Pheasant with Rhubarb Sauce

Once common on American tables, pheasant is coming back due to new supplies made available by farm raising. It tastes heartier than the average chicken, more like a premium, field-grazed bird, though not always as naturally tender. The game birds go great with fruit flavors such as this tangy marinade and rhubarb sauce. We've only found pheasant whole, so for grilling we ask the butcher to halve the bird and then at home we quarter it into breast and leg sections, which require different cooking times. We don't recommend covered grilling for this recipe, because of the need for frequent access to the grate, but you could roast the whole pheasant covered as an alternative approach if you wished.

 

SERVES 4

 

2	small farm-raised pheasants, about 2 to 2½ pounds each, halved

FRUITY PHEASANT MARINADE

1	cup raspberry vinegar
2	teaspoons dried ginger
2	teaspoons vegetable oil
1	teaspoon salt
½	teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

RHUBARB SAUCE

2	cups chopped rhubarb, fresh or frozen
½	cup fruity but dry red wine, such as Zinfandel
6	tablespoons chicken stock
6	tablespoons sugar
⅛	teaspoon dried ginger
	Pinch of salt
	Generous grinding of black pepper
1	tablespoon butter
1	tablespoon rendered duck fat (see Technique Tip, [>]) or additional butter
	Vegetable oil spray

At least 2 hours and up to 8 hours before you plan to grill, prepare the pheasants. With a large, sharp knife, cut away the back and wings, saving them for stock. Slice the breasts apart from the leg-thigh sections, ending with four of each from the two pheasants.

Prepare the marinade, combining the ingredients in a small bowl. Place the pheasant pieces in a plastic bag, pour the marinade over them, and refrigerate.

Prepare the sauce, combining all of the ingredients except the butter and duck fat in a heavy saucepan. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the sauce for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick but still spoonable, with the rhubarb dissolved into the sauce. Whisk the butter and duck fat into the sauce just before removing from the heat. (The sauce can be made a day ahead and refrigerated. Reheat before continuing, adding a tablespoon or two of water if it seems too thick.)

Fire up the grill, bringing the temperature to medium (4 to 5 seconds with the hand test).

Remove the pheasant from the refrigerator, drain the marinade, and discard it. Let the pieces sit covered at room temperature for about 20 minutes. Spray the breast pieces generously with oil.

Transfer the leg-thigh pieces to the grill first, skin-side down. Grill them uncovered over medium heat for a total of 12 to 16 minutes, turning twice so that the majority of the cooking is done with the skin down. Add the breast pieces to the grill, skin-side down, about the time you first turn the leg-thigh pieces. Grill the breasts uncovered over medium heat for 8 to 12 minutes, again turning twice. This should result in all the pieces being done about the same time, but take them off as each is ready. The pheasant is done when opaque but still juicy. Expect the cooked pheasant to be pinker than chicken, with pink juices.

Spoon several tablespoons of sauce on each plate, and arrange a breast and thigh-leg piece over each pool of sauce. Serve hot with additional sauce on the side.