How to Cook the Perfect Roast Pheasant

With a low amount of fat and a lack of meat, pheasants are very easy to overcook. They are dry to begin with. This means that you must use the right cooking technique or you'll waste your hard-earned bird. Pheasants are best roasted, braised, slow cooked, grilled or smoked.

A few tips on preparing pheasant:

Before roasting, grilling, or smoking, the greatest key to your success will be brining the bird. The right amount of salt, sugar and liquid will help to ensure that your roasted pheasant is tender and juicy.
Let the bird sit in the refrigerator, uncovered, for 6-12 hours after brining. This will make the skin nice and crispy.
Keep an internal thermometer handy. You really don't want to overcook this bird. Once the meat is 155°F, remove it from the heat.
Allow it to rest for 15 minutes. This will allow the cooking process to finish and the flavorful juices to distribute.

Get started with this ridiculously simple recipe. Featuring an apple cider brine and a bourbon glaze, it's sure to be the best pheasant recipe you've tried yet:

Apple/Bourbon Glazed Roast Pheasant
This recipe serves up to two

Ingredients

3/4 lb pheasant I wanted to savor my bird, so I only prepared a thigh and the drums. You can use this recipe for any part of the bird. You can also do a whole roasted pheasant as well using this recipe - just double the ingredient measurements.
8 baby potatoes, halved*
1 apple, sliced*
6 pearl onions, skin removed*

* Yes, you can use any regular potato, onion and apple you have.

Brine:

1 1/2 cups apple cider
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup kosher salt
3 bay leaves

Glaze:

1/2 cup maple syrup
1 oz bourbon

Roasted Pheasant How-To

Combine the brine ingredients in a small pot and bring to a boil. Stir rapidly until fully dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.

Place pheasant into a plastic bag and pour in the brine. Allow to brine overnight in the refrigerator.

Remove from the brine and rinse under cold water for 1 minute. Place onto a plate and put in the refrigerator for 6 hours, uncovered.

Remove from the fridge and let sit at room temperature while you preheat your oven to 500°F.

In a small skillet, arrange the apples, potatoes and onions in one layer. Drizzle with olive oil. Place the pheasant on top. Roast at 500°F for 15 minutes.

Remove from heat and turn the oven down to 350°F. Prop open the door. While the oven cools, combine your glaze ingredients. Use a brush to coat the skin heavily with the glaze, all over.

Return the skillet to the oven and roast an additional 30 minutes at 350°F, or until the internal temperature of the bird reads 155°F. The meat will still be slightly pink.

Remove from heat and allow to rest 15 minutes. Enjoy!