Frozen Pheasant and Squab
Mark Thorson
frozen pheasant and squab. I'd like to try these.
I know squab is all dark meat, which is fine because
I prefer dark meat.
I've never bought a frozen whole bird before. The
closest is frozen drumsticks, but I prepared those
by smoking on the barbeque or in the Ronco, and
they were fine. I've never brined anything because
I like crispy skin and eschew salt.
I'm thinking of just thawing in the fridge, followed
by either barbeque or the Ronco. Probably the
barbeque without smoking, because I want to taste
these meats in their pure form. Maybe the Ronco,
but I'm afraid that would dry them out too much.
Mom smears butter over chicken before oven roasting,
which I have never done, but maybe I would make an
exception in this case. That couldn't hurt the
flavor.
Any caveats I need to know about pheasant or squab?
I've never prepared either one before.
Victor Sack
> Any caveats I need to know about pheasant or squab?
A lot depends on their age, which is not always easy to determine,
especially with plucked, frozen birds. If old, forget about roasting
them and braise them instead. Pheasant, especially if farmed, tends to
be bland. Also, legs and breast really need different cooking times -
and there is very little meat on the legs. Still, below is a nice
recipe for pheasant braised with celery which will work well enough even
for an old bird. Braising with added fat is a good way to deal with
meat that is often on the dry side. There are quite a few steps to
follow, but they are simple and straightforward. The recipe appeared in
The Spectator, in 1995. It is by the late Jennifer Patterson.
Squab is usually much fuller tasting than pheasant - a definite plus, as
far as I am concerned. If it really is a young bird, I like to treat it
as I do poussin, i.e. spatchcock it and pan-fry it under press, � la
pollastrino al mattone or chicken tabaka.
Victor
Pheasant with celery
1 young, tender roasting pheasant
2 oz streaky salt pork or unsmoked bacon
3 oz butter
4 fluid oz dry white wine
1 large head of celery
2 tablespoons of olive oil
small glass of brandy, Armagnac or Calvados
To cook the pheasant it is best to have an oval casserole in which
the bird just fits. Melt 1 ounce of the butter in the pot, add the
diced pork or bacon and start to sweat them. Work the second ounce of
butter with a little salt and freshly ground pepper and place it within
the pheasant. When the fat from the pork starts melting, put the bird
in on its side and let it cook gently until golden brown, before turning
it over and adding the heated wine. Let the wine bubble for a few
seconds, then turn the heat down very low, cover the pot and cook gently
for 40 to 45 minutes, turning the bird over at half time. Scrape the
cleansed celery (try to get some good celery with taste, usually the
dirtier the better), removing the strings from the outer stalks, trim
off the leaves and cut into 1/2-inch chunks. Melt the third ounce of
butter and the olive oil in a large, heavy frying-pan. Put in the
celery and stir it around to coat with the fat, sprinkle a little salt
over it, cover and let it simmer gently for ten minutes. Take a
tablespoon of the juices from the bird and stir into the celery, then
cook for another five minutes. Transfer to fine, hot serving dish,
large enough the hold the pheasant as well. Place the bird in the
centre and, if convenient, carve for serving at this stage. Surround
with the little bits of pork or bacon. Keep the dish warm and covered
while you reduce the juices in the pot by boiling rapidly for a minute
or two. Add the brandy or whatever and cook a minute longer. Transfer
to a hot sauce-boat and serve with the pheasant. Celery goes very well
with game birds and this makes a handsome dish needing but a few little
potatoes to accompany it.
Doug Freyburger
>
> I've never bought a frozen whole bird before.
Try the common birds before you try the uncommon birds. Any grocery
store will have frozen whole chickens, ducks and turkeys. Maybe geese
as well.
> I'm thinking of just thawing in the fridge, followed
> by either barbeque or the Ronco. Probably the
> barbeque without smoking, because I want to taste
> these meats in their pure form. Maybe the Ronco,
> but I'm afraid that would dry them out too much.
The Ronco rotesserie works fine but so does one of those wire wrack
gadgets for making "beer can chicken". As long as the bird is well
thawed and you time it right you'll be able to rotesserie cook nearly
any type of bird that fits in the machine.
> Mom smears butter over chicken before oven roasting,
> which I have never done, but maybe I would make an
> exception in this case. That couldn't hurt the
> flavor.
Adding fat works for wild game birds. The ones you get at a store will
have been ranch raised. Maybe not needed for squab. I've had a bunch
of wild pheasants over the years and they are definitely lean enough
they will dry out if they are not larded first. I've only had ranched
pheasant at a restaurant though.
> Any caveats I need to know about pheasant or squab?
> I've never prepared either one before.
They are both smaller than a chicken at least as far as meat is
considered. For the squab try a regular broiler chicken and then a game
hen to see the difference in timing. The squab will be farther along
that line. The pheasant has more bone per meat rather like a duck but
pheasants are not migratory so a ranched pheasant will likely be closer
to a wild duck than a wild one as far as fat content goes. Because it's
thinner meat for it's total size it will also cook quicker than the
expect at first.
Mark Thorson
>
> Squab is usually much fuller tasting than pheasant - a definite plus, as
> far as I am concerned. If it really is a young bird, I like to treat it
> as I do poussin, i.e. spatchcock it and pan-fry it under press, � la
> pollastrino al mattone or chicken tabaka.
I think I'll try the squab first. That sounds more
to my liking. I'd be disappointed if I paid a lot
for a bird, and it was bland.
Mark Thorson
>
> The Ronco rotesserie works fine but so does one of those wire wrack
> gadgets for making "beer can chicken". As long as the bird is well
> thawed and you time it right you'll be able to rotesserie cook nearly
> any type of bird that fits in the machine.
Victor suggested spatchcocking the squab.
Maybe I'll flatten it out and put it in
the flat basket for the Ronco.
> Adding fat works for wild game birds. The ones you get at a store will
> have been ranch raised. Maybe not needed for squab. I've had a bunch
> of wild pheasants over the years and they are definitely lean enough
> they will dry out if they are not larded first. I've only had ranched
> pheasant at a restaurant though.
I believe the squab and pheasant at the Asian food
store are both farm raised. I'd rather not butter
the birds.
Dave Smith
I had pheasant for the first time just a few weeks ago. It was served
with a raisin sauce. The breast meat was pretty good. The legs and wings
were tough and sinewy. The guy who cooked it is an excellent cook, but I
don't think I would bother to try doing it myself.
Mark Thorson
>
> I had pheasant for the first time just a few weeks ago. It was served
> with a raisin sauce. The breast meat was pretty good. The legs and wings
> were tough and sinewy. The guy who cooked it is an excellent cook, but I
> don't think I would bother to try doing it myself.
That supports Victor's suggestion of braising.
Dave Smith
I had to spend good money on meat that has to be braised.
Food Snob®
No question they're farm raised. IMO, that is a good thing. Wild
game can have some off tastes. I love farm raised duck, but turn down
offers of free wild ducks.
> I'd rather not butter the birds.
If you're concerned about saturated fats, you could instead brush on
peanut/olive/whatever oil.
A really fun whole bird is the ubiquitous Cornish game hen.
--Bryan
Food Snob®
Really. Meat that needs braising is something I buy only when it's
really cheap. As far as "tough and sinewy" goes, that's to be
expected of any bird other than a domesticated chicken or turkey.
Even tame duck is pretty much a better make sure you're not out of
dental floss experience when you get to the legs and wings. I happen
to adore duck legs and wings in spite of that.
--Bryan