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Seared pheasant breast with wild rice, mushrooms and sage in cream sauce on gray plate

Pheasant with Mushroom Sauce

  • Course

    Main

  • Duration

    30 minutes

  • Serves

    4
Chef’s notes

Many upland hunters grew up cooking pheasant with a can of cream of mushroom soup. This recipe is the scratch version of that nostalgic dish.

It’s worth the time and effort to use fresh ingredients; they produce a much more flavorful sauce than the canned variety. It’s perfect served over a bed of wild rice for a delicious dinner this hunting season.

Ingredients

  • 8 sage leaves (optional)
  • 4 pheasant breasts (2 birds)
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp. butter
  • 8 oz. mushrooms, chopped
  • 1 medium shallot, sliced
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • Pinch of nutmeg
  • Salt and pepper
  • Cooking oil

Also works with

Turkey cutlet, grouse, chukar

Special equipment

Sauté pan

Preparation

  1. Spread the flour across a plate. Season the pheasant with salt and pepper on both sides, then dredge in flour. Shake away the excess flour and set aside.
  2. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 1-2 tbsp. of oil, or enough to coat the bottom of the pan in a thin layer. Use tongs to lay each sage leaf into the oil. Fry leaves for 15-30 seconds per side and remove to a paper towel.
  3. In the same pan, lay down each pheasant breast to sear. Allow them to cook undisturbed until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium and add 1 tbsp. of butter to the hot pan. When it has melted and begins to foam, add the mushrooms and shallot. Sauté the mushrooms until they are golden brown.
  5. Deglaze the pan with white wine and chicken stock. Increase the heat and bring to a soft boil. Reduce these liquids in half.
  6. Pour in the cream and reduce the sauce for another 2-3 minutes. Taste and season with a pinch of nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
  7. Return the pheasant breasts back to the pan and reduce the heat to low. Cook for an additional minute or until the pheasant is cooked through and is warm. Serve over wild rice with the mushroom-cream sauce and fried sage.

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Pheasant with Mushroom Sauce

Recipe by: Danielle Prewett
Seared pheasant breast with wild rice, mushrooms and sage in cream sauce on gray plate

  • Course

    Main

  • Duration

    30 minutes

  • Serves

    4
Chef’s notes

Many upland hunters grew up cooking pheasant with a can of cream of mushroom soup. This recipe is the scratch version of that nostalgic dish.

It’s worth the time and effort to use fresh ingredients; they produce a much more flavorful sauce than the canned variety. It’s perfect served over a bed of wild rice for a delicious dinner this hunting season.

Ingredients

  • 8 sage leaves (optional)
  • 4 pheasant breasts (2 birds)
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp. butter
  • 8 oz. mushrooms, chopped
  • 1 medium shallot, sliced
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • Pinch of nutmeg
  • Salt and pepper
  • Cooking oil

Also works with

Turkey cutlet, grouse, chukar

Special equipment

Sauté pan

Preparation

  1. Spread the flour across a plate. Season the pheasant with salt and pepper on both sides, then dredge in flour. Shake away the excess flour and set aside.
  2. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 1-2 tbsp. of oil, or enough to coat the bottom of the pan in a thin layer. Use tongs to lay each sage leaf into the oil. Fry leaves for 15-30 seconds per side and remove to a paper towel.
  3. In the same pan, lay down each pheasant breast to sear. Allow them to cook undisturbed until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium and add 1 tbsp. of butter to the hot pan. When it has melted and begins to foam, add the mushrooms and shallot. Sauté the mushrooms until they are golden brown.
  5. Deglaze the pan with white wine and chicken stock. Increase the heat and bring to a soft boil. Reduce these liquids in half.
  6. Pour in the cream and reduce the sauce for another 2-3 minutes. Taste and season with a pinch of nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
  7. Return the pheasant breasts back to the pan and reduce the heat to low. Cook for an additional minute or until the pheasant is cooked through and is warm. Serve over wild rice with the mushroom-cream sauce and fried sage.