Roast Pheasant
User Reviews
4.9
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
3 hrs 25 mins
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Total Time
3 hrs 40 mins
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Servings
4 servings
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
French
Roast Pheasant
Description
The recipe for Roast Pheasant utilizes a carefully blended game seasoning including juniper, star anise, and cinnamon, enhancing the natural flavor of the bird. Initial browning in butter develops a golden crust before the pheasant is sealed in a roasting bag with reduced port wine, water, and fresh thyme. Cooking at a low temperature for several hours yields moist and tender game meat.
After roasting, the cooking juices are strained and reduced to concentrate flavors into a jus, complementing the pheasant’s rich taste. The bird is then served with traditionally roasted winter vegetables, making a complete and hearty meal.
This cooking method suits both hen and cock pheasants by adjusting cooking time to bird size. The recipe’s approach to seasoning and slow roasting produces a balanced and fragrant dish that showcases game meat delicately enhanced by spices and the wine-based jus.
Ingredients
- 4 grams game seasoning see recipe below
- 700 g pheasant 1kg for cock pheasant, hen
- 25 grams butter
- roasting bag
- 50 milliliters water
- 50 milliliters port wine reduced by half
- 1 prig thyme fresh
- roasting tin
GAME SEASONING
- 20 grams salt coarse, sea salt
- 2 grams black peppercorns coarse, ground
- 8 juniper berries
- 1/4 star anise
- 1 piece cinnamon stick 1 cm
- 1 bay leaf dried
- 1/4 clove garlic fresh, peeled
Instructions
Seasoning
- Blend all the ingredients in a food processor for around 2 minutes.
- Transfer to a container with a lid.
- Will keep fresh for several weeks refrigerated.
Pheasant in Bag
- Preheat a convection oven to 75º C (165° F).
- In a heavy-bottomed frying pan over a low heat, very gently brown the bird all over in foaming butter. Approx 5 minutes or until golden.
- Sprinkle the bird with the game seasoning.
- Place the pheasant in the roasting bag, and the bag onto the roasting tin.
- Add the water, reduced port and the sprig of thyme.
- Seal the bag with the tie.
- Cook the hen pheasant ( approx 700g (~1 ½lb) ) for 3 hours at 75ºC/165° F. Allow 4 hours for a 1kg (2.2 lb) cock pheasant.
- Remove the tie and strain any juices through a fine chinoise or muslin-lined sieve. You should have around 130ml (1/2 cup).
- Reduce the cooking juices by half to leave a perfect jus for the bird.
- Remove the meat from the bird and decorate with roast winter vegetables.
- Pour over the jus and serve immediately.
- Enjoy!
Notes
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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