jas,
The hanging thing is controversial. As I said, the French believe it makes the meat much better and they hang the birds for a long time. They hang ducks and geese and other fowl too. Most of the time I have hung birds it was when I was younger and, in all truth, mostly out of laziness. You can clean them right away and it sure won't hurt.
The recipe above is a little more elaborate than most would do. You don't have to make the stock. You can just use canned chicken broth. But, simmering the bones will make it better and it is quite simple. You don't have to cut up the onion or carrot or celery. Just toss them whole or halved into the stock pot.
When I was young, we used to just filet the breasts and thighs off the birds and throw the rest away. But now, to me, it is kind of like shooting an old double gun when hunting. It is not the most expedient thing to do. But it is better and it is nice to squeeze all the best out of this fast disappearing life.
I do have lots of other ways to prepare pheasant (and I could possibly be talked into typing them out) but the above is a classic. You can add a little sour cream or plain yogert at the end to get a kind of stroganoff effect. But, try it straight up at least once. Pheasant is great fare if it is done simply and not screwed up. Even most restaurants treat the meat like it is gamey and serve it with dark or fruity sauces. Heck, if you just flash fry some pheasant meat with a bit of salt and pepper it is great.
Best Regards, Jake
Last edited by Jakearoo; 10/02/07 02:47 AM.
