Easy Poached Pheasant Breasts

I have cooked pheasant in so many ways over the years but the one I always go back to is to poach and pull it. Pheasant breast meat can be more fickle to cook than similar birds, and this slightly less heat-aggressive approach ticks both of the boxes of ease and versatility. 

It's also a great way to use that bag of last season's pheasant breasts at the bottom of your freezer!

All you need are the pheasant breasts, a stock cube and water. You can, of course, have a play with other poaching liquors to help infuse the flavour, or pop some herbs/ lemon/ bay leaves/ booze in it. 

1. Season the pheasant breasts with salt and pepper. 
2. Place in a medium sized saucepan and fill with cold water to at least 1 inch over the pheasant breasts. 
3. Add the stock cube and any herbs you’d like to use and bring to the boil.
4. As soon as it is boiling, turn the heat down to a simmer, and then continue to simmer it for 4-5 mins. The pheasant breasts should reach a minimum temperature of 64℃ to be safely cooked. 
5. Take them out, rest for a minute or two, and then pull the breasts apart with 2 forks. 
6. Pull along the grain of the meat. Make sure you pull it when still hot/warm.
7. Discard the two bits of connective tissue in the pheasant breasts (one in the main breast and one connecting the mini fillet).
8. As you pull the phesant breasts apart you might find some less desirable bits of shot damage, bruising and feathers left in the meat, you can easily cut these out and discard.
9. You can then use the meat as you would shredded chicken, pulled pork, ham hock. 

Great for sandwich fillings, through soups, risottos, burritos, with roasted tray bakes!