# Smoked Pheasant



## Utahgreenhead (Apr 28, 2009)

Looking forward to heading to Idaho this weekend and hopefully have a few pheasants to bring back home with me. I would like to try smoking one and have never done this before. I was planning to brine it and then some sort of dry rub seasoning. Does anyone on here have any suggestions for a brine recipe? Or for that matter, in smoking pheasants in general? I appreciate any feedback.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

I thought I had a smoked pheasant thread on here years back but I can't find it.

Pheasant can be terribly dry. It is best to keep the skin on the bird; pluck it and smoke it like a chicken. 

I've done some skinned birds wrapped with cheesecloth but was never happy with them.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

I would inject a sweet brine and smoke the bird with apple or cherry. A light smoke is preferable. Don't over-cook. An internal temp of 152° is more than enough if the bird is brined properly.

Found these old pics:

Here's some skinned pheasant wrapped in cheesecloth and smoked. I put a wet rub on the birds, on the cheesecloth. 


cheesecloth taken off


shipped out as Christmas present


Good luck and keep us posted.


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## Cooky (Apr 25, 2011)

1/2 Cup Salt (non-iodized)
1/2 Cup White Sugar
1 Quart Water
Soak for about 6 hours.
Cold smoke for a couple pans then wrap in foil and finish in the oven. Cooking them this way seems to keep them a little moister than cooking them all the way in the hot smoker.
You can put whatever other stuff you want in the brine, or substitute some of the sugar with brown sugar or some soy sauce for some of the salt. Try to keep the salt/sugar ratio pretty close though, every time I've got very far off it was nasty.
I use apple for birds.


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## Mr Muleskinner (Feb 14, 2012)

I like to brine them, smoke them and then finish them in a slow cooker some cream soup and sauteed onions.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Hey Cooky and Muleskinner, great recipes. Are your birds skinned?


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## Mr Muleskinner (Feb 14, 2012)

yes they are skinned. I just cooked some pheasant like this on Friday and it was delicious. I used cream of broccoli this time with sauteed onions and mushrooms and served it on a bed of rice. Good stuff.


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## Cooky (Apr 25, 2011)

wyogoob said:


> Hey Cooky and Muleskinner, great recipes. Are your birds skinned?


I prefer plucked but seldom take the time to do it while the bird is still warm enough, and once I'm home I lack the ambition to set a hot water dip up, so they are usually skinned.


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