How to Cook Pheasant

Adding Moisture to the Meat

Make a brine solution. In a large saucepot, bring eight cups (1.92 liters) of water to a boil. Add in a half-cup of kosher or sea salt, two tablespoons of sugar, and a few bay leaves. Once the solution comes to a boil, remove it from the heat, cover the pot, and allow it to cool to room temperature. This much brine will be enough to soak two small pheasants, or one large one. The pheasant will be soaked in this brine solution, which will make the meat juicier. At the same time, the salt will help dry out the skin, and this will make for a crispier and more delicious skin.

Soak the pheasant. When the solution cools sufficiently, place the pheasant in the water. Cover the pot again and let the bird soak in the refrigerator for between four and eight hours. Since pheasant doesn't have as much fat as other meat, it can dry out quickly during the cooking process. Soaking it in liquid before cooking can add more moisture to the meat, and this will make for a more tender bird. For younger birds, soak the meat for about four hours. While soaking will make the meat juicier, it will also add extra saltiness, so don't soak it for longer than necessary. Since younger birds are more tender, they don't need to soak for as long as older birds.

Remove the bird from the brine. When you are ready to cook the bird, take it out of the brine. Place it on a wire rack and allow the excess moisture to drain off.

Roasting Pheasant

Preheat your oven. While you do want to roast your pheasant at a lower temperature, you want to start off with a hot oven to help sear and crisp the outside. Preheat your oven to 500 F (260 C).

Stuff the bird. Like with a turkey, you can choose to stuff the cavity of the pheasant or leave it empty. However, stuffing will give it more flavor, and help keep the bird moist. Popular stuffing items for pheasant include chopped onions and chopped apples. Use an entire apple, an entire onion, or half of each. You can also use a chopped bell pepper and carrot as stuffing, or about one cup of other vegetables. Don't stuff the bird to the point that it's bursting.

Cover the bird with oil or butter. Place the bird in a roasting pan with the breast facing up. Use about two tablespoons of butter or oil to coat the skin of the bird. This will make the skin nice and crispy. For added flavor, cover the oil in a light dusting of herbs and spices, such as rosemary, pepper, thyme, or sage. Don't use more than a teaspoon (5 g) of seasoning, as too much can ruin the delicate wild flavor of the bird.

Roast the bird on high for 15 minutes. This will give the outside time to get crispy without letting the meat inside dry out. The layer of oil will protect the skin from burning. After 15 minutes, reduce the temperature to 350 F (177 C) and continue cooking for 30 to 45 minutes. If you have a meat thermometer, you want the bird to reach an internal temperature of between 155 and 165 F (68 and 74 C).

Allow the meat to rest. When the pheasant comes out of the oven, leave it for five to 10 minutes before cutting and serving it. This helps to seal the juices inside the meat, and will prevent it from drying out.

Grilling Pheasant

Cut the meat. To grill pheasant, you want to take a brined pheasant and cut it into eighths, so that you have two wings, two breasts, two thighs, and two legs. Along with the brined pheasant, you will also need a boning knife. Lay the pheasant breast up on a flat surface before you start cutting. Remove the legs and thighs from the bird: where the legs meet the body, use the knife to slice away at the meat. Use your hand to pull the leg and thigh away from the body. Then, lay the bird on its side, and use your knife to cut through the leg joint and remove the leg and thigh. Separate the legs from the thighs: lay the pieces flat and cut through the joint that connects each leg to each thigh. Remove the breasts and wings: with the bird sitting breast up, cut down the center bone to separate each breast from the rib cage. Follow the contour of the breasts around the wish bone to the wing bones. Loosen the meat from the body and filet the breasts off the ribcage. Separate the breasts and wings: lay the breasts skin side down and cut through the joint that connects each breast with each wing.

Preheat your grill and season the meat. Whether you're using a charcoal grill or barbecue, preheat it to 275 F (135 C). To season the meat, you can: Cover each piece with two teaspoons (12 ml) maple syrup or barbecue sauce (optional). Sprinkle each piece with salt and pepper, to taste. You can do this right onto the meat or on top of the sauce or syrup.

Cook the meat. Place the meat skin-side up on the grill to sear it, then flip it over so it's skin side down. Let the meat cook for four to five minutes before flipping it again. Cook for another five minutes. For added flavor, add a dollop of apple sauce to each piece of meat for the final two minutes of cooking.

Allow the meat to rest. Before serving your grilled pheasant, allow it to rest for a few minutes to seal in the juices and cool.