Road-kill pheasant, advice please.

ampersand

Mods: Please move this to a better Forum if I've chosen wrongly - thankyou.

I know this is 'green-fingered', but on balance felt help might be forthcoming here.
Will perhaps copy to Preserver's Year too.

A few hours ago, handsome Big Boy pheasant was skittled just ahead of me. I retrieved him and brought him straight back. he's in a bag in No.1 shed freezer.

Next stage please? - I realise he should be hung and left to get high, but as i had to go out again, preferred to have first -hand a/c from all of you, who've done this.

Many thanks.

floyd

My OH's grandad is a frequent roadkill collector and he hangs them by the neck in his shed for a few days, same with rabbits but he guts the rabbits first. Pheasants can be hung intact, see below

http://www.cookeryonline.com/Game/Preparing%20Game.htm

Mr_Warren_2

The only good meat in pheasants are the breasts. If the beast has not been too damaged in the accident, clear the breast area of feathers and cut them away with a sharp knife. Pan fry slow both sides with slices of apples and set aside. Deglaze the frying pan with a few ml of cider, and pour on breats, serve with a good mash and greens if you want to.

elsien

According to my grandmother (for some odd reason we were having this conversation a few days ago) they didn't used to bother with hanging the pheasant. Guess it depends on how gamey you like it.
Then again, she never was the world's greatest cook, so you might be better off taking the other advice.:rotfl:

bordercars

on river cottage 2 weeks ago HFW said don't bother hanging them they get to gamey
he also showed you what to do with them. basically he laid it out flat put a nick under the lower breast, put his thumbs in ripped up and apart to show the breasts, he then pulled the breast's and sliced them off the breast bone. probaly a video somewhere.

Seakay

Pheasant doesn't have to be hung - most modern recipes don't call for it.

I'd peel the feathers off with the skin, gut the bird, and either cut off the breasts as above and stock pot the rest (makes a fantastic soup with lentils and/or chestnuts)

or the following recipe is very good and could be used or adapted

http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/pot-roast-pheasant-recipe-for-christmas-eve-gypsy-style-167

choille

Some people hang game until the maggots drop out of its bum. I don't like gamey food. Don't need to hang it.

Treat like you would a chicken - pluck, gut. Any bashed, bruised meat can be given to the dog. I'd clean it & then roast it. Just taking the breast meat is a bit of a waste - but use the carcase for soup.

creased-leach

Watching this with interest- hubby was given a male & female pheasant the on saturday as he passed the gamekeeper returning from a shoot.

Spirit_2

Mr Spirit shoots (so he also draws and plucks:eek:). Usually hang for 2-3 days then (preps as above) and into freezer. If however he is off abroad within a day or two of a shoot he leaves them in the boot of the car and does them the next day. We are not gastronomes!

He used to hang them from the rafters in the garage, but the cat who adopted us last year, sleeps in there now and without doubt would find a way to get his paws on them.

We roast wrapped in bacon stuffed with a lemon, breadcrumb and sage forcemeat - delicious.

melipona

How to skin a pheasant video

Strapped

Another vote for not hanging pheasant - too gamey else. I had pheasant for my dinner last night, roasted wrapped in bacon with a splash of port and served on mash with a few redcurrants (yes I am married to a chef )