Roast Pheasant With Morels
Updated Oct. 11, 2023
- Total Time
- 1 hour 5 minutes
- Prep Time
- 20 minutes
- Cook Time
- 1 hour
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1pheasant, 2 to 2½ pounds, with heart and liver
- ¼pound morels
- 2shallots
- 3tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- 3tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves
- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- ½cup chicken or veal stock, preferably homemade
Nutritional analysis per serving (2 servings)
1031 calories; 59 grams fat; 23 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 24 grams monounsaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 17 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 105 grams protein; 1659 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Two days in advance, place the unwrapped pheasant on a rack in the refrigerator with a plate underneath. Allow to air-dry, turning occasionally.
- Step 2
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. If they are gritty, rinse the morels quickly under running water and dry with paper towels. Slice the tops and stems. Soften the shallots in one tablespoon of butter in a skillet and add the morels. Cook over high heat until the liquid evaporates. Chop the liver and heart and briefly saute. Set aside.
- Step 3
Insert the remaining butter and the tarragon under the pheasant breast skin, distributing it as evenly as possible. Fill the cavity with the morel mixture, season to taste and truss.
- Step 4
Place the pheasant on its side in a roasting pan and roast for 10 minutes, basting when you do so. Turn on the other side and roast a further 10 minutes. Then turn the pheasant breast up and finish cooking until it is tender, about 45 minutes to an hour.
- Step 5
Place the pheasant on a warm serving dish. Skim the fat from the roasting juices and add the stock. Bring to boil and simmer until reduced by half. Meanwhile, remove the morels from the pheasant cavity. Add them to the stock and simmer for 30 seconds. Pour into a heated sauce boat and serve separately.
- This recipe can be prepared with chicken.
Private Notes
Comments
This is a great recipe. I would indicate a measure for the shallots. Either a weight or tablespoons. The other problem was the homemade veal. Fortunately, I was able to build an adjustable prosthetic leg for my neighbors calf.
Delicious. Worked well with dried morels, and used mushroom liquid (with a little chicken bouillon) for the finishing sauce. Tying the birds so stuffing would stay in was challenging, and prep before cooking took close to an hour. Should have boiled sauce down more so it would have thickened, but taste was excellent. Cooked birds with turnips; good complement, and served with braised endives. Pheasants (about 2.5 pounds each) were cooked after 50 minutes total roasting, even a little dry.
This is a great recipe. I would indicate a measure for the shallots. Either a weight or tablespoons. The other problem was the homemade veal. Fortunately, I was able to build an adjustable prosthetic leg for my neighbors calf.
This recipe does not tell you when or how to use the reserved, sautéed heart and liver.
The recipe indicates they are added to the skillet with the morels after the liquid evaporates.