Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more
Outdoor Activities => Northern Ireland Camping and Bushcraft => Topic started by: b0ogaloo on November 14, 2009
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I was given a brace of pheasant on Thursday. I thought it may be of interest to some on how to prepare them for cooking
Some may find it offensive , if so stop reading now and step away from the keyboard
Pheasants are game birds and should be hung otherwise they are a bit tough unless casseroled , Hanging depends on ambient temperature .. In the Summer ( Game season 1st October to 31st January ) a day will be fine , this time of year three days . winter 4-5 days, they should be hung out of direct sunlight . preferably in a game larder to keep the flies off
If you were in in a situation where you need food this isn't really applicable ... you can skin the bird rather than pluck it .. its a lot faster .
Apologies for image quality . I took the photos in the workshop the light was crap
So a brace of pheasant
(http://www.chasingsilver.org/images/pheasent/1.jpg)
First thing I do is remove the wings . I used my Mora clipper for the entire process. A mallet was used to cut the bone
(http://www.chasingsilver.org/images/pheasent/2.jpg)
If you look at a bird you'll see the feathers run from head to toe .. so you want to pluck it against the grain as such
I hang them upside down
(http://www.chasingsilver.org/images/pheasent/3.jpg)
when plucking a bird.. if possible do it inside or it'll be like an explosion in a pillow factory , put each handful of feathers into a rubbish bag
(http://www.chasingsilver.org/images/pheasent/4.jpg)
Keep plucking down towards the neck
(http://www.chasingsilver.org/images/pheasent/5.jpg)
It doesn't take very long to pluck the bird
(http://www.chasingsilver.org/images/pheasent/6.jpg)
Once its plucked , cut beneath the rib cage so you can get your hand in and remove the innards
(http://www.chasingsilver.org/images/pheasent/8.jpg)
If your going to roast the birds ... stop at this stage and treat like you'd roast a chicken. onion a a few bay leaves in the cavity . cover in tinfoil etc ...
So next stage ... butchering the carcase
with your knife slice down the joint in the rear legs ..exposing the bone , set your knife blade on it and tap with a mallet/ heavy stick etc
(http://www.chasingsilver.org/images/pheasent/9.jpg)
Breast next ... slice at the breast bone and work the knife blade down the rib cage , repeat for the other side
(http://www.chasingsilver.org/images/pheasent/10.jpg)
I decided to casserole these birds so I pulled off the skin
that's about it jointed and ready for the pot
(http://www.chasingsilver.org/images/pheasent/11.jpg)
hope this has been of help and not offended anyone
Andy
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Good post mate. What did they taste like after all ur prep?
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Pheasant has a slightly gamey taste , nowhere near as strong as rabbit . I casseroled them with onions , butter beans , buttersquash tomatoes ginger. garlic , few chillies and some red wine .... tasted awesome :D
Andy
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Awesome. Now all I need is a pheasant!
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great post mate, ive always wondered how to do that properly and what bits to keep.
though looks like youd need two for a decent meal.
which leads onto how and where to get me a pheasant?
ive heard of lamping them from the bottom branches of fir trees at night,and ive also heard that you can get them drunk by scattering corn thats been soaked in whiskey or vodka.in which case you just run over and grab em as they stagger about lol.
knocking them over in your car at first light as they parade about the verges is another good method apparently,actually i did that by mistake one morning and brought it home with me,it was a female one and i hung it in my kitchen for about a week. as i dont have a sense of smell it didnt occur to me that it was completely rotten by the end untill my ex came round and nearly threw up from the smell ;D.
i could use my twin katanas to butcher it too.
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u could find u local gun/game club and go and ask them hunters dont mind giving away a bird or 2 if they know they'll be ate i know i dont shoot them unless sum1 asks me to get them 1 its just a waste to shoot them and leave them lying .