Roasted Pheasant with Braised Root Vegetables

The most challenging thing about roasting a pheasant is finding one to prepare. I've been getting mine at Wild Fork Foods, which has a store nearby but I often order online for home delivery. 

Roasted Pheasant with all the Trimmings

Crisp Skin - Moist Meat

Roasted Pheasant - An Autumn Treat

You can also order them from your local butcher in many cases. I will warn you that pheasant is not inexpensive, but the other favorite and similar fowl like Guinea hen has also gone way up in price. Pheasant and Guinea fowl are fairly similar in size (2-3 pounds) and texture, with the pheasant having slightly more dense meat. A typical bird will serve 4 adults. Both are delicious when prepared properly and below you will find my simple instructions to insure a moist meat and crisp skin. If you can roast a good chicken, you can roast pheasant.

Trussed

I think the easiest way to roast any of the birds is to give them a little seasoned dry brine in the refrigerator and I do this using Meathead's Amazing Tuscan Herb Poultry Seasoning & Dry Brine. You can use some coarse salt mixed with classic poultry season or coarse salt mixed with dried rosemary, thyme and basil if you don't have a prepared mixture on hand.

Today I'm pairing it with pan roasted root vegetables, mushrooms and chestnuts, shown above. 

Ingredients
1 whole pheasant

1 poultry seasoning and dry brine (see note above)

2 tablespoons melted butter

4-8 ounces of white button or other favorite mushrooms

6-8 small golden potatoes

6-8 pieces of carrot (multi colored carrots are nice)

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

4 ounce package of prepared roasted chestnuts

pinch of your favorite seasoning or salt and pepper

The morning of your planned dinner, remove the pheasant from the packaging and rinse and dry. Using your fingers, loosen the skin on the breast going from both the back and front. Spread some of the dry brine seasoning mixture under the skin directly onto the breast meat (about 1 tablespoon for both sides of the breast. Then generously sprinkle all of the outside of the skin all the way around the pheasant as well as inside the cavity. Set the bird on a plate or tray to catch drippings and place it uncovered in the refrigerator. 

Two hours prior to your planned meal time, remove the pheasant from the refrigerator and let it warm slightly on the counter for one hour.  Using butchers' twine, tie the legs together. Then preheat your oven to 350F degrees using the convention roast setting if available. Insert a meat thermometer or your oven's temperature probe in through the thigh of the bird and up toward the breast without touching any bone. Set a roasting rack into your roasting pan and set the pheasant on it. Using melted butter brush all of the surface of the skin until well coated all around. Place the pheasant in the oven and roast for 45 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160F. 

While the pheasant roasts, wash and cut the mushrooms, potatoes and carrots into bite sized pieces. Heat a large non-stick skillet with the 2 tablespoons of the oil and butter over medium-high heat until the butter is done foaming. Then add the mushrooms until cook until the liquid evaporates and the mushrooms are lightly browned. Remove to a bowl and set aside. Add a little more oil and add the potatoes and carrots to the skillet cut sides down and allow them to brown. When lightly browned, turn the heat down to medium and cover to finish cooking, about 20-30 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and roasted chestnuts and keep warm until the pheasant is ready. Remove pheasant from oven and let rest for 15 minutes or more before carving and serving with the root vegetables.