How to Cook Smoked Pheasant

Pheasant can also be roasted in the oven much like a turkey.

For the next big holiday get-together, skip the traditional turkey or beef roasts and opt for a meat that is a little more on the "wild" side, wild game birds, that is. Pheasant, for example, is a wild game bird with a slightly sweet taste. Pheasant are often served smoked, creating a slightly sweet, smoky and tender bird when cooked properly. Because pheasants are very lean birds that don't have a lot of fat, they need to be kept moist during smoking or the meat will taste dry and tough.

Things You'll Need

• 2 whole pheasant breasts
• 1 quart cold water
• 3 tbsp. salt
• Large bucket
• Seasonings (any kind)
• 3 pieces chicken leg skins
• Wood smoker
• Aluminum foil

Instructions

1. Pour 1 qt. cold water into a large bucket and add the 3 tbsp. of salt. Add the pheasant breasts and leave to soak overnight but no longer than eight hours. Brining adds much needed moisture into the pheasants.

2. Remove the pheasant breasts from the brine and rinse under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels.

3. Create a seasoning mix of your choice to season the pheasants.

4. Stretch the skin from the chicken quarters around the pheasant breasts and secure with toothpicks. The fat from the chicken skin will help keep the pheasants moist.

5. Dust the covered pheasants with more seasoning.

6. Prepare your smoker by adding the charcoal and flavored wood of your choice heating to about 200 degrees Fahrenheit. The type of wood you choose will add flavor to the meat, such as oak, mesquite, cherry or apple.

7. Add the pheasants to the smoker, cover and allow the pheasants to cook for four to six hours, stoking the fire periodically to maintain the heat level. The pheasant must be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

8. Remove the pheasants from the heat and cover with aluminum foil. Allow the birds to rest for at least 20 minutes before serving. Serve with or without the chicken skin.

Tips & Warnings

• For a basic seasoning for the pheasant breasts, combine 1 tbsp. onion powder, 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. dried parsley, 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper and 1/2 tsp. paprika. You can also wrap the pheasants in bacon instead of chicken skin, which will impart more flavor.

References

• Smoker Cooking: Smoked Pheasant
• Knowledge Galaxy: Cooking Pheasant
• Smoker Cooking: Classic Pit Smokers

Resources

• Barbecue Smoker Recipes: A Smoked Pheasant Breast Recipe That's Deliciously Succulent