Old Timber Outdoors
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Whole pheasant, cleaned

Dutch Oven Pheasant with Apples and Cider

Two whole pheasants cut into pieces, braised with apples, onion and cider, the breasts added late so they stay moist.

Serves
4
Hands-on
40 min
Total
2 hr 20 min
Skill
Confident cook

Stove and oven · Dinner

Ingredients

  • 2 birdsWhole pheasant, cleaned, about 1½ to 2 lb each, cleaned
  • 2 tbspFlour
  • 2 tbspButter
  • 1Onions, sliced
  • ½ cupHeavy cream
  • 2 tspSalt
  • ½ tspBlack pepper, ground
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil
  • 2 tart apples, cored and cut into wedges
  • 1½ cups apple cider
  • ½ cup chicken stock
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp cider vinegar, to finish

You'll need

Dutch oven, Oven, Stovetop, Instant-read thermometer.

Contains

Dairy, Gluten.

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 325°F. Cut each pheasant into 2 legs and 2 boneless breast halves. Season all the pieces with the salt and pepper and dust the legs with the flour. Keep the breasts refrigerated, uncooked, until step 5.
  2. Heat the oil and butter in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the legs on both sides, about 6 minutes, and set them aside.
  3. Lower the heat to medium. Cook the onion and apple wedges in the pot 4 minutes. Pour in the cider and stock, scrape up the browned bits, and add the thyme.
  4. Return the legs, cover, and braise in the oven 1 hour, until the leg meat is nearly tender. Wild roosters can need 15 to 30 minutes more.
  5. Lay the raw breasts on top of the legs, out of the liquid, cover, and braise 15 to 25 minutes more. Start checking at 15 minutes and take the breasts out the moment they read 165°F in the thickest part. Leave the legs in until they are tender and the meat pulls away from the bone.
  6. Move the pheasant to a platter, cover loosely, and rest 5 minutes. Simmer the sauce on the stove until reduced by a third, stir in the cream and vinegar, taste for salt, and spoon it over the birds.

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

Breasts dry
They went in too early or stayed too long. Pull them as soon as they reach 165°F.
Legs still tough
Return them to the oven, covered, for another 15 to 20 minutes after the breasts come out.
Sauce too sweet
Use a tart apple and add a little more vinegar or a squeeze of lemon at the end.

Leftovers. Refrigerate within 2 hours. Reheat leftovers to 165°F.