Ingredients
Deep Fried Pheasant
1 Whole Pheasant (2-4 lbs)
1 Bottle of Tony Chachere Injectable Cajun Butter
Olive Oil or Vegetable Spray
1-2 tbsp Fire & Smoke Society Chica Licka Bam Bam Poultry Blend
3 gallons of Peanut Oil
Kosher Salt
Smoked Maple Bourbon Sweet Potatoes
3-4 whole Sweet Potatoes
2 tbsp Knob Creek Maple Smoked Bourbon
2 slices Bacon
1 tbsp Sage Butter
1 tbsp Dark Brown Sugar
6-12 Fresh Sage Leaves
Kosher Salt
Sage Butter
1 stick(s) Unsalted Butter
Fresh Sage Leaves
Corn Bread Stuffing
8-12 slices Crusty White Bread
1 Egg
1/2 cup(s) All Purpose Flour
1/2 cup(s) Yellow Cornmeal
1/2 Buttermilk
1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Baking Powder
2 tsp Cooking Oil or Buter
1 Small Yellow Onion
2 Celery Stalks
2 clove(s) Garlic
6-8 Sage Leaves
2 tsp Ground Thyme
1/2 tbsp Ground Rosemary
1/2 tbsp Ground Parsley
3-4 cup(s) Vegetable Stock
Kosher Salt
Pepper
Cranberry Relish
1 Bag of Fresh Cranberries
1 Orange
1/4 cup(s) Sugar
1/2 cup(s) Water
1 oz Bourbon
Kosher Salt
Instructions
Deep Fried Pheasant
Step #2 - Make sure your pheasant is completely defrosted and dry before starting this process. Trying to deep fry a frozen bird can lead to accidental fires caused by oil splashing out of your kettle and onto the fire.
Preheat your oil to 350 degrees.
Step #3 - Inject the breast meat, legs and thighs with some of the Cajun butter. You'll only use about half of the bottle of cajun butter on one bird.
Step #4 - Spray the outside of the bird with vegetable spray or rub all over with excess Cajun butter. Sprinkle with salt and seasoning all over.
Step #5 - Place the bird on deep frying turkey basket or hook.
Step #6 - Make sure your fryer is at a steady 350 degrees
Step #7 - Steadily lower the bird into the fryer. While they recommend your cook turkey and chickens 3 to 4 minute per pound, I had to cook my pheasant 6 to 7 minutes per pound to get it to 160 degrees. You may get different results depending on the starting temperature of your bird. I would suggest checking the temperature in the 3-4 minute range.
Step #8 - One it reaches the proper temperature, remove and let rest 15 to 20 minutes.
Sage Butter
Step #10 - Set out a whole stick of butter and allow it to get room temperature. Chop up fresh sage leaves and add to a mixing bowl. Add soft butter to mixing bowl, using a fork to incorporate it with fresh cut sage leaves. Once combined, place butter onto plastic wrap and roll into a log shape. Place in freezer to firm back up.
Smoked Maple Bourbon Sweet Potatoes
Step #12 - I started this recipe with a bunch of gnarly sweet potatoes I grew in the back yard.
Step #13 - Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cooking tip - If you have a ricer, you can clean the potatoes and cook without peeling first. The potato skin won't go through the ricer, but the soft cooked potato will. If you don't have a ricer, then you'll need to peel your sweet potatoes first. Cut the potatoes into small pieces equal size piece and add to sheet pan. Bake them until they are fork tender, about 15 - 20 minutes.
Step #14 - Allow the potatoes to cool. Run them through your ricer into mixing bowl, discarding the skins. If you don't have a ricer add them to a mixing bowl and mash with potato masher or mix with mixer.
Step #15 - Add in one tablespoon of sage butter
Step #16 - Add bourbon, brown sugar and salt, combining with spatula.
Step #17 - Add Sweet Potato mixture to small baking dish.
Step #18 - Cut up two strips of bacon and add to skillet. Cook until crispy.
Step #19 - Once Bacon is crispy remove to plate lined with paper towels. Add fresh sage leaves to hot bacon grease and cook for one minute on each side.
Step #20 - Add cripsy bacon bits and sage to top of sweet potatoes.
Cornbread Stuffing
Step #22 - Preheat oven to 350 degrees, may already be done if you cooked the sweet potatoes.
Step #23 - Place 6.5" skillet in the hot oven with 1/2 tbsp of vegetable oil or butter. Allow the pan to get how while you prepare the cornbread mix. In a small mixing bowl, combine flour, corn meal, salt, baking powder, baking soda, egg and buttermilk. Remove the hot skillet from oven and swirl the oil around so that it completely coats the bottom of the skillet and part of the sides. Pour the cornbread mix in the skillet and place back in the oven for 20-25 minutes.
Step #24 - The cornbread is done with you can push a toothpick down into the center and remove it without any raw dough sticking to it.
Place your slices of white bread in the oven allowing them to get crusty and hard, about 10 minutes.
Step #25 - Dice up onion and celery, then add to a skillet with one tablespoon of olive oil. Cook until translucent then add in 2 minces garlic cloves and cook for another minute.
Step #26 - Cut sliced bread into small cubes then add to large mixing bowl.
Step #27 - Crumble up cornbread and add to bowl with cubed up bread slices.
Step #28 - Add in cooked onion, celery and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Tear up fresh sage leaves and add to bowl. Add ground thyme, parsley and rosemary.
Step #29 - Pour in about 2 cups of vegetable stock. Using your hands combine all the ingredients.
Step #30 - Spray baking dish with cooking spray then dump in corn bread mixture.
Step #31 - Pour in additional stock, using your hands to incorporate.
Step #32 - Sprinkle the top with additional salt, thyme, rosemary and parsley.
Step #33 - Preheat the oven to 375. Place cornbread in the oven and cook for 30 - 40 minutes. Until cornbread isn't soggy any longer.
Cranberry Relish
Step #35 - Add cranberries to saucepan, with water, sugar and a pinch of salt. Zest orange into cranberry mixture and then squeeze in juice from one orange. Bring to a simmer, cook for about 15 minutes, until cranberries burst.
