This is a pickle-brined fried pheasant recipe the same way you'd do with chicken, only with a few pointers to handle the wildness of the pheasant meat. The seasonings I have in this recipe are a suggestion. You can alter them as you see fit.
3cupspickle brine(leftover juice from a pickle jar)
2 to 3poundspheasant breasts and thighs
2cupsbuttermilk,or plain yogurt thinned with milk
1tablespooncayenne, Cajun seasoning or Cavender's,or any spice mix you like
2teaspoonssalt
1 to 2 tablespoonItalian seasoning, or any combination of dried herbs(optional)
1 1/2cupsflour
1/2cupcorn starch
Oil for frying
Instructions
Soak the pheasant breasts and thighs in the pickle brine in the fridge overnight. No less than 4 hours and no more than 12.
Mix the cayenne, Cajun seasoning or whatever spice mix makes you happy into the buttermilk. You can use 2 tablespoons if you want a heavily spiced fried pheasant. Put all the pheasant pieces directly from the brine into the buttermilk. Let this sit at room temperature for a few minutes, up to 30 minutes.
Mix the salt, Italian seasoning or other dried herbs, corn starch and the flour in a large, shallow container or a plastic bag. Put the pheasant pieces in there in batches and really press down on the flour to press it into the meat. You'll want to do this on both sides, pressing hard each time. Lift the pieces out of the flour and shake off the excess. Put them on the counter to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. You can also set them on a tray in the fridge for up to 6 hours. All of this helps the breading stick to the meat.
Set a cooling rack over a baking sheet in the oven and set the oven to 200°F.
Bring about 2 inches' worth of oil to 325°F in a large, heavy pan. I use cast iron. Fry the pieces in batches, not letting them touch each other, until they are golden brown, roughly 5 to 7 minutes per side. Put the finished fried pheasant on the cooling rack in the oven and repeat with the rest of the pheasant.
Notes
You can reuse the oil several times. Just strain it through a paper towel to remove all the debris.
Keys to Success
I prefer peanut oil for frying, but you can use anything with a high smoke point, like canola, vegetable or corn oil.
If you only have older pheasants, use a jaccardto tenderize the meat before you soak it in the pickle brine.
If you don't have pickle juice lying around, bring to a boil 2 cups vinegar (any kind), 1 cup water, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 tablespoon sugar, and any spices you like, such as mustard seed, allspice, cloves, black peppercorns, chiles, garlic, dill, etc.
Anything with paprika or chiles needs to go into the buttermilk, not the flour. If it's in the flour, it can turn the pieces very dark and get bitter.
What I mean by dried herbs are things like dried thyme, oregano, savory, parsley, basil, cilantro, sage and rosemary.
Fried pheasant is amazing cold the next day, and will keep a week in the fridge.