Easy Ways To Prepare Smoked Pheasant Breast

Pheasants are hunters’ most favorite hunt.

Pheasant breast can be used in wide variety of dishes and it is perfect when served with your favorite vegetables or other side dishes of your preference. Pheasants are only seasonal and you’ll be lucky enough if you ever get your hands on it. Pheasant looks like chicken but it has more gamey flavor and more leaner which sets it apart to other fouls. Unlike chicken, pheasant breasts have much darker color. Many people prefer the taste of wild pheasants than reared ones.

Pheasant meat requires thorough preparation. Pheasants are free-range birds and they usually hunt for food thus the muscles were used and exercised regularly. You will notice that pheasant breasts are naturally tender and doesn’t contain much fat and juices. If cooked poorly, you will end up with a dry, chalky textured pheasant dish.

Pheasant meat is not just tasty, it also pack with nutrition that our body needs. It is rich in potassium and a great source of B vitamins. Among other game birds, pheasant is the best source of iron. If ever you worry about, then you might want to consider having pheasant for supper. Pheasant has less fat content.

Preparing smoked pheasant breast is relatively easy. There are a lot of recipes that you can find but if you are busy and didn’t have time browsing, here are the recipes for the easiest way to prepare smoked pheasant breast.

What You Need To Know About Pheasant Meat

Easy Smoked Pheasant Breast Recipe #1 (For Skinless Breasts)

Instructions

Since we are talking about gaming birds here, it is important to brine them first before cooking it. Without appropriate brining, the meat will be dry and you wouldn’t want that. Prepare a simple brine by dissolving a tablespoonful of salt on a pint of water. The salt should easily dissolve in water but if you were in a rush, use hot water instead. If you prefer a slightly sweet flavor, you could use apple cider during the brining process. You just need to let the brine cool down first before you pour it onto your pheasant breasts. Brine it for 4-6 hours.

After brining, dry your pheasant breast. You can place it in a paper towel so the excess brine will be absorbed into the paper towel. Season your breast with your favorite smoking seasoning. But if you prefer being simple, you can use black pepper and fresh basil leaves. You do not need to add salt in your seasoning. Remember, brine has salt already and it is absorbed by your meat during the brining process.

After you seasoned your meat, cover the pheasant breast pieces with bacon. Be sure that you tuck the bacon nicely. The bacon will act as a shield to keep the moisture inside the breast meat.

Prepare your smoker and set it to 225°F and smoke it for two hours. If the breast have at least 165°F of internal temperature, you can take it out.

Serve it however you want it.

This recipe needs at least 6 hours to prepare.

Easy Smoked Pheasant Breast #1 (Breast With Skin)

Instructions

Make a brine with apple juice, kosher salt, brown sugar and add your preferred spices. Bring all of these ingredients to a boil until everything is well dissolved. Let the brine mixture cool down before you pour it onto your pheasant meat. Brine it for four hours but it is much better to brine it for longer for richer flavor.

After brining, take the meat out of the brine and lose the excess brine. Dry it using a paper towel or you can place it in a cooling rack and let it sit under room temperature.

While you are waiting for the meat, prepare your smoker and set it to 225°F. Smoke your meat for 2-4 hours until it reaches 165°F.

Cool and serve.

Additional Information

Always brine your bird before smoking them.

Let your pheasant breast sit to room temperature before you put it inside the grill. This will speed up the cooking process and prevent charring.

If you hunt your own pheasant, do not skin them. If you can’t hunt, then only purchase pheasant meat with their skin on. Skin is your meat’s first defense against moisture loss and it is also your primary source of fat. It acts as a shield so the dry heat do not penetrate directly to the lean meat. If ever you prefer skinless breast, cover it up with bacon prior to smoking it.

Remember that the way you cook a pheasant will influence the taste and flavor of the meat. Regardless of how you prepare your pheasant meat, let your pheasant breast sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. This will retain the moisture that was preserved during the cooking process. Slicing it immediately after cooking will cause the moisture to escape.

Most cooks prefer smoking pheasants in slightly higher temperatures to prevent or reduce the risk of bacterial contamination. Like turkey, pheasant meat is prone to bacteria thus you need to cook it under hot smoking to kill it off.

Throw away used brine. Do not attempt to reuse it.

 Ways To Enjoy Smoked Pheasant Breast

You can enjoy it by itself. Slice and serve it with vegetables or other side dishes that you prefer.

You can use it in sandwiches. Just slice it thinly and stuff it in a baguette with your favorite mayo, mustard and other fillings.

You can use it into your salads and pasta dishes.

It is also ideal for snacking. A great addition to the usual cheese and crackers combination.

Conclusion

The instructions stated above where only one of the many easiest way to prepare smoked pheasant breast. There are a lot of recipes online and in print that you can follow and try out. Preparing this dish is easy. You just have to let your creativity take over once in a while. Experiment with various brine combinations and seasonings until you arrive at your most ideal smoked pheasant taste.