Are you a fan of wild game? And by wild game I don't mean little minds inquiring about all the banalities of life causing you to declare a 10 question limit on the afternoon before your brain explodes a spirited activity you might play with your little ones. I mean pheasant! And grouse! And venison! And And And... um... what else? Let's get wild!
Ok. So if your life is so insufficient you don't have a crock pot that allows you to brown in the bottom, do your browning in a kettle then transfer your caramelized goodness into a crock pot set on low.
Brown your pheasant pieces after you dredge them in flour.
Sauté some mushrooms, then deglaze the pan with whatever kind of wine you have laying around. Call your mother and tell her you love her.
Scatter with apricots, apples, pour in the deglazed winey mushrooms. Mmmm. The kitchen smells SOO good.
Printable Recipe Here
Crockpot Pheasant with Apples, Mushrooms, Apricots & Thyme
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 large carrots, sliced in half, lengthwise
1 medium onion, chopped into quarters
1/2 cup flour
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 or 2 pheasants (breasts, thighs and legs)
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup wine (marsala, dry sherry, white or red would all work)
1 apple, sliced
1/4 cup apricots, diced
4-5 sprigs thyme
2 cups beef broth or water
In the bottom of a large kettle heat 4 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Toss in carrots and onion - don't move the vedge around - let it brown up and get caramelized. Hissing is good. Let that hiss for about 3-4 minutes until browned, remove from pan and throw into crock pot. Turn crock pot on low.
Pour 2 tablespoons olive oil into kettle and heat over medium-high heat. Sprinkle salt and pepper over pheasant meat. Place flour in a shallow dish and dredge seasoned pheasant in flour. Place pheasant into hot oil and brown on all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from pan and place into crock pot.
Working in the same kettle over medium-high heat, adding more olive oil if necessary, brown mushrooms. When mushrooms have sautéed a bit, deglaze with wine. Simmer a bit then pour into crock pot.
Sprinkle apples, apricots and thyme over pheasant in crock pot. Pour in 2 cups broth, or water, if using. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve with mashed potatoes.
Hi Becki! I'm curious how easily it was to remove the meat from the pheasant bones after cooking?? There are soooo many little ones that we usually just use the breasts - but this would be a good solution to using more of the bird. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHi, Rebekah! I'm not sure how easily you'll be able to remove the little bones from the legs, but the meat should be fall apart tender, so maybe a little bit easier if the legs weren't braised in a crock pot. You'll have to try it and get back to us! Cheers! Becki
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