Smoked Wild Pheasant Food

SMOKED WILD PHEASANT

Steps:

• In a large non-metallic container combine sugar and salt with enough water to cover bird.
• Add bird and let bird set in brine for 24 hours.
• Drain.
• Let bird air dry on paper towels for 1 hour while preparing smoker.
• Smoke in electric smoker (according to manufacturer's directions) for 6 hours using 3 pans of sawdust (or per smoker's directions).
• ***If air is cool it may take longer for bird to be cooked through***.
• Test for doneness by moving bird's leg--the bird's legs will move freely when done.

SMOKED PHEASANT CHOWDER

Steps:

• Debone pheasant and reserve bones. Chop bones. To a sauce pan add bacon and cook until brown. Add carrots, onion, celery, garlic and cook mixture. Add flour. Stir until brown. Add bones and enough chicken stock to cover mixture. Cover, cook for 1 1/2 hours. Strain and reserve.;
• In a pot, add bacon and oil and cook until brown. Add all vegetables and brown. Add cilantro, meat and stock and simmer until vegetables are cooked.
• Season with spices.

EMERIL'S FAVORITE ROAST PHEASANT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F and position the oven rack in the bottom third of the oven.
• Season the cavities and the outside of each pheasant liberally with salt and pepper. Divide the chopped onion and carrot equally among the cavities of the pheasants. Squeeze the juice from both halves of the orange and set aside. Cut 1 of the squeezed halves into 3 pieces, and tuck inside of the cavities along with the veggies. Insert 1sprig of thyme into the cavity of each pheasant.
• Arrange the pheasants in a large roasting pan, breast sides up. Lay 2 strips of bacon over the top of each pheasant, cutting the bacon into pieces if necessary to cover as much of the pheasant as possible. Roast for 15 minutes, then remove the bacon strips and continue roasting for approximately 30 to 40 minutes, or until the juices run clear. (It is important to not overcook the pheasants, as they are very lean birds.) Remove the pheasants from the oven and transfer to a serving platter, loosely tented, while you make the sauce.
• Using a spoon, carefully remove as much extra fat from the pan as possible. Place the roasting pan over high heat and, when hot, deglaze with the reserved orange juice and Madeira, using a wooden spoon to scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. When the orange juice and Madeira have reduced by half, add the chicken stock and continue to cook until sauce has reduced enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 3 to 4 minutes. Swirl in the butter and remove from the heat. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• Remove the back bone from each pheasant, then cut along the breast bone to divide the birds into two halves. Serve 1/2 pheasant per person, napped with some of the sauce and with some of the Wild Mushroom Bread Pudding.
• Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet over high heat. Add the onions and cook until golden brown and tender, 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, 1/2 teaspoon of the garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the Essence, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and 3/4 teaspoon of the pepper, and cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are tender and have given off their liquid, about 5 minutes. Add the beer and cook, stirring, to deglaze the pan and until the mixture is almost dry, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
• In a large bowl, combine the eggs, cream, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of Essence, remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, and whisk well to combine. Add the mushroom mixture and cheeses and stir well. Add the bread cubes and let sit until the bread has absorbed the liquid, 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with the butter. Add the bread crumbs, shaking to cover the bottom evenly. Pour the bread pudding mixture into the prepared pan and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour and uncover. Continue baking until risen and firm in the center, and golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool slightly before serving.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
• Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.

SMOKED PHEASANT

Steps:

• Chop up peppers, onions, celery, and garlic. Heat a large skillet and melt the butter careful not to burn the butter. Place peppers, onions, celery, and garlic in the hot butter and fry until tender. Then brown the sausage in with the peppers, onions, celery, and garlic. Do not over cook the sausage.
• When the pheasant is done marinating fill the cavity completely full with the stuffing.
• Smoking:.
• After birds are stuffed, tie the bird's legs and wings up close to the bird.
• Wrap the entire bird with bacon using toothpicks to hold the bacon in place.
• Smoke for about 2 ½ hours using hickory chips the entire time.
• Baking:.
• Preheat the oven to 350*F. Using a broiler pan, cover the bottom of the pan with water and add 2 tsp of liquid smoke to the water. Place the birds on the top grate of the broiler pan and cover all with tin foil.
• Bake for approx 45 minute remove tin foil and bacon and cook until the bird is done and golden brown. Spoon out the stuffing and serve it on the side. This meal is to die for.
• Caution:.
• Stuffing should never be left in the bird. Care is to be taken when handling any fowl. Always insure the bird is completely done using a meat thermometer. (170*F.).