Braised pheasant casserole with cider, smoked bacon, and apples is a proper old-school classic that is the perfect intro to cooking this game bird.
With both oven & slow cooker instructions, this recipe is the perfect way to change up that Sunday lunch.
Braised Pheasant in the Slow Cooker or Oven
Pheasants can be challenging old birds to cook for even the most experienced of cooks.
The nature of wild meat means that you never really know the age or the conditions that the bird experienced. Both of which have a huge influence on how the meat cooks.
For that reason, braising the meat on the bone in a pheasant casserole is my favourite way to cook it.
It is the same thought process that I use most often when I cook rabbit. Both my rabbit cacciatore and rabbit tagine are cooked low and slow on the bone.
The flavours in this dish seem really familiar to any Brit; many of them appear in my sausage and apple casserole.
But this is actually a recipe influenced by North West France. A region famed for its cider, wild meat, and bacon!
It is a glorious way of cooking and feels special.
Frequently Asked Questions
What to look for when buying a pheasant?
Conventional wisdom is to buy a pheasant whole with feet and head so that you can ascertain the quality of what you are looking at.
This is not necessarily helpful to most folk who have no desire to deal with all of “that”.
Your best bet is to find a butcher or game dealer that you trust.
You want something that has been hung for 2-3 days, which will help maximise flavour but also the tenderness of the meat.
You also want to look “in-season”, so that would be between October and the end of February, with a few regional variations.
What cider to Use?
Remember, if you are American, to use a hard cider, so booze rather than pressed apples.
Other than that, go for something dry that you are happy to drink. Your choice will help define the flavour of this pheasant recipe, so make sure it is a favourite.
Does the type of apple used really matter?
For me, yes, you want a tart apple with a firm texture.
This will help it keep some texture whilst slow cooking and not add too much sweetness to the braised pheasant gravy. This makes the Granny Smith apple perfect.
Can I make this in advance?
Whilst it is safe to store this in the fridge for a couple of days and reheat it, I don't think that it is at its best when you do so.
Even on the bone and braised, pheasant is a delicate meat and can become very dry if it is not treated with care.
Serving Suggestions
This pheasant casserole in a cider sauce is all about comfort food, and that to me means mash.
I served this recipe with mashed potato, but it also works well with celeriac mash.
If you wanted to look a little further afield, how about this carrot and swede mash?
Of course, something like roasted potatoes or even boiled potatoes and roasted tenderstem broccoli would also work perfectly.
Equipment Used
I only name-check brands of equipment if I think they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/stovetop.
- Oven or Slow Cooker, use a smaller slow cooker that is around 3 litres in capacity.
- 24cm or 10" cooking pot or Dutch oven if you are cooking in the oven.
- 30cm or 12" frying pan or skillet.
- Kitchen knife.
- Chopping board.
- Vegetable peeler.
- Apple corer.
- Fine mesh sieve.
- A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.
Pheasant Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Pheasant Around 2lbs or 900g
- 125 g Bacon Lardons 4½oz
- 1 Medium Carrot 125g
- 1 Medium Onion 150g
- 1 Large Celery Stick 70g
- 330 ml Dry Cider 11oz Bottle (Hard cider for American visitors)
- 250 ml Chicken Stock 1 Cup
- 8 Juniper Berries
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1 Medium Granny Smith Apple
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- ¼-½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
- 2 tablespoon Flour
- 50 g Softened Butter 3 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon
Instructions
- Cut the pheasant into legs and breasts.
- Heat a 30cm or 12" frying pan or skillet over a medium-high heat, and when hot, add the oil.Season the pheasant joints with salt and pepper and sear on all sides until golden brown, and transfer to either a 24cm or 10" cooking pot or a slow cooker (around 3 litres in capacity).Place the legs beneath the breast joints.
- Add the bacon to the frying pan and cook for 10 minutes on a medium heat to render out some fat.
- Add the bacon to the pot with the pheasant, making sure that you only add half of the fat.
- Peel, core and dice the apple into a 1.5cm (½") cube and add it to the pot.
- Cut the onion in half and remove the "furry" part of the root.
- Chop the celery into 1.5cm (½") lengths.
- Return the frying pan to a medium-high heat and add the carrot, celery, and onion; the onion should be added cut side down.
- Cook the vegetables until they start to colour up and then add them to the pheasant and bacon.
- Drain the fat from the pan and return to a high heat, and pour in the cider and scrape to deglaze the pan.
- Pour the cider into the pot and add the chicken stock, bay leaf, and juniper berries.
- Add a lid and cook in the oven at 170°C or 340°F for 45 minutes to an hour, or in a slow cooker on low for 3-4 hours.
- Strain the cooking juices into the frying pan we used earlier and reduce them by 20%.
- Meanwhile, fish out the onion, carrot, celery, bay leaf, and juniper berries and discard them, returning the apple and bacon to the pan.
- Add the pheasant to the apple and bacon mix
- Mash together the butter and flour and whisk it a little at a time into the reduced sauce until you get to a thickness that you like.
- Pour the sauce back over the remaining ingredients and mix to coat before serving.
Sarah Phillips
Wednesday 27th of November 2024
Made this last night using skinned Pheasant Breasts in a Slow Cooker. Easy to make and very, very tasty.