Preparing Pheasant and Partridge
Discussion
Have a look at some options here.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/pheasant
Have they been plucked and drawn, hung for a while?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/pheasant
Have they been plucked and drawn, hung for a while?
When you've finished with the grotty bits....
Pheasant:
Cover breasts with bacon slices
Place bird on rack in baking tray
Pour some stock into the tray under the rack
Cover whole lot with foil
Roast - approx 30-40mins dependent on size of bird
Rest
Partridge - never cooked it, but the same method as the pheasant might work?
Pheasant:
Cover breasts with bacon slices
Place bird on rack in baking tray
Pour some stock into the tray under the rack
Cover whole lot with foil
Roast - approx 30-40mins dependent on size of bird
Rest
Partridge - never cooked it, but the same method as the pheasant might work?
Pluck it.
Gut it. Chuck the stinky bits.
For me? I'd pop it in the slow cooker covered in bacon.
No water or anything like that. Just slow roasted with the bacon to keep the flesh most.
Slow cooked bacon is incredible stuff.
Oh..the and pheasant will fall apart under your knife and you can literally pick up the bones and the flesh will slide off.
Makes even a old one a tasty, easy to eat treat.
Obviously if you know you have a young bird (this year's) you might want to go with a fast roast. But if in doubt: slow cooker out!
Gut it. Chuck the stinky bits.
For me? I'd pop it in the slow cooker covered in bacon.
No water or anything like that. Just slow roasted with the bacon to keep the flesh most.
Slow cooked bacon is incredible stuff.
Oh..the and pheasant will fall apart under your knife and you can literally pick up the bones and the flesh will slide off.
Makes even a old one a tasty, easy to eat treat.
Obviously if you know you have a young bird (this year's) you might want to go with a fast roast. But if in doubt: slow cooker out!
Partridges should only be hung for a short time ( about a week in cold temperatures) whereas Pheasants can easily manage twice that and more.
Bring the bird up to room temperature before you start to pluck it. Start with the breast and do 1 or 2 feathers at a time against the lie.
When it's plucked - cut off the feet and wings first with a pair of sharp scissors. Then the tail feathers and a quick tidy up if feathers still present. With a sharp knife cut the head off at the lower neck end...there will be seed and/or corn that will need to be removed.
Cut a 2cm slit up from it's bottom...enough to get a couple of fingers in. Cover your hand in a plastic bag and put 2 fingers up it's cloaca and grab the entrails and pull. These should easily come away and be captured by the plastic bag. I use a 2nd plastic bag as quite often there's the odd organ that get's left behind
Use tap water to flush out cavity - all ready to cook
I roast at 180C for 45-50 mins for Pheasant and 35 mins for partridge. Small trivet of granny Smith apple, the rest chopped up and shared between the neck opening and cloaca...use to make the gravy.
Only eat the breasts for a main meal then strip the carcass and make a stock with the bones and spare meat is used either to have as stew or to make rissoles.
Bring the bird up to room temperature before you start to pluck it. Start with the breast and do 1 or 2 feathers at a time against the lie.
When it's plucked - cut off the feet and wings first with a pair of sharp scissors. Then the tail feathers and a quick tidy up if feathers still present. With a sharp knife cut the head off at the lower neck end...there will be seed and/or corn that will need to be removed.
Cut a 2cm slit up from it's bottom...enough to get a couple of fingers in. Cover your hand in a plastic bag and put 2 fingers up it's cloaca and grab the entrails and pull. These should easily come away and be captured by the plastic bag. I use a 2nd plastic bag as quite often there's the odd organ that get's left behind
Use tap water to flush out cavity - all ready to cook
I roast at 180C for 45-50 mins for Pheasant and 35 mins for partridge. Small trivet of granny Smith apple, the rest chopped up and shared between the neck opening and cloaca...use to make the gravy.
Only eat the breasts for a main meal then strip the carcass and make a stock with the bones and spare meat is used either to have as stew or to make rissoles.
Ranger 6 said:
When you've finished with the grotty bits....
Pheasant:
Cover breasts with bacon slices
Place bird on rack in baking tray
Pour some stock into the tray under the rack
Cover whole lot with foil
Roast - approx 30-40mins dependent on size of bird
Rest
Partridge - never cooked it, but the same method as the pheasant might work?
That's about spot on, but I also chuck an onion in the cavity (works well with bread sauce too)Pheasant:
Cover breasts with bacon slices
Place bird on rack in baking tray
Pour some stock into the tray under the rack
Cover whole lot with foil
Roast - approx 30-40mins dependent on size of bird
Rest
Partridge - never cooked it, but the same method as the pheasant might work?
Mobile Chicane said:
You've got two meals there.
I'd slow-cook the pheasant legs and quickly pan-fry the breasts to pile on top.
For the partridges, I'd rub them all over with butter, season, then get the oven as hot as it will go and give them 20 minutes.
I'd slow-cook the pheasant legs and quickly pan-fry the breasts to pile on top.
For the partridges, I'd rub them all over with butter, season, then get the oven as hot as it will go and give them 20 minutes.
Other than that I'd confit the legs of the pheasant and the partridge - lots of info available, but basically:
1. Salt the legs (I use aromatics in the salt, clove, nutmeg and orange) - leave for a few hours.
2. Confit in goose or duck fat at a low constant (~80°C/176°F) for approx 2.5 hours.
3. Cool, cover with fat and chill to set.
4. Remove fat and pan roast in a medium hot oven.
toxgobbler said:
Ranger 6 said:
When you've finished with the grotty bits....
Pheasant:
Cover breasts with bacon slices
Place bird on rack in baking tray
Pour some stock into the tray under the rack
Cover whole lot with foil
Roast - approx 30-40mins dependent on size of bird
Rest
Partridge - never cooked it, but the same method as the pheasant might work?
That's about spot on, but I also chuck an onion in the cavity (works well with bread sauce too)Pheasant:
Cover breasts with bacon slices
Place bird on rack in baking tray
Pour some stock into the tray under the rack
Cover whole lot with foil
Roast - approx 30-40mins dependent on size of bird
Rest
Partridge - never cooked it, but the same method as the pheasant might work?
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