Fried Pheasant
User Reviews
5.0
42 reviews
Excellent
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
20 mins
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Brining Time
8 hrs
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Total Time
8 hrs 50 mins
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Servings
6 servings
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Calories
479 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Snacks, Lunch
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Cuisine
American
Fried Pheasant
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This is a pickle-brined fried pheasant recipe the same way you'd do with chicken, only with a few pointers to handle the wildness of the pheasant meat. The seasonings I have in this recipe are a suggestion. You can alter them as you see fit.
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Ingredients
- 3 cups pickle brine (leftover juice from a pickle jar)
- 2 to 3 pounds pheasant breasts and thighs
- 2 cups buttermilk, or plain yogurt thinned with milk
- 1 tablespoon cayenne, Cajun seasoning or Cavender's, or any spice mix you like
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 to 2 tablespoon Italian seasoning, or any combination of dried herbs (optional)
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup corn starch
- oil for frying
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Instructions
- Soak the pheasant breasts and thighs in the pickle brine in the fridge overnight. No less than 4 hours and no more than 12.
- Mix the cayenne, Cajun seasoning or whatever spice mix makes you happy into the buttermilk. You can use 2 tablespoons if you want a heavily spiced fried pheasant. Put all the pheasant pieces directly from the brine into the buttermilk. Let this sit at room temperature for a few minutes, up to 30 minutes.
- Mix the salt, Italian seasoning or other dried herbs, corn starch and the flour in a large, shallow container or a plastic bag. Put the pheasant pieces in there in batches and really press down on the flour to press it into the meat. You'll want to do this on both sides, pressing hard each time. Lift the pieces out of the flour and shake off the excess. Put them on the counter to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. You can also set them on a tray in the fridge for up to 6 hours. All of this helps the breading stick to the meat.
- Set a cooling rack over a baking sheet in the oven and set the oven to 200°F.
- Bring about 2 inches' worth of oil to 325°F in a large, heavy pan. I use cast iron. Fry the pieces in batches, not letting them touch each other, until they are golden brown, roughly 5 to 7 minutes per side. Put the finished fried pheasant on the cooling rack in the oven and repeat with the rest of the pheasant.
Notes
- You can reuse the oil several times. Just strain it through a paper towel to remove all the debris.
- I prefer peanut oil for frying, but you can use anything with a high smoke point, like canola, vegetable or corn oil.
- If you only have older pheasants, use a jaccard to tenderize the meat before you soak it in the pickle brine.
- If you don't have pickle juice lying around, bring to a boil 2 cups vinegar (any kind), 1 cup water, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 tablespoon sugar, and any spices you like, such as mustard seed, allspice, cloves, black peppercorns, chiles, garlic, dill, etc.
- Anything with paprika or chiles needs to go into the buttermilk, not the flour. If it's in the flour, it can turn the pieces very dark and get bitter.
- What I mean by dried herbs are things like dried thyme, oregano, savory, parsley, basil, cilantro, sage and rosemary.
- Fried pheasant is amazing cold the next day, and will keep a week in the fridge.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
479kcal
(24%)
Carbohydrates
47g
(16%)
Protein
36g
(72%)
Fat
15g
(23%)
Saturated Fat
5g
(25%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
2g
Monounsaturated Fat
6g
Cholesterol
101mg
(34%)
Sodium
2688mg
(112%)
Potassium
495mg
(14%)
Fiber
2g
(8%)
Sugar
4g
(8%)
Vitamin A
951IU
(19%)
Vitamin C
7mg
(8%)
Calcium
129mg
(13%)
Iron
4mg
(22%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 6servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 479 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 479kcal | 24% |
| Carbohydrates | 47g | 16% |
| Protein | 36g | 72% |
| Fat | 15g | 23% |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Cholesterol | 101mg | 34% |
| Sodium | 2688mg | 112% |
| Potassium | 495mg | 11% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
| Vitamin A | 951IU | 19% |
| Vitamin C | 7mg | 8% |
| Calcium | 129mg | 13% |
| Iron | 4mg | 22% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5.0
42 reviews
Excellent
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