pheasant recipes
Here's a collection of pheasant recipes from our weekly newsletters, and some lovely ones you've sent in. If you'd like more please have a look at our recipe index! To find out about our pheasant supplier and order yours click here.
Winter Herb Pheasant Roasted with Potatoes and Lemons
Roast Pheasant and Veg with Moroccan-Spiced Butter
Second Time Lucky Stew
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This is quite a different take on roast pheasant, very rustic and Mediterranean. Serves 4
- 2 whole pheasants
- 150ml extra virgin olive oil
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs
- 4 fresh rosemary sprigs
- 10g fresh mint leaves
- 5 fresh sage leaves, cut in thin slivers
- Leaves from 2 fresh oregano sprigs
- 1kg salad potatoes, halved
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
- 4 medium-to-small white onions, peeled and cut into quarters
- 2 whole lemons, quartered
Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6, then joint the pheasants. Pull the legs away from the body, cut through the skin attaching them to the body, then pull the leg further away until the thigh joint snaps. Turn the bird over and feel along the backbone for the soft oysters of meat. Cut under the oysters with the tip of a knife and remove them with the legs. Remove the breasts by cutting them away from the ribcage, keeping the knife as close to the bones as possible, and cutting round the wishbone. Season the pheasant pieces lightly on both sides.
Drizzle the bottom of a large, shallow casserole dish with some of the olive oil and sprinkle it with about one third of the herbs, then season. Add half the potatoes, turn them over in the oil and herbs and spread them out in an even layer. Cover the potatoes with the pieces of pheasant and scatter over the garlic, onions and the lemon. Sprinkle with salt, some pepper and another third of the herbs, then cover with the rest of the potatoes. Scatter with the remaining herbs and a final seasoning, then drizzle over the rest of the olive oil. Cover and bake in the oven for 1 hour or until the pheasant is tender.
Remove lemon pieces before serving and serve with a large salad full of crispy leaves like Romaine, mixed with some green leafy ones like rocket or mizuna and some tomatoes. Dress the leaves in Abel & Cole’s creamy olive oil dressing.
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This is the best 'two for the price of one' recipe ever. Roast up your meat and veg, then use the bones to make a stock. The next day, the leftovers and stock into an easy stew. Bish, bash, bosh - job done!
Prep time: 15 mins
Cooking time: up to 1 hr
Serves 4, and you should have enough for leftovers
- 1 or 2 whole pheasants, depending on how much meat you want (1 pheasant will give you 4 portions of meat about the size of your palm)
- Olive oil
- Sea salt and pepper
- 8-10 mugs of veg cut into chunks*
- 100g butter
- 1 tsp each: ground cinnamon, cumin and paprika
- A good pinch ground chilli (use as little or as much as you like)
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°C/Gas 6.
Unwrap your bird(s) to let it/them warm up to room temperature while you prepare the vegetables.
Add a splash of oil to a large roasting tin. Pop it into the oven for a few mins to heat the oil. Then add the veg chunks into the pan, sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper over the top and mix through the oil. Pop them into the oven.
Season the pheasant all over. Add a nugget of the butter and a splash of olive oil to a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Brown the pheasants all over. Pop them in the oven with the vegetables – in the same roasting tin if there's room.
The pheasant will need about 30 mins, depending on its size. If it's quite a plump bird that looks more like a small chicken, add another 5-10 mins. It will be done when you can pull the leg away from the breast with ease and there is no sign of pinky/red flesh when you do.
Take the bird(s) out of the oven and rest on a plate or cutting board. Let the veggies roast a bit more, if needed.
Melt the remaining butter with the spices and a pinch of salt if your butter is unsalted. Once everything has cooked through, drizzle/pour the spiced butter over everything.
Carve the pheasant(s) into breasts and leg portions. Save the bones and any remaining meat clinging on to make a stock for a soup or stew. If you have any extra veggies (hopefully you will) and butter you can save that as well.
The roast pheasant and veggies are delicious with a side of greens, a salad or couscous or rice.
*Med veg: Red peppers, vine tomatoes, courgettes, red onions, aubergines or Root veg: swede, parsnips, carrots, celeriac, onions and/or potatoes. We tested both and each one had its own ‘Wow’ factor. Try one this week and the other in week's to come.
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We love leftovers and with this stew you're getting a meal that’s probably better than the first. You can whip up in a flash as you've already done most of the work.
Prep time: 5 mins
Cooking time: 30 mins
Serves 2-4
- The bones and leftover meat from 1-2 roast pheasants (or a chicken)
- 2 onions and/or leeks, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, finely chopped
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- A spoonful of spiced butter (or 1 tbsp butter plus ½ tsp each: ground cinnamon, paprika and cumin and a pinch of chilli powder)
- 2-4 mugs of leftover roasted veg
- A tin of tomatoes, if you're using leftover Mediterranean veg - just use the stock if you're using root veggies
- A handful of fresh herbs like parsley or chervil, roughly chopped
Take any leftover meat from the roast pheasant sand set aside with the veggies. Make a quick stock by frying the pheasant bones in a bit of olive oil for a few moments. Add the finely chopped onion/leek and carrot, along with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Let these sizzle for 15 mins, then cover with just enough water to barely cover. Let it rapidly boil for 10-15 mins.
While it cooks, sizzle the leftover meat and veg with the spiced butter. If you're using Mediterranean, add the tinned tomatoes and top up with 1-2 mugs (or tomato tins) of stock (strain it first!). If you're using root veggies, just top them up with the stock - enough to make the stew as thick or as thin as you like.
Serve with a scattering of herbs and a nice wedge of bread.
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