This classic French dish turns tough game birds into a dark, flavorful stew. (Photo By: Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley)
Traditionally, coq au vin is a long braising process of an old, tough rooster. As such, this French dish is a natural dish for pheasant, and is delicious in the fall and winter. Especially when served with crusty bread to mop up the dark, rich juices of this hearty stew. Although pheasant breasts aren’t tough, their legs can certainly benefit from the longer braising time that this recipe was originally intended for. I also like dishes such as these, because they utilize the whole bird.
Pheasant Coq au Vin Recipe Serves: 4 Prep Time: 45 minutes Cooking Time: 2-3 hours
Ingredients:
1 whole pheasant 3 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup + 1 tbs. flour 1/2 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces 1 yellow onion, sliced 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1/4 cup cognac or brandy Half bottle of dry red wine, like Burgundy or Syrah/Shiraz 1 cup chicken stock, plus extra 10 fresh springs of thyme 2 tablespoons softened butter, divided 1/2 pound frozen pearl onions 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 cup water ½ teaspoon sugar 1/2 pound baby bella mushrooms, quartered mashed potatoes and/or crusty bread Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Separate pheasant into 8 pieces: 2 legs, 2 thighs, 2 breasts, and the back cut into 2 pieces. Slice breasts into smaller pieces. Sprinkle salt and pepper on all sides. In a Dutch oven, render bacon until crispy. Remove bacon and set aside. Lightly dredge pheasant pieces in flour, and brown them on both sides in the bacon fat. Cook in batches. Set the pheasant aside with the bacon. Lower heat to medium-low and add carrots, sliced yellow onion, and a pinch of salt and pepper to the pan. Add more oil if needed. Sauté 10-12 minutes, or until turning brown, stirring often. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Next, carefully add 1/4 cup of cognac to the pan. To prevent fire, do not pour alcohol directly from the bottle. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Return the bacon and pheasant to the Dutch oven, along with any juices from the plate. Add wine, chicken stock, thyme, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a simmer. Cover with a tight-fitting lid, and place in a 325-degree F oven for 2-3 hours, or until tender. Check periodically and add more stock as needed to prevent the stew from drying out. In a skillet, cook frozen pearl onions with 1/2 teaspoon of sugar and 1/2 cup of water over high heat. Cook until onions start to fry, then lower heat to medium-low. Cook until onions begin to caramelize, stirring occasionally. Remove onions from skillet and set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in the same skillet over medium-low heat. Add mushrooms and sauté for 5-10 minutes, or until browned. Check to see if pheasant legs are tender. If not, bake longer. You could serve the pheasant bone-in, or remove the bones prior to serving. Discard thyme. Stir in mushrooms and pearl onions to the pot. To thicken the stew, mash together 1 tablespoon of flour and 1 tablespoon of softened butter in a small bowl, and then mix into the stew. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season stew to taste. Serve hot with mashed potatoes and/or crusty bread.
