Pheasant On The Grill
 | Author:
Eileen Clarke Rifles and Recipes
Author: Rifles and Recipes |
Pheasant on the Grill
Eileen Clarke
Rifles and Recipes
Kumquats. As a food name, it doesn’t inspire confidence. But the flavor? It’s a cross between a tangerine and a tree-ripened Arizona orange: very sweet, very fresh, very tangy. And you can chop the rind to get that intense citrus flavor that zesting provides, without tedious zesting. If you can’t find kumquats, use the zest of a tangerine, with a teaspoon of its freshly squeezed juice.
Now, since we're grilling the pheasant, let’s talk about fire. Judging grill temperature without a thermometer: according to most grill books, medium hot is about 450F. At that heat, you would be able to hold your open palm, flat, about 5 inches over the grilling surface for 2-4 seconds before you need to whisk it away. (One Mississippi, two Mississippis….) But don’t play Super Hero. When you think the grill is ready, swing your open palm 5 inches above the grilling surface and swing it away as soon as it feels uncomfortable.
FYI: Mississippily Counting is a U.S. thing. According to Stack Exchange, the Danish count with beer barrels: (one kasser, two kasser, three kasser….)
Second? It’s stupendously easy to overcook wild birds—in fact, wild game in general—since they don’t have much fat to render out and baste/moisten the game as it cooks. When cooking store-bought meat that gives the cook a larger margin for error. Plus we’re using a pretty hot grill here. Three to four minutes a side is plenty, if the cooking temperature is spot on. Stay at the grill, check with a meat thermometer after a minute or two on each side to stay ahead of progress. The main sign for doneness is color. Poke the side of the breast with a knife. If the juices are still reddish, it’s not done. If the juices run clear, it is. That’s 165°F.
Grilled Pheasant Breast with Fresh Apricot-Kumquat Salsa
Serves 2
Ingredients
For the marinade
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about 1 medium)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 1 medium)
1/4 small white onion
1 clove garlic
1 raw serrano chili (about 3 inches long)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
breast of one pheasant
For the salsa
2 kumquats
1 apricot, pitted and diced
2 teaspoons minced fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons minced white onion
1/4 teaspoon salt
For the cooking
oil
mesquite chips
Preparation
1. In a blender, combine the orange juice, lime juice, onion, garlic and serrano chili. Puree until smooth. Pour into a resealable plastic bag, and add the salt, pepper, and pheasant breast. Refrigerate overnight.
2. Rinse and dry the kumquats. Slice in half. Remove the seeds and pulp, and place in a small bowl. Squeeze as much juice as possible from the pulp into a small bowl, and discard the leftover pulp and seed. Dice the skin and add to the juice, along with the apricot, cilantro and onion. Toss, then cover and refrigerate overnight. Add the salt just before you start cooking.
Cooking
1. Preheat the grill to medium high heat. Drain off the marinade and discard.
2. Lightly oil the pheasant breast and grill about 3-4 minutes a side, until the pink is just gone and the juices run clear, about 165°F. Serve immediately with the apricot-kumquat salsa, corn on the cob and potato salad.
Eileen Clarke has published a dozen wild game cookbooks, including Upland Game Bird Cookery, published by Ducks Unlimited. (100 recipes, 180 pages, hard cover with color photos, available at https://www.riflesandrecipes.com 406-521-0273, $20.)
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PhotoCredit: Eileen Clarke
Image 1 Caption: Pheasant on the Grill
Photo Credits: Eileen Clarke
