Bacon-Draped Roast Pheasant with Pan Gravy

Two whole pheasants roasted on onion and lemon under strips of bacon, carved and served with a thyme pan gravy.

Serves: 4
Hands-on: 35 min
Total: 5 hr 35 min
Skill: Confident cook

Cooks on: Stovetop + oven · Dinner

Ingredients

2 birdsWhole pheasant, cleaned, about 1½ to 2 lb each, cleaned and patted dry
2 tbspButter, softened
2Onions, thickly sliced
1Lemon, halved
4 clovesGarlic, smashed
1½ tbspFlour, for the gravy
2 tspSalt, kosher
½ tspBlack pepper, ground
6 slices thin-cut bacon
1 tsp dried thyme
1¼ cups chicken stock, divided

You'll need

Oven
Stovetop
Large skillet, ideally cast iron
Instant-read thermometer

Contains

Dairy, Gluten. Bacon and boxed stock can contain added ingredients. Check the labels.

Method

At least 4 hours ahead (up to 24), pat the pheasants dry inside and out and season them all over, inside and out, with the salt. Refrigerate them uncovered. The salt seasons the lean breast through and helps it hold its juices.
Heat the oven to 375°F. Pat the birds dry again, rub them with the butter, and season with the pepper and thyme.
Spread the onion slices in the skillet to make a rack. Tuck a lemon half and 2 garlic cloves inside each bird and set the birds breast up on the onion.
Lay 3 bacon slices across each breast, overlapping them so the whole breast is covered. Pour ½ cup of the stock into the skillet.
Roast 35 minutes. Lift off the bacon (set it aside to serve with the birds) and return the skillet to the oven so the skin browns, 10 to 20 minutes more. Start checking the breast at 10 minutes; small birds finish fast.
Check with an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the breast and in the thigh, not touching bone. Take the birds out as soon as both read 165°F; minutes are only a guide. Move them to a board and rest them 10 minutes.
Meanwhile set the skillet over medium heat on the stove. Press the onions with a spoon, stir in the flour and cook 1 minute. Whisk in the remaining ¾ cup stock and simmer until thickened, about 3 minutes. Squeeze in the juice from the roasted lemon halves to taste and strain the gravy if you like a smooth one.
Carve each bird into breasts and legs, slice the breasts across the grain, chop the bacon, and serve with the gravy and roasted onions.

When it's done: 165°F

The federal chart lists poultry at 165°F, and Kansas State University Extension says to fully cook game birds to at least 165°F. Check the thickest part with an instant-read thermometer.

If it goes wrong

Breast reached 165°F but the thigh did not: Carve off the breasts, cover them, and return the legs to the oven for 5 to 10 minutes.
Skin pale: The bacon came off too late. Finish under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes, watching closely.
Gravy lumpy: Whisk the stock in slowly, or pour the gravy through a strainer.
Breast dry even at 165°F: It sat too long past temperature or was not salted ahead. Salt the birds the day before and check early.

Leftovers. Refrigerate leftover meat off the bone within 2 hours and reheat to 165°F.