remaining wine, then add to the sauce, together with the rest of the wine, juice of the orange, salt and pepper. Slowly bring to the boil, stirring all the time.
Pour the sauce over the pheasants and decorate with parsley.
Serve with spiced red cabbage and château potatoes (see Good Companions).
The flavour of pheasant combines perfectly with apples and the addition of a little yoghurt makes a good sauce. This recipe is equally well suited to both young and more mature birds; 30 minutes in a pressure cooker is an ideal way to tenderise an older bird before proceeding with the recipe.
1 large pheasant
2 large Cox apples, peeled, cored and sliced
300ml (1⁄2pt) dry cider
2tbsp natural yoghurt
Salt and pepper
Chopped parsley to garnish
Place the pheasant breast down in a flameproof casserole. Add the cider, apples and seasoning and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 1-2 hours, depending on the age of the pheasant.
Remove the pheasant and carve onto a serving dish. Cover and keep warm.
Rub the apples through a sieve and return to the casserole.
Bring the sauce to the boil, turn off the heat and stir in the yoghurt.
Pour the sauce over the pheasant and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
As the majority of the pheasants that I cook come from the Fens, and as apples, celery and onions grow in abundance there, the name of this recipe seems appropriate. It is also suitable for a dinner party as it can be made in advance and frozen if necessary. If you or your guests are weight-watchers, use natural yoghurt instead of cream.
1 brace pheasants
2 dessert apples, peeled, cored and sliced
3 sticks celery, chopped
1 onion, finely sliced
450ml (3⁄4pt) stock
1 glass white wine
150ml (1⁄4pt) single cream or natural yoghurt
1tbsp cornflour
Salt and pepper
Celery leaves for decoration
Place the pheasants breast down in a flameproof casserole. Add the sliced apples, celery and onion, then pour over the stock and wine. Simmer on top of the cooker for about 11⁄2 hours or until the birds are tender.
Remove the pheasants from the casserole and keep them warm. Liquidise the sauce or push the apples and vegetables through a sieve.
Blend the cornflour into the sauce, return to the casserole and slowly bring to the boil, stirring until the sauce thickens. Add the cream or yoghurt and seasoning to taste, and heat through very gently.
Carve the birds onto a serving dish and spoon the sauce over the meat. Decorate with the celery leaves.
Apples and fennel are combined with crunchy walnuts to give a pleasant texture to the sauce which is served with the spiced pheasants.
Brace of pheasants
2tsp soft dark-brown sugar
1tsp ground black pepper
3tsp ground mixed spice
1tbsp oil
450g (1lb) cooking apples
1 × 225g (8oz) bulb fennel
100g (4oz) walnut pieces
150ml (1⁄4pt) orange juice
Mix the sugar, pepper and mixed spice with the oil to make a paste, and spread over the pheasants. Cover and leave overnight in a cool place.
Peel, core and slice the apples. Slice the fennel into thin rings.
Place the walnuts, apples, fennel and orange juice in the bottom of a roasting tin (the self-basting kind is ideal). Place the pheasants on top. Cover with a lid or foil and cook in a moderately hot oven, 190°C (375°F), gas mark 5, for 13⁄4 hours. Remove the cover for the final 15 minutes of cooking time.
Place the pheasants on a carving dish. Strain the gravy into a gravy-boat and serve the apple, fennel and walnut mixture as a separate sauce.
Spiced Pheasants with Walnuts
When preparing a cold pheasant dish, instead of roasting the bird and leaving it to cool, cook it in water with an onion, bay leaf and seasoning and allow it to cool in the liquid after cooking. This will keep the flesh moist. The stock is used to prepare the delicately flavoured sauce. This is a good recipe for a cold buffet party as it can easily be made the day before and stored in the refrigerator overnight.
1 pheasant
1 small chopped onion
Bay leaf
Few sprigs of parsley
Salt and pepper
300ml (1⁄2pt) pheasant stock
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
300ml (1⁄2pt) natural yoghurt or single cream
1 egg yolk
1tbsp cornflour
Salt and pepper
Sliced cucumber and paprika for decoration
Place the pheasant in a saucepan, add the chopped onion, parsley, bay leaf, salt and pepper, and enough water to just cover the bird. Bring to the boil and then simmer gently for 11⁄2 hours or until tender. Turn off the heat and leave the pheasant to cool in the liquid.
When cold, remove the meat from the carcass, tear into small pieces and arrange on a serving plate.
Measure 300ml (1⁄2pt) of the pheasant stock and pour most of it into a saucepan. Add the cornflour to the remainder and blend into the stock. Bring to the boil, stirring continuously. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Stir in the zest and juice of the lemon, egg yolk and seasoning, and heat gently for 1 minute.
Remove from the heat and stir in the yoghurt or cream. Allow the sauce to cool and thicken and then spoon over the pheasant.
Cover and leave in a cool place for 2 hours, or store overnight in the refrigerator.
Before serving, decorate the dish with slices of cucumber and dust the pheasant and sauce with paprika.
The addition of apricots gives a tangy flavour to this low-calorie dressing for cold pheasant.
1 pheasant
1 small onion, chopped
Bay leaf
Sprigs of parsley
Salt and pepper
300ml (1⁄2pt) natural yoghurt
2tbsp low-calorie salad dressing
6 whole canned apricots
Wedges of tomato, a few lettuce leaves and chopped parsley for decoration
Prepare the pheasant as in the previous recipe. You will not need the stock, so keep this for a soup or casserole.
Remove the meat from the carcass, break into small pieces and place in a bowl.
Place the ingredients for the dressing in a liquidiser and blend for 30 seconds. If you haven’t a liquidiser, rub the apricots through a sieve and mix the purée with the yoghurt and salad dressing.
Pour the dressing over the pheasant meat and mix thoroughly with a spoon.
Arrange the pheasant meat on a bed of lettuce on a serving dish, sprinkle with chopped parsley and decorate with wedges of tomato.
Any odd pheasant portions or just whole legs may be used for this pâté. Use as a starter, for a picnic or snack.
225g (8oz) pheasant meat — a whole breast or 6 legs
150ml (1⁄4pt) red wine
Salt and pepper
225g (8oz) minced pork
50g (2oz) streaky bacon, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
Pinch of grated nutmeg
Black pepper
Cook the pheasant in the wine and seasoning for about 30 minutes. Allow to cool, then remove the meat from the bones. Tear into small pieces and place in a mixing bowl. Reserve the cooking liquid.
Add the minced pork, chopped streaky bacon, garlic, nutmeg and black pepper to the pheasant meat. Mix together with enough of the cooking liquid to give a moist consistency.
Place in a wetted terrine or loaf tin and cover with a lid or tin-foil. Stand in a baking tin half filled with hot water and bake for 11⁄4 hours in a moderate oven, 180°C (350°F), gas mark 4.
Allow to cool overnight and serve sliced with toast, crackers or bread.
This is a good way to cook damaged birds with perhaps a missing leg or wing rather than a sound one which would be more suited to roasting. Alternatively, use up any whole legs left over from a ‘breast only’ recipe. The cooked pheasant is served in a spicy sauce with boiled rice.
1 pheasant or 6 pheasant legs
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
Bay leaf
Salt and pepper
3 tbsp chutney: apple, plum or mango
1tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1tbsp tomato ketchup
2tbsp soy sauce
150ml (1⁄4pt) pheasant stock
150ml (1⁄4pt) natural yoghurt
Tomato wedges for decoration
Place the pheasant breast down in a saucepan or small flameproof casserole, add the onion, garlic, bay leaf and seasoning and about 600ml (1pt) water. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 11⁄2 hours or until tender.
When cool enough to handle, remove all the meat from the bones and place in a shallow ovenproof serving dish.
Strain the stock and measure out 150ml (1⁄4pt) for the sauce.
Mix together all the other ingredients for the sauce and gradually blend in the stock.
Pour the sauce over the pheasant meat, cover the dish with a lid or foil and reheat in a moderate oven, 180°C (350°F), gas mark 4, for 30 minutes.
Decorate with wedges of tomato and serve with boiled rice.
This is a good way to use up pheasant legs left over from a recipe requiring breasts only. The addition of chestnuts, tomatoes and a shortcrust pastry makes a nourishing meal for a winter’s evening.
6 pheasant legs
350g (12oz) fresh chestnuts, peeled
400g (14oz) tin tomatoes
1 clove garlic
2tbsp crab-apple or redcurrant jelly
Salt and pepper
225g (8oz) shortcrust pastry
Beaten egg
In a saucepan, crush a clove of garlic with a little salt. Add the pheasant legs, tomatoes and juice, peeled chestnuts, redcurrant or crab-apple jelly (see Good Companions) and a good shake of pepper. Cover the saucepan and bring to the boil, then simmer for 1 hour or until the pheasant is tender. Allow to cool.
Place a funnel in the centre of a 1.2 litre (2pt) pie dish.
Strip all the meat from the pheasant legs, taking care to discard the tough sinews from the lower part of the leg.
Place the meat in the pie dish and add the chestnuts, tomatoes and gravy. This should just fill the dish. Cover with the shortcrust pastry. Make a small hole in the centre and decorate with the pastry trimmings. Brush the pastry with the beaten egg and bake in a hot oven, 220°C (425°F), gas mark 7, for 45 minutes or until golden brown.
Serve with creamed potatoes and green vegetables.
If you find the flavour of pheasant livers too strong, try mixing them half and half with chicken livers; these are often available from larger supermarkets. If you seal the pâté with melted butter, it will keep for up to a fortnight in the refrigerator.
100g (4oz) pheasant livers
100g (4oz) chicken livers
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
50g (2oz) butter or soft margarine
3⁄4tsp grated nutmeg
1tsp mixed herbs
1tbsp sherry
1tbsp milk
Freshly ground black pepper
Fresh bay leaves for decoration
Sauté the onion and garlic in 25g (1oz) of the butter. Add the livers, cover and cook over a low heat for 10 minutes.
Cool slightly and purée, using a sieve or blender. Melt the rest of the butter, add the seasonings, sherry and milk. When heated through, add to the liver purée and blend until the consistency of whipped cream.
Spoon the pâté into an earthenware dish. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours.
Decorate with fresh bay leaves and serve with toast and salad.
Burgers are easy to make from the tougher leg meat of a roast pheasant or left-overs from a casserole. They make a change from the more usual ham- or beefburgers. For a tasty snack, serve them in baps with ketchup and salad or with chips and baked beans for a popular children’s meal.
100g (4oz) cooked pheasant meat (about 2 whole legs)
225g (8oz) sausagemeat
1 small onion
1tsp mixed herbs
Salt and pepper
1 egg, beaten
Dry breadcrumbs
Mince the pheasant meat and onion or chop in a food processor.
Add the sausagemeat, herbs, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly. Bind together with the beaten egg.
Divide the mixture into four and shape into flat cakes. Coat thoroughly with breadcrumbs.
Fry in oil for 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
This quick recipe is ideal for less than perfect pheasant breasts as the meat is thinly sliced and any damaged flesh may be discarded. Prepare the ingredients before starting to cook. Plates should be piping hot and have plenty of napkins to hand.
450g (1lb) pheasant breast meat, thinly sliced
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
Juice of 1 lime
1 packet fajita seasoning
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 green pepper, deseeded and sliced
1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced
1 yellow pepper, deseeded and sliced
8 flour tortillas
225g (8oz) jar of tomato and chilli salsa
8 tbsp crème fraîche
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), gas mark 4 and warm the tortillas. Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the pheasant meat and fry for 3 minutes. Add the lime juice and sprinkle the seasoning mix on the pheasant. Add the onion and peppers and fry for 3 minutes — the vegetables should be crisp.
Place the pheasant, peppers and onion mixture on a hot dish and the salsa and crème fraîche in small bowls.
To assemble the fajitas, place the meat and vegetable mixture at the centre top of the tortilla, cover with salsa and crème fraîche, then roll it up. Eat the parcel with your fingers. Serve with a green salad.