Red Wine sauce? (Pheasant)

[Amnesia180]

Hi all,

I have a phesant I want to cook. I'm probably just going to cook the breast and throw the rest away.

However, I would like some advice on the sauce.

I'm thinking of cooking the phesant (either pan fry or roast in the over).
I was then going to put some red wine in a pot, and bring to the boil before reducing to a simmer. Add some finely chopped onion, spinach and mushroom.

Let that reduce down a bit and use it as my sauce.

Also goign to cook some mash.

Any other ideas what I can do? Just trying to use up what I have in the fridge, also the first time I have cooked phesant!

Thanks
Amnesia

 

[CraigC]

Red wine and poultry. How about instead of coq au vin, pheasant au vin? Then you don't have to throw away the "rest".

Craig

 

[ChefJune]

I'm probably just going to cook the breast and throw the rest away.

Why on earth would you do that?

I would roast it whole, pretty much as you would a chicken, but because it is so lean, I would wrap it with bacon to keep it moist. I might also tent it with aluminum foil, or put it over the breast until the last 20 minutes, so that won't become overcooked. I would put a couple of garlic cloves and a sprig of thyme inside the cavity, along with maybe some chopped up celery to lend moisture.

You should end up with brown bits in the roasting pan, and a small amount of pan juices. I'd use those to start the sauce, add some red wine to deglaze the pan and reduce it down. Finish with a chunk of butter, for a creamy finish.

Serve with a pilau of brown and wild rice with mushrooms. Soooooooo good!

 

[ChefJune]

Red wine and poultry. How about instead of coq au vin, pheasant au vin? Then you don't have to throw away the "rest".

Craig

Craig, Pheasant is too lean a bird to stew. The results would be unpleasant.

 

[CraigC]

Oh, I thought that coq au vin was made using a braising technique. Basically cooked until it falls off the bone.

Craig

 

[Amnesia180]

Thanks for all the replies.

Unfortunately, we cut the bird before I read these replies.

Are there any good pan fry recipes? We've got the legs/thighs, breast cut and a thick bit from the top. The only thing left is the carcass and the live was inside too. I wanted to take care that we did not waste the bird, and the meat is now sat in various tubs in the fridge.

I'm no chef, so please excuse my ignorance with proper cooking terms.

 

[ChefJune]

Oh, I thought that coq au vin was made using a braising technique. Basically cooked until it falls off the bone.

Craig

Coq au vin is a braised dish, and best made with an old bird. But lean meats (and pheasant is one) do not take well to braising.

 

[CraigC]

Coq au vin is a braised dish, and best made with an old bird. But lean meats (and pheasant is one) do not take well to braising.

I guess that the recipes I saw when I googled pheasant au vin are not good, including Julia Childs suggestion?

Craig

 

[Mimizkitchen]

I guess that the recipes I saw when I googled pheasant au vin are not good, including Julia Childs suggestion?

Craig

Craig, I have never known Julia Child to use pheasant for her coq au vin recipe, she strickly used (as CJ said) an old bird... The meat on them is not as tender as a young chicken, so it makes them perfect for braising... I suppose you could try it with a pheasant, however I would take it out of the braising liquid way ahead of the time it takes, and then put the pieces back in the last few minutes...

 

[CraigC]

Craig, I have never known Julia Child to use pheasant for her coq au vin recipe, she strickly used (as CJ said) an old bird... The meat on them is not as tender as a young chicken, so it makes them perfect for braising... I suppose you could try it with a pheasant, however I would take it out of the braising liquid way ahead of the time it takes, and then put the pieces back in the last few minutes...

I didn't say she used it, just that she mentioned it as a possible sub. I understand that old birds and roosters are used and that their use were the origions of the dish.

I was just making a suggestion without even knowing if anyone actually used pheasant in this fashion. The reply I got seemed to dismiss my suggestion out of hand. That made me curious and I looked into it. Apparantly people do make pheasant in this fashion and with good results. Just saying. Some one had to be the first to try an oyster.

Craig

 

[Mimizkitchen]

My bad Craig, I reread your post and see where you said she suggested it (OOPS)... I was just thinking a classic coq au vin and because of the long braise that way wouldn't work... I googled some recipes and they are a much shorter cooking time, no more than 30 minutes... I also found one by one of my favorite chefs Mario Batali, the recipe was for pheasant farmers style... He sears the pheasant, removes it , makes the sauce and wraps the pieces of pheasant in pancetta before returning it to the sauce for 30 minutes... Sounds really good... Now if I could just get my hands on a pheasant!!!

 

[CraigC]

My bad Craig, I reread your post and see where you said she suggested it (OOPS)... I was just thinking a classic coq au vin and because of the long braise that way wouldn't work... I googled some recipes and they are a much shorter cooking time, no more than 30 minutes... I also found one by one of my favorite chefs Mario Batali, the recipe was for pheasant farmers style... He sears the pheasant, removes it , makes the sauce and wraps the pieces of pheasant in pancetta before returning it to the sauce for 30 minutes... Sounds really good... Now if I could just get my hands on a pheasant!!!

I'm pretty sure they aren't native to our state. More adapted to the west. Now, we do have an invasive species called moscovy duck, which I understand the French just love.

Hehe, Mario was a participant in the SOBE Wine and Food Festival a couple years back. I understand he got pretty "loose" and was dropping some serious "bombs" on the crowd one night.

Craig

 

[Silversage]

The last time I cooked a pheasant was about 30 years ago. I really don't remember the specifics, but I know I used apple cider & Calvados. It was sublime.

As best I can remember, I stuffed the bird with apples, and roasted it on high heat.

Then I deglazed the pan and made a sauce with the cider and Calvados.

I think if you've already partitioned the bird, you could brown the parts in a skillet, then flambe the Calvados over the meat. Add apples slices around it, and a bit of cider and place the entire skillet in the oven to finish. Be careful not to overcook. Set the meat aside to rest, and make a sauce from the liquids in the pan.