Servings
Font
Back
Roast Pheasant
4.9 from 138 votes

Roast Pheasant

This Roast Pheasant recipe highlights slow roasting in a sealed bag to retain moisture and infuse rich game seasoning. The bird is browned in butter then roasted low and slow with thyme, port wine, and water, producing tender meat and flavorful cooking juices. The final reduction of these juices makes a refined jus to accompany the pheasant, which is traditionally served with roast winter vegetables.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
3 hrs 25 mins
Total Time
3 hrs 40 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: French

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
    Cup of Yum
  1. Blend all the ingredients in a food processor for around 2 minutes.
  2. Transfer to a container with a lid.
  3. Will keep fresh for several weeks refrigerated.
Pheasant in Bag
  1. Preheat a convection oven to 75º C (165° F).
  2. 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.
  3. Sprinkle the bird with the game seasoning.
  4. Place the pheasant in the roasting bag, and the bag onto the roasting tin.
  5. Add the water, reduced port and the sprig of thyme.
  6. Seal the bag with the tie.
  7. 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.
  8. Remove the tie and strain any juices through a fine chinoise or muslin-lined sieve. You should have around 130ml (1/2 cup).
  9. Reduce the cooking juices by half to leave a perfect jus for the bird.
  10. Remove the meat from the bird and decorate with roast winter vegetables.
  11. Pour over the jus and serve immediately.
  12. Enjoy!

Notes