Food & Drink

How To: Cooking Pheasant

Some people are put off eating pheasant as it can be dry and tough if not cooked correctly. In this step by step guide Dan Jimenez-Kennedy, chef at the Kent Cookery School, shows you a way of preparing and cooking pheasant which will keep it juicy and tender every time. Enlarge

How To: Cooking Pheasant

Some people are put off eating pheasant as it can be dry and tough if not cooked correctly. In this step by step guide Dan Jimenez-Kennedy, chef at the Kent Cookery School, shows you a way of preparing and cooking pheasant which will keep it juicy and tender every time.

Prep:
4h:15m
Cook:
2h:40m
Total:
6h:55m
Serves:
4
Temp:
90° c  -  190° f

Ingredients

  • 5 ltr water
  • 300 g salt
  • 1 whole pheasant
  • 75 g butter
  • pinch of black pepper
  • 1 rosemary sprig
  • 1 thyme sprig
  • 2 garlic cloves

Method

Make the brine by pouring the salt into the water and stirring it until it has all dissolved. Submerge the pheasant in the brine, cover with cling film, and leave in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or overnight if you can.

Pre-heat your oven to 90 degrees Celsius.

Remove the pheasant from the brine and pat it dry. Place the pheasant on a roasting tray with a wire rack in it. Stuff the pheasant with the herbs and garlic, cover the skin with butter, and sprinkle over the ground black pepper.

Cook for 1 hour and 30 minutes, check the juices are running clear, then turn the oven up to 220 degrees and cook for 10 minutes.

Remove the pheasant from the oven after 10 minutes and leave it to rest for at least 20 minutes; this will relax the meat and ensure the juices stay inside the bird when you carve it.