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Home » Wild Game » Pheasant, Grouse, Quail » Simple Roast Pheasant

Simple Roast Pheasant

By Hank Shaw on April 3, 2014, Updated June 18, 2020 - 83 Comments

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4.87 from 36 votes
roast pheasant recipe
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roast pheasant, sliced for serving
Photo by Holly A. Heyser

When life gives you a beautiful pheasant, one that you have not shot up, you should roast it whole like a chicken. But a pheasant is not a chicken — it can get dry and ugly very fast if roasted poorly. That’s where this recipe comes in.

I designed this recipe for young birds, but I have also found that ranched birds are ideal; you can often find whole pheasants in places like Whole Foods or other specialty markets.

This roast pheasant recipe, unlike many of the others you may have seen, relies on a few special tricks. One is an eight-hour brine; this will season the bird and help it to retain moisture.

Brining is a critical step when roasting lean game birds such as wild turkey, pheasant, sharp-tailed grouse, or even smaller birds such as chukars or quail. You risk dry birds if you skip this step.

It can also help chicken or Cornish game hens, although you’ll need to check, as many store-bought chickens are pre-brined.

Whole roast pheasant recipe
Photo by Holly A. Heyser

Another trick is a searing hot oven, followed by a stint in a cooler oven. This isn’t a terribly new idea, and if you happen to have the Englishman Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s The River Cottage Meat Book, he goes into this pretty thoroughly. I like my second, cooler step a bit cooler than he does, however.

The third is resting the bird. Fearnley-Whittingstall is big on this, but then again so are all cooks worth their apron.

Serve your roast pheasant with root vegetables, mashed potatoes or roasted Brussels sprouts. A big white wine or a light red is a good choice, as is a hard cider or pale ale.

roast pheasant recipe
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4.87 from 36 votes

Roast Pheasant

Follow these general instructions and you will get a lovely, moist bird. This technique also works with ruffed grouse, chickens and guinea hens. Serve with a nice white wine, some mashed potatoes and a vegetable of your choice. A good option is to cut up some carrots, potatoes, parsnips, celery root and turnips and roast them with the birds. I have a similar recipe for roast partridge, if you are looking for something a little different.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time1 hr
Total Time1 hr 10 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 476kcal
Author: Hank Shaw

Ingredients

  • 2 whole pheasants
  • 8 cups water
  • 1/2 cup kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 bay leaves, optional
  • 1 tablespoon crushed juniper berries, optional
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or softened butter
  • Black pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Brine the bird. Make a brine by bringing the water, salt, bay leaves, juniper and sugar to a boil. Cover and let cool to room temperature. When it cools, submerge your pheasant in the brine and keep it in the fridge for 4 to 8 hours. The longer you brine, the saltier the pheasant will become. I brine pen-raised birds for 4 hours, old roosters for 8 hours.
  • Optional step: If you really want a crispy skin, take the birds out of the brine and set them uncovered in the fridge for 12 to 24 hours. This dries out the skin (but not the meat} and helps you get crispier skin.
  • When you are ready to cook, take the pheasant out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to an hour. Heat your oven. Get it to 500°F if possible, but at least 400°F. Give yourself at least 15 minutes of preheating, and up to a half hour. Oil the bird. You can do this with olive oil or you can smear butter all over it. Crack some black pepper over the bird.
  • Stuff with a piece of onion or apple and a few fresh herbs. A cut lemon is a good choice, too. Do not pack the cavity. Truss the bird if you want. I do this often because it helps the pheasant cook more evenly. (Here's a video on how to truss a chicken, which is basically the same thing as a pheasant.)
  • Roast the pheasant uncovered for 15 minutes at your high temperature. Take the pheasant out and lower the temperature to 350°F. Leave your oven door open to speed this process.
  • Optional step: Baste the bird with either butter or a glaze. When I do this, I like to use a boiled-down combination of butter and maple syrup.
  • Return the pheasant to the oven and roast uncovered for 30 to 45 minutes. You want the internal temperature of the thigh meat to be about 155°F to 160°F and for the bird’s juices to run pretty clear. A little pink in the juice — and in the bird — is what you want. The higher end of this cooking time will give you a well-done bird, which I try to avoid but many people prefer.
  • Remove the pheasant and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes. This resting time is vital, as it lets the juices redistribute within the pheasant. It will also finish off the cooking process through carry-over heating.

Nutrition

Calories: 476kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 52g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 162mg | Sodium: 9538mg | Potassium: 555mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 405IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 3mg
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Filed Under: Pheasant, Grouse, Quail, Recipe, Wild Game

Avatar for Hank Shaw

Hank Shaw

Hey there. Welcome to Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, the internet's largest source of recipes and know-how for wild foods. I am a chef, author, and yes, hunter, angler, gardener, forager and cook. Follow me on Instagram and on Facebook.

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Comments

  1. Avatar for Jackie CJackie C says

    November 28, 2022 at 4:01 pm

    I have roasted pheasants this way – and they were great.

    But i am writing about your recent recipe of putting the pheasant in a pan, and spooning butter over them (i CANNOT find that recipe now!?) Anyway, i had a pretty large pheasant (i just put one in the pan) and it just didn’t cook – it was raw on the inside after doing everything as directed. Had to microwave the meat, which of course, ruined it. Darn. Would try the reicpe again if you could give me some tips. I had trouble regulating the temp of the butter (I used half veg oil, half butter) – it would get too hot, and start to burn, and it just wasn’t the best experience! Help.
    P.S. my FAVORITE recipe is the thai curry pheasant soup.

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      November 28, 2022 at 4:03 pm

      Jackie: That’s not a recipe for pheasants, they are too large for that technique. It is a recipe for partridges or small grouse or quail.

      Reply
  2. Avatar for ScottScott says

    November 18, 2022 at 7:39 pm

    This was excellent! I used apple for the stuffing. It came out delicious.

    Reply
  3. Avatar for MadisonMadison says

    November 16, 2022 at 5:22 pm

    What is the ratio for you maple syrup and butter glaze?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      November 23, 2022 at 11:19 am

      Madison: 50-50.

      Reply
  4. Avatar for BorisBoris says

    May 14, 2022 at 2:36 pm

    I have used this recepie multiple times, one and 2 birds. Consistently excellent results. I use a little less salt for brine but otherwise everything the same. I also use apple and sometimes orange slices for stuffing with some lemon juice. Love your recipe. Best out there! Truly best!

    Reply
  5. Avatar for LisaLisa says

    January 9, 2022 at 2:07 pm

    Tried this recipe twice, both times DELICIOUS!

    Reply
  6. Avatar for WillWill says

    December 12, 2021 at 10:31 am

    You recipe calls for two pheasants but you keep referring to the pheasant in the singular. Are these cooking times for one pheasant or two pheasants side by side in the oven?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      December 14, 2021 at 9:15 am

      Will: Two side by side. The number of pheasants doesn’t really matter.

      Reply
  7. Avatar for hippiehippie says

    November 26, 2021 at 11:09 am

    hank- brined the birds-a bit salty- should i have rinsed them before air drying?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      November 26, 2021 at 11:26 am

      Hippie: Either that or brine for less time.

      Reply
  8. Avatar for Patricia CamposPatricia Campos says

    November 24, 2021 at 7:53 am

    Hey Hank, Help! I was getting all ready to Brine the birds but when I “unpacked” them I saw that they were skinned! I assume I will have to make some changes to the recipe. Can I still roast them or what are my other options? 🙁

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      November 24, 2021 at 8:52 am

      Patricia: I would not roast a skinned bird. I have dozens and dozens of pheasant recipes that will work with a skinned pheasant here: https://honest-food.net/wild-game/pheasant-quail-partridge-chukar-recipes/#pheasants

      Reply
  9. Avatar for TNackTNack says

    November 22, 2021 at 8:06 am

    Looking for a point of clarity. I assume you are using a plucked pheasant, so skin in tact? I took the easy way out cleaning the birds in the field, and therefore skinned the bird.

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      November 22, 2021 at 8:36 am

      TNack: Yes, always a plucked pheasant.

      Reply
  10. Avatar for Patricia CamposPatricia Campos says

    November 19, 2021 at 7:59 am

    /We got two pheasants from a friend and I was thinking of using your recipe. However we are diabetic and can’t do sugar. Is it absolutely necessary for the brine?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      November 19, 2021 at 8:19 am

      Patricia: No, you can skip it.

      Reply
  11. Avatar for LizzieLizzie says

    November 13, 2021 at 10:09 pm

    9500 mg of sodium per serving? NINE thousand????? I am advised by my cardiologist to try to keep my sodium intake at 1500 mg or less per day — so there’s almost a week’s worth of sodium in one serving of this for me. I would have to skip the brine, dry meat or not.

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      November 14, 2021 at 7:58 am

      Lizzie: Don’t believe those numbers. I am required to input the raw ingredients into a calculator for Google search, and the calculator assumes you are eating all the salt in the brine. Stupid, but there’s nothing I can do about it. I can assure you the pheasant isn’t overly salty, and that you aren’t getting that much sodium.

      Reply
      • Avatar for Bryan HunterBryan Hunter says

        November 21, 2021 at 7:35 pm

        Hank is absolutely correct. The numbers are assuming you drank they entire brine.
        I just cooked this recipe this evening for a fresh pheasant I shot last week and aged for eight days. It was not at all salty, and that’s including the fact I salted the cavity and surface before roasting.

  12. Avatar for HeityHeity says

    December 23, 2020 at 2:48 pm

    This calls for 2 pheasants, but I only have 1. Do I cut the brine ingredients? or keep the same? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      December 23, 2020 at 3:08 pm

      Heity: I’d keep it the same so you can easily submerge the bird.

      Reply
      • Avatar for JamesJames says

        December 26, 2020 at 6:25 pm

        Bit too salty and not as juicy as I hoped.

        I used 3/4 amount of salt for 8 hours.
        After 30 min. at 350°F (convection), the thigh temp was already 177°F.

        Definitely will do less salt and shorter roast next time.

  13. Avatar for NealNeal says

    December 12, 2020 at 5:55 pm

    I did this with wild pheasant and ruffed grouse (10 minutes less cook time) and both were absolutely superb. Juicy, tender, and flavorful. No dry chewy meat. The legs cooked perfectly and same time as the breast. I did not do the glaze but used simple herbs and also added a garlic clove to the cavity.

    Question…neither bird skin browned well in my roaster. It only goes to 450 degrees. Would searing the skin quickly on a cast iron work just the same??

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      December 13, 2020 at 7:46 am

      Neal: Yes, but undercook your bird a little in the oven first.

      Reply
  14. Avatar for Sara in BrooklynSara in Brooklyn says

    November 27, 2020 at 8:42 am

    This was truly wonderful – made our weird-year Thanksgiving special. Our oven’s convection fan shortened the cooking time a little (glad we checked when we did for doneness, sorry we didn’t note the time difference). Thanks for a wonderful treat.

    Reply
  15. Avatar for Taylor ThomasTaylor Thomas says

    November 2, 2020 at 6:13 pm

    This simple recipe was awesome. My wife roasted my first bird of the year after aging it for 24 hours. Thanks, Hank!

    Reply
  16. Avatar for Sara MSara M says

    May 12, 2020 at 11:27 am

    I know this is going to sound like a ridiculous question, but I don’t keep white sugar in the house and I am not sure I want to buy it just for brining. Does the sugar serve a mechanical function, or is it to flavor the brine? Can I sub in something like stevia? Or even brown sugar?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      May 12, 2020 at 12:44 pm

      Sara: Yes, it serves a purpose. Sugar helps draw out moisture in much the same way salt does. Use brown sugar, not stevia.

      Reply
  17. Avatar for MaxMax says

    April 18, 2020 at 12:53 pm

    Perfect. I couldn’t have imagined it coming out any better. I made a sauce with some reduced chicken stock which I barely even used because the pheasant was so moist and delicious on its own. The pheasant I had was pen-raised and the 4-hour brine gave it the perfect amount of salt content.

    Reply
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Hank Shaw holding a rod and reel in the American River

Hi, my name is Hank Shaw; I’m a James Beard Award-winning author and chef. I started this site back in 2007 to help you get the most out of all things wild: fish, game, edible wild plants and mushrooms. I also write cookbooks, have a website dedicated to the intersection of food and nature, and do a podcast, too. If it’s wild, you’ll find it here. Hope you enjoy the site!

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