This recipe will work with just about any upland bird, so don’t limit yourself to just pheasant. (Photo By: Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley)
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This pheasant tortilla soup recipe is an opportunity to utilize the whole bird. There’s no need for a perfectly plucked pheasant—use a skinned bird that might be too shot up. Dark meat legs and thighs will become tender in this soup, and bone-in pieces will impart their flavor to the stock. If you’re not saving the organs for something else, add them to the pot and they’ll help to enrich the flavor of the soup. However, if you don’t have a whole pheasant in the freezer, don’t sweat it. If breast meat is all you have, that’s fine—the chicken stock and bouillon in the recipe will make up for any shortage of flavor.
If you’d like to avoid using any chicken flavorings and have the time to do so, simmer the bones longer to make a full-flavored stock. If you have any extra pheasant legs or carcasses in your freezer, throw them into the pot, too—the more bones, the better. You can simmer the stock for a few hours or all day. However, as soon as the meat becomes tender, pick it off the bones and save for finishing later. Do not allow the meat to simmer in the stock all day if you plan to eat it—the meat will become mushy and flavorless.
For this recipe, I personally don’t mind the chicken bouillon. It comes in jars labeled Knorr Caldo Con Sabor de Pollo, often found in the Mexican section in most grocery stores. This yellow jar of seasoning is a staple in many Latin kitchens, and it helps give Mexican or Mexican-inspired recipes a flavor that is both familiar and expected.
Serves: 4 portionsPrep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 2.5 hours
Ingredients:
1 pheasant 2 1/2 quarts of water 2 strips of bacon, chopped 1 large onion, diced 1 red bell pepper, diced 2 carrots, diced 3 cloves of garlic, minced 1 teaspoon chili powder ½ teaspoon paprika Couple dashes of cayenne pepper Juice of half a lime, or to taste 3 corn tortillas, diced 1½ to 2 teaspoon Knorr Chicken Flavor Bouillon powder 2 large avocados Shredded Mexican-style cheese 1 bag of seasoned crispy tortilla strips (salad topping aisle) Fresh cilantro Kosher salt This dish allows you to customize for your own taste by adding black beans, corn, or other vegetables to your liking. (Photo By: Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley) Cooking Directions:
Wash pheasant thoroughly and cut into pieces if kept whole. Place in a pot and cover with water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Meanwhile, add chopped bacon to a large skillet over medium heat to render. Add diced onion with a pinch of salt and sauté until translucent. Add diced red bell pepper, diced carrot, and another pinch of salt, and sauté until soft, stirring occasionally. Add minced garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Take off heat. After 1 hour and 30 minutes, take pheasant pieces out of the pot and shred the meat. Return shredded meat and bones to the pot. Add the cooked vegetables, chili powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, lime juice, and diced corn tortillas to the soup. Add 1½ teaspoons of Knorr Chicken Flavor Bouillon. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add water if the soup reduces too much. After the soup is done cooking, discard pheasant bones. Taste the soup and add more chicken bouillon to taste. Serve soup topped with diced avocado, shredded cheese, crispy tortilla strips, and freshly chopped cilantro.
