Oven Roast Pheasant

Ingredients

• 700 g Pheasant
• 30 g Butter
• 1 tsp Garlic Puree
• 1 tsp Dried Thyme
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 small Onion (red, brown or white)
• 6 Stuffing Balls (optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Room Temp: Remove 700 g Pheasant and 30 g Butter from the fridge approx 40 mins ahead of cooking to soften butter and allow pheasant to come to room temperature.

2. 2

   Preheat oven to 210℃ fan/230℃ conventional/450℉/gas mark 8 Pat dry the pheasant using kitchen paper towel

3. 3

   Butter: Place the softened 30 g Butter, 1 tsp Garlic Puree and 1 tsp Dried Thyme into a small bowl and mash together with a fork.

4. 4

   Rub the garlic and herb butter all over including inside the body cavity.

5. 5

   Cavity: Chop 1 small Onion in half and place inside the body cavity.

6. 6

   Season the bird generously with Salt and Pepper and place in an oven roasting tray.

7. 7

   Roast: Initial Roast: Start cooking at the preheated temperature of 210℃ fan/230℃ conventional/450℉/gas mark 8 for 10 minutes.

8. 8

   Lower Heat: Lower the Heat:Lower heat to 180℃ fan / 200℃ / 400 ℉ / Gas mark 6 and cook for an additional 40 - 50 minutes. Add 6 Stuffing Balls to the tray if using, timing them according to their cooking instructions.

9. 9

   Check: If your bird is bigger than the one we used, it may need 10 minutes longer. The cooking time above is for a 700g pheasant.Optional* Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the pheasant. It should reach 64°C (165°F) at the thickest part of the breast. Or the thigh should reach 74 °C

10. 10

    Rest: Remove the pheasant from the oven, cover loosely with foil, and allow it to rest for 20–30 minutes.

11. 11

    Legs: Carve the pheasant by cutting through both the legs.

12. 12

    Breast: Then, slice down either side of the breastbone; removing the wishbone first will make that easier.

13. 13

    Serve with roast potatoes, broccoli, carrots, honey roast parsnips, stuffing balls and gravy.