Marianne Martinez
Pheasant is often considered a challenging bird to cook, but crock pots offer an easy way to prepare this meat. Slow cooking pheasant in a crock pot can tenderise the meat and reduce its gamey flavour. There are several ways to cook pheasant in a crock pot, including with mushroom sauce, wine, vegetables, and stock. The meat can be shredded and used in a variety of dishes, including soups, stews, and salads.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of dish | Southern |
| Ingredients | Pheasant, potatoes, celery, onions, carrots, chicken broth, Ragu parmesan cheese sauce, egg noodles, mushrooms, flour, pepper, salt, olive oil, Marsala wine, dry sherry, cream of mushroom soup, wild rice, sour cream, smoked paprika, mushroom sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, chicken soup, parsley, noodles, rice, vegetables, cornstarch, mashed potatoes, spinach, garlic bread, Brussels sprouts |
| Cook time | 8-10 hours on a low setting |
| Temperature | 165 degrees Fahrenheit |
| Notes | Wild pheasant has a stronger taste than farm-raised pheasant |
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What You'll Learn
How to prepare the pheasant
Preparing a wild pheasant for the crock pot is simple. Firstly, decide whether you want to cook the whole pheasant or cut it into pieces. If you want to cook the pheasant in pieces, place the flour, pepper, and salt into a resealable plastic bag and shake to combine. Then, add the pheasant pieces to the bag and shake until they are evenly coated. Next, heat some olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Shake the excess flour from the pheasant pieces and add them to the skillet. Cook until they are browned on both sides, which should take around 3 minutes per side.
If you want to cook a whole pheasant, simply place the whole bird into the crock pot. You can then fill the pot with stock and seasoning salt.
Once you have prepared the pheasant, you can add it to the crock pot and cover with your chosen sauce and other ingredients.
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Cooking times and temperatures
The cooking time for wild pheasant in a crock pot depends on the desired temperature setting. On a high setting, the pheasant will take between 2 and 4 hours to cook. On a low setting, the cooking time can be anywhere from 3 to 8 hours.
For example, one recipe recommends cooking pheasant on high for about 2-3 hours, but notes that low and slow cooking is recommended for the best results. Another recipe suggests cooking on low heat for 4-6 hours or until the pheasant is cooked. A third recipe advises cooking on high for 4 hours or low for 7 hours.
If you are cooking a whole pheasant, it will take longer to cook than pheasant pieces. One recipe suggests cooking a whole pheasant in a crock pot for 8-10 hours on low.
It's important to note that crock pots and slow cookers heat differently depending on the brand and model, so cooking times may vary. The pheasant is cooked when it's tender and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Making a sauce
One option is to make a mushroom sauce. For this, you will need a can of sliced mushrooms, chicken broth, flour, Worcestershire sauce, salt, garlic, and cream of chicken soup. You can also add onion and paprika to taste. Combine the broth and flour until the flour is dissolved, then stir in the remaining ingredients. Pour this mixture over your pheasant in the crock-pot and cook on low heat for 4-6 hours. This will result in a creamy sauce that complements the savoury flavour of the pheasant.
You can also make a homemade version of the sauce by creating a roux with flour and butter, then adding chicken broth and cream. This will create a different flavour profile but will still taste delicious.
If you're looking for a more southern-style dish, you can add two jars of Ragu Parmesan cheese sauce to your crock-pot with the pheasant. This will create a cheesy, creamy sauce that goes well with egg noodles.
Another option is to cook your pheasant in a dry sherry or Marsala wine sauce. Simply saute onions, celery, mushrooms, and garlic in olive oil, then add the wine and cook for 12-15 minutes. Add a can or two of cream of mushroom soup, then add your pheasant and saute for another 10 minutes before transferring to the crock-pot.
Finally, you can keep it simple by using condensed soups as your sauce base. Try cream of mushroom, cream of chicken, or cream of celery soup, and add an envelope of dry onion soup mix for extra flavour. This will create a tasty, savoury sauce with minimal effort.
Remember to adjust cooking times and temperatures according to your crock-pot model, and always check the seasoning before serving.
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Adding vegetables and sides
While cooking wild pheasant in a crock pot, you can add a variety of vegetables and sides to enhance the flavour and make it a well-rounded meal. Here are some ideas for additions and sides to consider:
Vegetables
- Onions: Chopped or sliced onions can be added directly to the crock pot along with the pheasant. They will add a savoury depth of flavour to the dish.
- Carrots: Carrots can be sliced or chopped and added directly to the crock pot. They provide a subtle sweetness and a crisp texture.
- Celery: Celery can be chopped and added to the crock pot. It contributes a refreshing flavour and a crunchy texture.
- Mushrooms: Fresh or canned mushrooms can be used. Sliced or chopped mushrooms can be added directly to the crock pot and provide an earthy flavour.
- Garlic: Minced or chopped garlic cloves enhance the savoury flavour of the dish.
Sides
- Rice: Wild rice or regular rice can be cooked separately and served as a side dish. It can also be added directly to the crock pot towards the end of cooking to absorb the flavours of the sauce.
- Noodles: Egg noodles or regular noodles can be cooked separately and served as a bed for the pheasant, soaking up the delicious sauce.
- Mashed Potatoes: Creamy mashed potatoes complement the savoury flavour of the pheasant and mushroom sauce.
- Sauteed Spinach: The earthy flavour of sauteed spinach provides a nice contrast to the rich sauce.
- Garlic Bread: Perfect for soaking up the mushroom sauce, garlic bread adds a buttery and garlicky dimension to the meal.
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts: The slightly bitter taste and crunchy texture of roasted Brussels sprouts can add a nice contrast to the dish.
Feel free to mix and match the vegetables and sides according to your preference and dietary needs. Remember to consider the cooking times and textures of the vegetables and sides to ensure they are ready along with the pheasant.
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Serving suggestions
Slow-cooked wild pheasant can be served in a variety of ways. Here are some suggestions:
Soups and Stews
Wild pheasant is often cooked in a crock pot and served as a soup or stew. You can cook the pheasant in chicken broth and shred the meat, adding it to your favourite soup mix. This can be served with a pile of mushrooms and wild rice. Some recipes also include vegetables like onions, celery, and carrots.
Salads
Shredded pheasant meat can be placed on top of a salad.
With Rice
Pheasant can be cooked with wild rice in a crock pot. You can also cook the rice separately and add it to the crock pot shortly before serving.
With Noodles
After cooking the pheasant in a crock pot, you can serve it with egg noodles. Plate the noodles and place the pheasant on top.
With Vegetables
Pheasant can be served with roasted Brussels sprouts, glazed carrots, and risotto. It can also be cooked with vegetables like onions, mushrooms, and celery in the crock pot.
With Potatoes
Some recipes suggest serving pheasant with new potatoes, baked potatoes, or crushed new potatoes.
With Sauce
Pheasant can be served with an orange sauce. You can also make a sauce by mixing orange brandy, honey, and chopped oranges or orange marmalade.
With Wrappings
Pheasant breasts can be wrapped in bacon and grilled or baked.
With Spices
Spices like smoked paprika and herbs de Provence can be used to season the pheasant.
With Alcohol
Some recipes include alcohol like Marsala wine or dry sherry.
These are just a few suggestions for serving wild pheasant cooked in a crock pot. You can experiment with different ingredients and flavours to find your preferred combination.
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Frequently asked questions
It is recommended to cook on low for 4 to 7 hours. However, you can cook it on high for 2 to 4 hours.
Some common ingredients include onions, mushrooms, celery, carrots, chicken broth, and seasoning. You can also add potatoes, cheese sauce, egg noodles, and wild rice.
You can serve it with noodles, rice, mashed potatoes, spinach, garlic bread, or roasted Brussels sprouts.
You can coat the pheasant pieces with flour, pepper, and salt. Then, brown the pheasant in a skillet before transferring it to the crock pot.
Slow cooking the pheasant in a creamy sauce helps eliminate any gamey flavor. You can also cook it in chicken broth and shred the meat for soup.
