Ingredients
Mexican Seasoning Blend
2 tbsp Chili Powder
1 tbsp Cumin
1 tbsp Coriander Powder
1 tbsp Garlic Powder
1 tbsp Paprika
1 tbsp Salt
1/2 tbsp Dried Cilantro
1/2 tbsp Crushed Red Pepper
1/2 tbsp Ground Black Pepper
1/2 tbsp Onion Powder
1/2 tbsp Cayenne Pepper
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon Powder
Roasted Tomato Salsa
5-6 Whole Tomatoes
2 Jalapenos, seeded
1 Serrano Peppers
6-8 Garlic Cloves
1 Yellow Onion
1/2 cup(s) Fresh Cilantro
2 tbsp Lime Juice
2 tbsp Ground Cumin
1/2 tbsp Chili Powder
1/2 tbsp Garlic Salt
Salt, to taste
Mexican Rice
1 cup(s) Long Grain Rice
1 Small Yellow Onion, diced
5-6 Garlic Cloves, diced
1 Jalapenos, chopped
14 oz Pheasant Stock
4 oz Tomato Sauce
1-2 cup(s) Fresh Cilantro
1 tbsp Avocado Oil
2 tbsp Butter
1/2 tbsp Mexican Seasoning Blend
Salt
White Queso
4 oz Velveeta White Queso
4 tbsp Butter
1/4 cup(s) All Purpose flour
2 cup(s) Warm Milk
1/4 tsp Cayenne
Pheasant Marinade
6 oz Pineapple Juice, one small can
2 tbsp Lime Juice
2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 cup(s) Fresh Cilantro, chopped
1 tbsp Mexican Seasoning Blend
1 tbsp Garlic, chopped
1 tbsp Avocado Oil
Grill Pheasant
4 Pheasant Breast
2 Jalapenos
2-4 Limes
8 oz Ground Chorizo
1 Bunch Fresh Cilantro
2 tbsp Mexican Seasoning Blend, for rub
Tortilla Chips
Bag of Flour torilla
Cooking Oil
Instructions
Step #1 - To make Mexican Seasoning blend, combine all the ingredient in a small bowl or jar. Cover and give a good shake or use a small whisk to combine.
Pheasant Marinade
Step #3 - Combine all the marinade ingredients in a large bowl.
Step #4 - Add Pheasant Breast to bowl, submerging in liquid.
Step #5 - Place in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours. Do not marinade for too long as the meat can become mushy.
Roasted Tomato Salsa
Step #7 - While the Pheasant marinates in the refrigerator. Wash and rinse all your vegetables.
Step #8 - Set oven broiler to high. Add Whole Tomatoes, Jalapenos, Serrano, Garlic and quartered up Onion to cooking sheet.
Step #9 - Stick in the oven and allow to char. Be sure to turn vegetables over halfway through cooking. Could take 10-15 minutes.
Step #10 - Allow the peppers to cool, then remove the seeds. I removed the Jalapeno seeds but left the seeds from the Serrano's.
Step #11 - Add roasted vegetables, Cilantro, Lime Juice, seasoning and salt to food processor and pulse until you get the consistence you want.
Step #12 - Taste and add more salt and / or seasoning if need. Place in the refrigerator and allow to cool. This really needs to be made a day ahead of time to allow the flavors to develop.
Mexican rice
Step #14 - Add skillet to stove with heat set to medium high. Add 1 tablespoons of Avocado Oil to skillet. Add diced Yellow Onions and Jalapeño to saucepan, sprinkle with salt. Cook 5-7 minutes until onions are translucent.
Step #15 - Add garlic and cook for another minute
Step #16 - Add tomato sauce and bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer
Step #17 - While the tomato sauce simmers, add 2 tablespoons of butter Dutch oven on medium high heat. Add 1 cup of Long Grain rice to Dutch oven and allow the rice to toast. The rice should start to brown a little.
Step #18 - Pour tomato sauce mixture into Dutch Oven. Stir rice with wooden spoon.
Step #19 - Add pheasant, chopped Cilantro and Mexican Seasoning Blend to Dutch Oven. Stir rice with wooden spoon, allow to reach a boil, then reduce to simmer.
Step #20 - Cover and cook for 15 - 20 minutes until liquid is absorbed.
Step #21 - Resist the urge to open the lid until after rice is cooked. After 20 minutes, turn off heat, but allow to sit 20 minutes with the lid on. After 20 minutes, remove lid and allow to sit another 20 minutes.
Grill Pheasant
Step #23 - After the Pheasant has marinaded for 2-3 hours in the fridge. Add skillet to stove and set heat to medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to skillet, then add Chorizo. If your Chorizo is in casings, remove the meat from the casings. Cook for 8-10 minutes, or until Chorizo is done.
Step #24 - While Chorizo is cooking, add Pheasant Breast to plate and sprinkle one side generously with Mexican Seasoning.
Step #25 - When Chorizo is done, remove with slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels. Add Pheasant, seasoned side down, to skillet with hot Chorizo grease. While it's cooking, season the other side of the meat.
Step #26 - Allow to cook 4-6 minutes or until Pheasant turns golden brown. Flip over and allow the other side to cook. Allow to reach a temperature of around 160 degrees. Once done, remove to plate and allow to rest a few minutes
Step #27 - Add one or two sliced up Jalapenos to hot skillet and cook for a few minutes.
White Queso and Torilla Chips
Step #29 - Pour two cups of milk into measuring cup. Place in the microwave and heat milk for one and half minutes.
Step #30 - Add 4 tablespoons of butter to saucepan. Set heat on medium and allow butter to melt. Once butter is melted, add 1/4 cup of flour, using a whisk to incorporate butter and flour. Allow this to cook for one minute.
Step #31 - Pour warm milk into saucepan, using to whisk to stir. Sprinkle in some salt and Cayenne Pepper.
Step #32 - When sauce starts to thicken up, add 4 oz of White Queso cheese and turn off heat. Place lid on saucepan and allow cheese to melt into sauce.
Step #33 - Place another skillet on the stove and pour in enough vegetable oil fill the bottom with about 1/4 inch of oil. Set the heat to medium high. While skillet is getting hot, place a stack on flour tortillas on a cutting board.
Step #34 - Using a sharp knife, cut them into quarters.
Step #35 - When the oil is hot enough, drop a few pieces in the hot oil. Dont try to cook to many at one time, you want to do small batches.
Step #36 - Cook until the start to brown, just about a minutes, then flip over and cook for another minute. Using thongs, remove the cooked pieces to a wire rack to dry. Generously sprinkle each batch with salt as they dry. Start a new batch.
Step #37 - You can plate this however you want, but we chose to put down a bed of Mexican rice, then sliced up Pheasant Breast, covered with Chorizo. We then poured hot White Queso cheese over the top, add diced Jalapenos and chopped Cilantro. A good alternative would be to add rice to one side of the plate with the pheasant breast on the other. Sprinkle all of it with Chorizo, then Drizzle with the hot white Queso. Then add chopped Jalapenos and Cilantro.
