Pot-roasted pheasant

Pot-roasted pheasant

A true autumnal treat, this pot roast works equally well with partridge, guinea fowl or chicken

Difficulty and servings

Moderately easy

Serves 4

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 25 mins

Cook time

Cook 1 hr 55 mins

Freezable

Method

  1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Dust the pheasants with the flour, then heat the oil in a large flameproof dish. Brown the pheasants all over, then remove from the dish.
  2. In the same dish, fry the bacon, vegetables, garlic and herbs with 1 tbsp of the dusting flour for 5 mins, until the vegetables start to colour. Put the pheasants and any resting juices back in the dish, pour on the Marsala, wine and stock, add the sugar, then cover and cook for 1 hr 30 mins - 1 hr 50 mins or until the leg meat easily comes away from the bone. Serve with bread sauce.

Per serving

565 kcalories, protein 45g, carbohydrate 19g, fat 30 g, saturated fat 7g, fibre 5g, sugar 12g, salt 0.95 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, October 2011.

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Latest comments and suggestions

  • 2011-10-10 20:17:21.884702

    motherhen rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    WOW, absolutely delicious

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  • 2011-12-13 21:03:19.445687

    Victoria rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Lovely flavour, the Marsala really made a difference! I only cooked one large pheasant which was a tad dry but it didn't ruin the dish. I added celery and substituted butternut squash for the parsnip and served with mash. I would definitely do this again.

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  • 2012-01-04 16:56:02.37006

    chocomel commented on this recipe

    This recipe was amazing. I didn't have all the herbs to hand so i used mixed herbs with the bay leaves, i also added celery. I will be making it again for sure!

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  • 2012-01-29 16:30:20.806415

    Yorkshire Lass rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I used Port instead of Marsala...totally yummy!

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  • 2012-02-04 19:12:41.518015

    Miss Flops rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    I cooked only one pheasant which I jointed into legs and breasts as serving was for my husband and myself only. I used Madeira instead of Marsala and the sauce was delicious, albeit a little thin. I couldn't get fresh marjoram so used dried instead which worked fine. I will make this dish again as its a lovely way to cook pheasant, but next time I would cut the vegetables a little chunkier as the long cooking time meant they were a little on the soft side for our liking. All in all a dish worth trying.

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  • 2012-02-07 16:56:45.664851

    Gilly commented on this recipe

    This is one of the best recipes I've used for pheasant. Since I couldn't find if there was any marjoram left under the snow I used dried instead. Otherwise I followed the recipe exactly although I didn't make bread sauce. The pheasant was really tender and the delicious smell of Marsala filled the house. The vegetables were beautifully sweet. I will certainly cook this again. I might baste the pheasant with the cooking juices a few times next time.

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  • 2012-02-10 18:27:40.821387

    Pookie commented on this recipe

    This is a beautiful dish, the sauce was scrummy!.,. Couldn't get fresh thyme so used dried. 2 birds would serve 4 with veg, so we have a lovely meal in the freezer.

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  • 2012-02-12 20:37:19.107489

    cooking80 rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Wow, fantastic flavours, so rich and tasty. I served with mash potato and broccoli. I didnt have any marsala so added another 100ml of stock and an extra splash of red wine. Cant wait to eat it again!

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  • 2012-03-19 18:46:09.901428

    Purple rated and commented on this recipe

    3 stars

    Three stars was our average rating. The pheasant was, despite the sauce, too dry. The sauce is good, though, so next time I will double the amount. Our pheasants (which we get from a local farmer) were too big to fit ino one pan....maybe that's why they were too dry? Easy to make, though.

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  • 2012-03-28 20:22:49.476813

    lizleicester rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Lovely way to cook pheasant. I turned mine upside down half way through the cooking which kept it deliciously moist. Really tasty.

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  • 2012-12-09 23:11:57.57839

    ieva rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This was delicious. Will cook for the Christmas dinner this year.

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  • 2012-12-21 18:08:51.886271

    Sheila commented on this recipe

    I would like to make this dish for Christmas Dinner. Has anyone made it using a slow cooker? That would fit in better with the day's events.

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  • 2012-12-27 18:04:41.913161

    Sheila commented on this recipe

    I did make this for Christmas dinner and it was delicious. It was just one pheasant but otherwise exactly the recipe ingredients, although very chunky parsnips and carrots and cipollini onions instead of shallots. I cooked it, on low, in the slow cooker for five hours. When we got home from seeing Les Miserable it smelt wonderful and tasted excellent with roasted brussel sprouts and creamy mashed potato. I will definitely make it again.

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  • 2013-01-05 20:56:19.087844

    poptart commented on this recipe

    Think I will try this tomorrow as I've had 2 pheasants staring at me since before Christmas!! Does it matter if the birds aren't tied as I don't go to a butcher for mine, I know a man with a gun!!!

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  • 2013-01-07 19:43:20.00942

    Sheila commented on this recipe

    Lucky you, local pheasants must be so much tastier than my store bought frozen one , although it was very delicious. My birds (pheasants) were not tied and they were fine. This is a great recipe!

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Difficulty and servings

Moderately easy

Serves 4

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 25 mins

Cook time

Cook 1 hr 55 mins

Freezable

Ingredients

  • 2 pheasants , tied (ask your butcher to do this)
  • 1 tbsp plain flour , well seasoned
  • 50ml vegetable oil
  • 2 rashers smoked streaky bacon , thinly sliced
  • 8 shallots , peeled and left whole
  • 2 carrots , peeled and quartered lengthways
  • 2 parsnips , peeled and quartered lengthways
  • 1 garlic clove , peeled and crushed
  • 1 thyme sprig
  • 1 marjoram sprig
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 100ml Marsala or sweet sherry
  • 50ml red wine
  • 200ml chicken stock
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • bread sauce, to serve
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Per serving

565 kcalories, protein 45g, carbohydrate 19g, fat 30 g, saturated fat 7g, fibre 5g, sugar 12g, salt 0.95 g

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