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Pheasant Wild and Farm Raised
A Golden Egg information sheet
Pheasant are not indigenous to the United States but were successfully introduced from their native Asia in the late nineteenth century. In 1881, an American diplomat posted in Shanghai, Judge Owen Denny, sent a flock of ring-necked pheasants on a ship from China to his brother's farm in Oregon's Willamette Valley. The birds did not survive and a second flock was sent in 1882. The letter group thrived and similar releases quickly took place throughout the country. The English pheasant, also a native of China, was introduced to England by the Romans, and brought to the United States shortly after the ring-neckeds arrived. The common pheasant found in the United States today is a hybrid of the two.
Pheasant are upland game birds, that is, they do not need to breed near water. They live in farmlands and open fields with brushy cover nearby. Their medium-sized bodies, with long legs and large feet, are well suited to a terrestial life of scratching for grains, seeds and berries, and insects. [ Wild About Game by Janie Hibler]
During hunting season (October to February), ask for wild scottish pheasants when available. The meat is mucho more flavorful than that of any farm-raised pheasants. A female wild scottish pheasant, weighing about 1 pound, serves one person and is superb for a quick roast. of the two sexes, they are the more tender. A male 2-pounder should be cut up, cooked more slowly, and divided between you and a guest. They have larger breasts, but their legs are virtually useless for eating. The legs do, however, make great sauces. [D'Artagnan's Glorious Game Cookbook by Ariane Daguin, George Faison, and Joanna Pruess]
From the end of September to mid-April, you can buy farm-raised, free-range cocks (males) that average 3 to 3 1/2 pounds. Like the wild Scottish male pheasant's their legs have many tendons and can be tough, needing longer, slower cooking. Therefore, the breast is often removed and cooked separately. When preparing the legs, make a cut at the joint between drumstick and thigh, so the tendons don't pull the meat up as they cook.
Farm-raised hens of about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds are available all year. As with wild birds, the domesticatted hens are more tender than cocks; they're also slightly plumper. Serve a half bird per person. Baby pheasant is a true delicacy. Each weighs about 1 1/4 pounds and is a single portion. [D'Artagnan's Glorious Game Cookbook by Ariane Daguin, George Faison, and Joanna Pruess]
Lemon Pheasant
Roast Pheasant (Vienna)
Venison and Pheasant Pie
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