Don't Forget Those Pheasant Legs!

I am a huge proponent of using as much of an animal as possible after it is harvested. That goes for birds as well. I struggled or some time to figure out exactly what to do with pheasant legs and thighs. There is indeed a lot of meat available, but it is full of tendons and difficult to manage at times. I’ve tried grilling them.



That was an absolute no-go. I’ve tried cutting the meat way. That too was an absolute no go. I was feeling challenged to find a good use for the legs as there is so much wastage when a bird is simply breasted. I have FINALLY found a great solution and I highly recommend this to any bird hunter. With a little extra work, you can get some great shredded pheasant meat that is perfect for soups or sandwiches.

1. Remove the pheasant legs when breasting the birds. I keep heavy duty clippers in my bird box so I can cut off the feet. Wash thoroughly.
   
   
2. Place pheasant legs in slow cooker on low heat. Ensure that water is covering all meat or else the exposed meat becomes very dry. No seasoning is necessary.
   
   
3. Slow cook for 12-14 hours.
   
   
   
   
4. Drain all contents of the slow cooker into a large colander. The colander will catch all
   bones and tendons freed in the slow cooking process. It will also catch all bits of meat
   released. Rinse well.
   
   
5. Now comes the tedious part. Remove all large bones and tendons that are visible. Remove all meat from bones, making sure to pick through ALL of it to remove as much tendon and bone bits. If you truly take your time in this step, you will have virtually no
   bone or tendon in your meat.
   
   
6. Discard bones, tendons and other unsavories. Rinse shredded pheasant thoroughly and
   let stand to drain for about an hour.
   
   
7. Portion approximately one handful of meat per serving. For two of us, I put two handfuls
   in a bag to vacuum seal. This is a perfect amount for a hot sandwich meal or to be
   added to a small batch of soup.

Since there is fluid in the meat that cannot be removed, gaining a good seal on the bag is tough. I vacuum seal the bag, then place it in a second bag to vacuum seal to best  preserve the meat. That is just my personal preference to avoid freezer burn.

So, now you have shredded pheasant!

What can you do with it? Here are a few suggestions to try, but try your own variances:

1. Barbeque Pheasant Sandwiches
2. Pheasant Noodle Soup- or ANY soup in which you would use chicken or turkey
3. Shredded pheasant burritos
4. Shredded pheasant quesadillas
5. Homemade pheasant green chili
6. Add to any pasta dishes in which you would use chicken or turkey
   
   

Looking for more recipes? Download our Wild Game Gourmet Cookbook.