Has anybody tried smoking pheasants?

[Huntnfreak]

I'm very new to the smoking world.  I still have a pheasant left in the freezer that I just found.  I haven't found anybody talking about smoking a pheasant though.  Does anybody have any ideas for me?  Any help would be great.  Thanks.

[Hopefull Romantic]

SMOKED PHEASANT

Ingredients:
1 whole pheasant (with or w/o skin)
1/2 cup pickling salt
6 cups cold water
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tsp pickling spice
2 tbsp honey
3 tsp soy sauce
1 cup chicken broth

Directions:
In glass bowl, combine pickling salt, water, brown sugar, maple syrup, vinegar, and pickling spice. Add pheasant and put in fridge for at least 4 hours, turning occasionally. Drain, discard brine, let pheasant dry on paper towel for 30 minutes. In small bowl combine honey and soy sauce. Warm up your Bradley to 250 F and start your smoke generator. Pour the chicken broth in a small pan and place it on the bottom cooking rack (1 beer can be added to the chicken broth if desired). Brush pheasant with honey soy sauce mixture and place on the oiled racks. Smoke pheasant for 2-3 hours, using Alder or Mesquite at 210 – 225 F.
Enjoy


HR

[Huntnfreak]

Thanks for the recipe Hopefull Romantic!  It sounds awesome and I can't wait to try it.  Is there a certain internal temp. I should be aiming for or what should I be looking at to know it is done?

[Hopefull Romantic]

I would go to an IT no less than 165 F. That is the recommended USFDA temp for poultry.

HR

[classicrockgriller]

Hunt, that It for a bird that small sounds kinda high. might want to check that

[squirtthecat]

I pull my turkey breasts out at 150 and FTC (wrap in foil, then in towel, and stuff in warm igloo cooler) for a couple hours.   They finish 'cooking' in the foil, and turn out great.  Perfectly cooked, and moist.

165 might be a bit high, as it'll jump to/past 170 as it rests.

Just my 2 cents, as I've never done pheasant.

[Hopefull Romantic]

CRG and STC could be pretty much right on the IT issue. The last time we did that it did come a bit dry. I was thinking about splashing butter on it next time two or three times into the smoke. But now I think I will go with their recommendations.

HR

[Huntnfreak]

150 degrees and FTC it is then.  Thanks for the help.  Will let you know how it turns out.

[OU812]

When I smoke pheasants i only do the breast, the thigh and legs I make in soup, that way you can pull all those tendens out
I like to season the breast with a little seasoned salt, black pepper, thyme and some lemon pepper.  Then wrap in the skin of a chicken breast and smoke with Alder for 2 hr with a cabnet temp of 250 F and pull out when the IT hits 140 F
I also smoke the boneless skinless chicken breast (that has ben cured) at the same time as the pheasant. I dont cure the pheasant. I also FTC for about an hr, then discard the skin from the pheasant and enjoy.

[Wildcat]

I have not had pheasant in over 40 years and it is not available in my area.  :'( I used to love it.

[Huntnfreak]

Where are you at Wildcat?

[NePaSmoKer]

I'll smoke anything  ;D




nepas

[Wildcat]

Northwestern Florida Panhandle. 198 miles West of Tallahassee, 20 miles East of Pensacola, and about 15 miles South of the Alabama state line.

[Huntnfreak]

Wow you are a long way from Pheasant country!

[Wildcat]

VERY long way! :(