Equipment
Ingredients
Main
- 907 g pheasant, cleaned, cut into serving pieces
- 2 g salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 2 garlic, peeled
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 g thyme
- 180 ml dry white wine
Sauce and Garnish
- 45 g unsalted butter, cold
- 6 g parsley, finely chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 587 kcal
- Protein
- 52 g
- Carbohydrates
- 2 g
- Fat
- 36 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
- Sodium
- 290 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 16 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 14 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 201 mg
- Potassium
- 615 mg
- Calcium
- 48 mg
- Iron
- 3.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 54 mg
- Phosphorus
- 503 mg
- Zinc
- 2.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 259 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 17 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin K
- 27 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 1.6 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.8 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.17 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.34 mg
- Niacin
- 14.7 mg
- Folate
- 18 mcg
- Water
- 199 g
- Alcohol
- 5 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Season all pheasant pieces evenly with salt and pepper.
Melt 30g of butter in a skillet over medium-high heat until foaming.
Place pheasant pieces in the skillet skin-side down and sear for 3 minutes until the skin is golden brown.
Flip the pheasant pieces and sear the other side for an additional 3 minutes.
Add the garlic cloves, bay leaf, thyme sprigs, and white wine to the skillet.
Cover the skillet with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes until the pheasant is tender and reaches an internal temperature of 74°C/165°F.
Transfer the pheasant pieces from the skillet to a serving dish.
Whisk the remaining 45g of cold butter into the simmering pan liquid until the sauce is thick and glossy.
Pour the sauce over the pheasant and garnish with chopped parsley.
Chef's Notes
- Ensure your pheasant pieces are roughly the same size for even cooking. If you're breaking down a whole bird, consider the breast, thighs, and legs as separate cooking elements.
- Don't overcrowd the pan when searing. Cook the pheasant in batches if necessary to achieve a beautiful golden-brown crust, which adds significant flavor.
- The final butter addition to the sauce, known as 'monter au beurre,' is crucial for achieving a glossy, emulsified finish. Use cold butter and whisk vigorously.
- Taste and adjust seasoning throughout the sauce-making process. The reduction of the wine and pan juices will concentrate flavors, so a final check for salt and pepper is essential.
- For an even richer sauce, you can deglaze the pan with a splash of brandy before adding the white wine.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container with the sauce.
Freezer: 2 months — Sauce texture may change slightly upon thawing.
Reheating: Gently warm in a covered skillet over low heat with a splash of water or stock.
Troubleshooting
Pheasant meat is tough or dry
Cause: The liquid boiled too vigorously or the meat was overcooked.
Fix: Cannot be fixed; serve with extra sauce to provide moisture.
Prevention: Ensure the heat is low enough to maintain a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil.
The pan sauce is thin or greasy
Cause: The butter was added to a sauce that was too hot, causing it to melt rather than emulsify.
Fix: Whisk in a teaspoon of cold water and continue whisking vigorously.
Prevention: Remove the pan from high heat before whisking in cold butter.
Cultural Context
Pheasant has long been a prized game bird in European cuisine, particularly in France, where it's often featured in festive meals and sophisticated dishes. Its lean meat and rich flavor lend themselves well to quick cooking methods like sautéing, allowing the natural taste to shine through, often enhanced by classic French sauces and aromatic herbs.
