Pheasant Opener Weekend: 10 Pheasant Recipes Not to Miss

The ring-necked pheasant is the pheasant in North America that you see, marked by the brilliant colors of the male pheasant, with a thin ring of white around his neck. The marking of both the male and female allow them to disappear easily into a prairie of grass, where they make their nests. The female- the hen- has far less coloring than the male, and therefore blends into the landscape much better. Like most birds, the male has to be impressive enough to capture the hen’s attention, so his colors are bright and vibrant.

As a prized ‘game bird’ the long tail of the male pheasant is kept as the trophy to mark the size of the bird. Common thought is that the longer the tail of the pheasant, the bigger the bird. In Minnesota only the males, or cocks, are hunted, although at some bird hunting preserves, like Traxlers they will put out both hens and cocks out for your hunting party.

As always, I believe in hunting wild game, as long as you’re willing to eat it and use as much as you can of the animal. In honor of the Minnesota pheasant opener, which starts this weekend on October 11, here is list of 10 fantastic pheasant dishes that showcase the bird’s flavor, while keeping it moist and perfectly cooked.

10 Great Pheasant Recipes

1. Pheasant Pot Pie

Pheasant combined with flavorful vegetables and chicken stock in a thick pie crust is a hearty meal that can’t be missed!

2. Emeril’s Favorite Roast Pheasant Recipe

If you like roast chicken you’ll love this recipe for roast pheasant, though you’ll need more sides to make a full meal, as pheasants tend to have less meat than chicken.

3. Cider-Braised Pheasant with Pearl Onions and Apples

Keeping in the moisture is key to a great pheasant dish and this slow-cooked cider-braised pheasant is flavorful and juicy! The perfect meal to enjoy on a cold fall’s eve.

4. Smoked Pheasant

Wondering how to take your smoker to the next level? Try smoking a whole pheasant over wood chips- just don’t skip out on brine time- you won’t regret it.

5. Kickin Wing Pheasant Jerky

Running out of room in the freezer? This jerky is a great alternative for preserving your bird, if it makes it that long!

6. Pheasant Stock and Soup

Remember how I like to use every part of the animal when hunting wild game, well here’s how you can use even more. Use those bones and fat to make a nice stock, either for future use, or for an evening soup dinner.

7. Bacon-Wrapped Pheasant Recipe

A fast and easy appetizer, bacon-wrapped pheasant will captivate the attention of even the pickiest eater. First off, it has bacon, which holds in the moisture of the pheasant, and all you have to do is grill it.

8. Pheasant Confit

The dish you’ll want to serve at your next dinner to have everyone raving about your culinary abilities. Fancy, yet delicious pheasant confit is the merging of the wild game world and culinary heaven.

9. Pheasant Buffalo Wings

A mind-blowing appetizer dish- your favorite buffalo wings and flavors, but with a wild game bird. Just don’t skip out on simmering the wings. You want your wings to be fall-off-the-bone tender.

10. Pheasant Mac and Cheese

While on the topic of comfort foods, no good list is complete without mac and cheese. Plus this recipe includes more bacon, so it’s pretty much a win-win.

Now it’s your turn. What are your favorite pheasant recipes?

Do you love wild game as much as I do? Then we have something in common! Keep in touch by liking Pickle Travel blog’s Facebook page or following my Wild Edible Board on Pinterest. I will be publishing more wild game recipes in the future, from mushrooms to berries to venison and pheasant and hope you follow along.