pheasant first time smoker

[ratdci]

hello I am going to try my smoker for the first time on some pheasant legs and breast filet with apple any advise would be great. how[?]long what temp what type of cure?????thanks

[Indy]

Hi ratdci,

Welcome to the Forum. I'm sure that the lack of response to this topic is only because I don't think any of us have smoked Pheasant before and we don't want to lead you astray with bad info. I'd be tempted to do this a lot like chicken, only I'd add a bacon drip on the top rack over the meat, as I used to hunt pheasant as a kid and it tended to be a little dry. The bacon should keep it moist.

As for the cure, I'd use a standard cure that involves a sugar and a salt. I'd leave it in overnight and give it a quick rinse the next day before drying it a bit (pat dry and then an hour in the fridge ought to work just fine, or just pat dry and into the Bradley). A good start might be a brine that was recommended for goose, it is as follows:

<i>4 gallons ice water (in a cooler or frige)
5 LBS Kosher or Pickling Salt
2 LBS Dark Brown Sugar (C&H- not the kind that has molassis)
8 OZ. Red Wine Vinegar</i>

I'd keep the temp "Low and Slow" as we say. Probably start out at about 120 degrees and work it up slowly until you get you desired internal temp. I'd go to 160 or so to be safe as pheasant is generally a wild bird.

As for Pucks, almost any would probably work fine, but when in doubt, I use Pecan, it's a milder wood.

Because pheasant is so small, I'd keep your box temp down to get some smoke in the meat.

Good luck, and welcome to the Forum!

Indy

[JJC]

Welcome, ratdci!

Sorry for the delay in responding.  Indy has an excellent approach--I just checked with a buddy of mine in Michigan who hunts pheasant and that's pretty much what he does.  He uses alder (a neutral wood), and I bet apple would work too, in addition to the pecan mentioned by Indy.

John
Newton MA

[ratdci]

hey thanks for the info it turned out awesome I am going to try a turkey next thanks again[:D][}:)]<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by JJC</i>
<br />Welcome, ratdci!

Sorry for the delay in responding.  Indy has an excellent approach--I just checked with a buddy of mine in Michigan who hunts pheasant and that's pretty much what he does.  He uses alder (a neutral wood), and I bet apple would work too, in addition to the pecan mentioned by Indy.

John
Newton MA
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">