Pheasant (Faisan)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Shallow metal roasting pan, about 13 by 9 inches (33 by 23 cm)
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Fine-mesh sieve and 1-quart (1-liter) saucepan
• •Kitchen twine

Instructions

1. 1

   Read the bird

   Choose the pheasants before preparing them. On an intact young bird, the legs are grey, the lower tip of the sternum yields when gently pressed, and the last large wing feather ends in a point. A round feather tip or rigid sternum means an older bird; save that one for a braise, because bacon and optimism won't make old flesh tender. Remove any pinfeathers, inspect a wild bird for visible shot damage or bone splinters, and pat it completely dry. Don't rinse it.

   Most oven-ready birds have lost the feather that reveals their age. When ordering, ask the butcher or game dealer to judge it before final plucking and trimming.
2. 2

   Bard and season

   Heat the oven to 450°F (230°C), with a rack in the lower-middle position. Season each cavity and the outside of each bird with the salt and pepper, then place 4 thyme sprigs and 1 bay leaf inside each cavity. Tuck the wing tips underneath and tie the legs loosely. Rub the birds with the softened butter, then overlap 4 slices of bacon across each breast. Set them breast-side up in a shallow metal roasting pan, leaving space between them.

3. 3

   Roast and color

   Roast for 15 minutes, then lower the oven to 400°F (200°C) and baste the birds with the butter and juices in the pan. After another 10 minutes, lift off the bacon and lay it beside the birds to crisp. Continue roasting for 8 to 15 minutes, basting once more, until the skin is deeply bronzed. Watch the pan floor: dark brown is fond and belongs in the sauce, but black is bitter. If it threatens to scorch, add 2 tablespoons of the extra water. If it has already blackened, transfer the unburned juices to a clean saucepan and leave the bitter patches behind.

4. 4

   Check and rest

   Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of each breast without touching bone. Remove the birds when the breasts reach 162°F (72°C) and the thighs are at least 165°F (74°C); the breast should rise to 165°F during a 15-minute rest. If the breasts are ready while the thighs lag behind, remove the legs at their joints and return only the legs to the oven while the breasts rest. Tent everything loosely with foil. If a breast fails to reach 165°F during the rest, return it to a 350°F (180°C) oven in 3-minute intervals until it does.

5. 5

   Build the pan jus

   Pour off the clear fat from the roasting pan, leaving about 1 tablespoon and every sound brown deposit. Set the pan over medium heat, add the shallots, and stir for 2 minutes without letting them color deeply. Add the wine and scrape up the fond, then boil until the wine has reduced by about two-thirds. Add 1 cup of water and all juices released by the resting birds, then reduce until roughly ¾ cup remains and the jus lightly coats a spoon. Strain it into a small saucepan if you want a smooth finish. Remove it from the heat and whisk in the cold butter one cube at a time, followed by enough lemon juice to sharpen the flavor without making it sour. If the jus looks greasy or separates, stop adding butter and whisk in 1 tablespoon of cold water. Ça se rattrape.

6. 6

   Carve and serve

   Remove the twine and cavity herbs. Take off the legs, then ease each breast away from the breastbone in one piece and slice it thickly across the grain. Spoon a little jus beneath the meat so the bronzed skin stays crisp, and serve the remaining jus at the table with the crisp bacon bards alongside. Never apologize at your own table. À table!

Chef Tips

• •The source gives three signs of youth: grey legs, a flexible lower sternum, and a pointed last large wing feather. The feather is the clearest test when it remains attached; a round tip means the bird is old and better suited to slow, moist cooking.
• •Pheasant has far less protective fat than chicken. Use unsmoked bacon or fresh pork back fat, because smoked bacon can drown the bird's delicate game flavor. The barding is protection, not decoration.
• •A thermometer matters more than the clock. Two pheasants of the same weight can differ in age, shape, and fat, so begin checking early and let temperature decide.
• •Serve with potatoes or celery-root purée and a plainly cooked green vegetable. A light red Burgundy or another fresh Pinot Noir has enough brightness for the buttered jus without overwhelming the bird.
• •Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and use them within 3 days. Cold breast meat is excellent sliced into a mustard-dressed salad, while the legs can be picked for a small pie.

Advance Preparation

• •For drier skin and deeper seasoning, salt the pheasants with the full listed amount 12 to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate them uncovered. Do not salt them again before roasting.
• •The birds can be seasoned, filled with herbs, and barded up to 4 hours ahead. Keep them refrigerated and take them out only while the oven heats.
• •The shallots may be chopped and the wine measured earlier in the day, but the jus must wait for the roasting fond. That brown glaze is the sauce's foundation and cannot be prepared in advance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 260g)