Comments on: How to Pluck a Pheasant

By: Catgut and Other Research — Cricket and Grey

Catgut and Other Research — Cricket and Grey — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 03:37:19 +0000

[...] How to Pluck a Pheasant Well, I really needed to know how to pluck a grouse but I couldn’t find any super specific information about plucking grouse and I reasonably concluded that most bird feathers are similar enough that plucking any of them is going to be pretty similar. Hank can email me if I’m wrong. If anyone knows if this is true, it’s him. This is one of my favorite food writers of all time. He eats A LOT of meat and I eat none, yet I have the deepest respect for him. [...]

By: Steve

Steve — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 20:18:56 +0000

I love the Idea of useing the neck to make sausage. How cool is that ! What im looking for is a sausage recipe for pheasent that uses blueberries,and cranberries in it. I’ve heard of this and would love to try it tomorrow. Can you help?

By: SCUNNYFERRET/ CHARLIE

SCUNNYFERRET/ CHARLIE — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:35:10 +0000

JUST BEEN GIVEN TWO BRACES OF PHEASANTS, my first time in hanging and plucking, and gutting, read your website, took note on tearing . I`ll let you know how it goes, but i love the taste of pheasant, but need to freeze two for crimbo dinner, sod chicken turkey , lamb, beef … its pheasant for 2009 for me LOL … wish me luck in preparing, … going to leave them for a week before plucking / gutting …

Charlie from Scunthorpe, linc`s , uk

By: burtie

burtie — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:54:04 +0000

Mate just want to thank you, Your write up is bang on and patience is the key just done my first 2 birds and to be fair not bad a few tears here and there so quite pleased next step cooking and eating then see about going on a shoot cheers take care.

By: hank

hank — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 15:35:19 +0000

Scott: You are definitely correct, but I never seem to have the time to pluck in the field. I always keep thinking there’s gotta be another pheasant just…around…that bush…

By: Scott

Scott — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:00:08 +0000

My preferred method for plucking any bird is right after it has been shot. When the bird is still warm the feathers come out MUCH easier than after the bird has cooled. So I sit and wait for more birds and keep my hands warm while plucking.

By: hank

hank — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 00:55:30 +0000

Eric: Thanks for the kind words, and no, I don’t think you are a horrible person. Yes, I cut between the tail and breastbone, then reach in for the innards. You can also hack off the whole hind end, Pope’s nose and all, leaving a hole you can reach into.

No, I never soak my pheasants before freezeing them. I will brine a whole pheasant I am planning on roasting, however.

By: Eric G

Eric G — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 00:30:22 +0000

Hank,

I love this website. I am supposed to be preparing a speech, but I can’t stop reading.

Okay you might think me a horrible person, but I have never plucked a pheasant in my life. I have always just skinned them and took the breasts and legs.

Do you break the skin just under the bottom of the breast bone to remove the guts?

Also do you soak your pheasants in salt for a day or two? Or just put them in the fridge as you stated above?

Thanks,

Eric