Smoked Pheasant

[Jekart]

Hey all,

I just bought a new electric smoker and I still have 12 pheasants in the frig. Anyone have some recipes or recommendation on how to smoke them???

Thanks all.

[One]

Dont know about pheasant but last week I got some goose from a buddy and mixed them w/ a reg jerky mix. Smoked them up @ 160 deg. for about 5 hrs and turned out real good. Never had goose before but would like to get more.

[Kurt D]

You can either inject the breast, legs and thighs and/or rub with the seasoning of your choice inside and out. I like cajun seasoning. I also skin the birds. Plucking takes too long and there are often times a lot of pin feathers that you can't get out of the skin.

I use a brinkman electric smoker and do not pay much attention to temperature of the smoker because I can't regulate it anyway. I do use a meat thermometer periodically to check on the temp of the meat. I like to use hickory but alder, apple or mesquite is also a good wood to use. Depending upon outdoor temperature it will take 5-10 hours before the thigh meat is done enough. You do not need to keep wood smoking the entire time. Most people like a light smoke flavour over a really harsh smoke flavour. I put a couple of small pieces of wood (that have been soaked in water for several hours or days) in a metal smoke box that sits on top of the burner.

I take smoked pheasant & duck/goose/turkey/deer jerkey to family parties/work very frequently and it is a big hit. The smoked pheasant will get eaten much faster if you cut it all off the bone prior to taking it. People don't like to mess with cutting meat these days. It eats well warm or cold with cheese and crackers.

Good luck and check the temperature frequently. You don't want it overdone,
Kurt