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Pheasant Gumbo with Brown Rice Pilaf

I'm not Cajun, nor was I born and bred on the bayou ... I did spend a fair amount of my adult life living on it though. My dad was in the Air Force, so we traveled around quite a bit. The last place we were stationed, was Barksdale Air Force in Louisiana, it's in the northern part of the state, close to Shreveport and Bossier City. I remember the day he came home and told the family we were moving to Louisiana, we were Stationed in Missouri at Whiteman Air Force base at the time and I was half way through my sophomore year at Knob Noster High School. Even being in High School and having studied all 50 states since middle school, I couldn't for the life of me picture where Louisiana was even at, I had to look it up on a map. I didn't want to go, I dreaded the thought of moving and I hated it before we even got there. I didn't like it any better when we finally got there either, to me it was just plain, old, Lousy-ana. I end up graduating at Haughton High School in Louisiana and then attended Bossier Parrish Community College and LSU, ever so briefly ( my grades were dreadful ). Dad ended up retiring down there and it felt like the family was going to be trapped there for the rest of our lives.

I always hated Louisiana when I lived there, but ... looking back, it's probably one of my favorite places that we ever lived and I look forward to going back there as much as I can. It's funny how perspectives change over time. The state slogan is "a sportsman's paradise" and it really is, I find myself missing the bayou and the food. I used to spend all day in a little flat bottom boat fishing the bayou behind my parents old house. I pulled some monster Large Mouth Bass out of that bayou ... and a few alligators too. It was always an adventure getting to the boat, I had to battle poisonous snakes with a boat oar on more than one occasion.

Me and my now ex brother-in-law logged many hours fishing Lake Bistineau, Black Bayou, Cross Lake, Cypress Lake and Caddo Lake. We spent a lot of time on the water, as much as we loved to spend time on the water, we also loved to be in the woods. Many a times while out scouting for places to hunt, we'd walked up on packs of wild hogs and wonder if they would be the ones to run away or if it would it be us. It was usually them, but we had some pretty close calls.

While living there I developed a taste for Cajun food. If the wife and I go out to eat, and there is something Cajun on the menu, more times than not, I'll end up ordering it. If someone were to ask me what my favorite style of food is, Cajun all the way, 100 percent. I'd love nothing more, than to put Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning on everything I eat! That being said, I've wanted to make a Cajun inspired dish to share on Gundog Central for some time now. I reached out to a few Cajun style chefs, but none of them seemed interested in helping, so I decided to make my own dishes inspired by my memories of Louisiana. I came up with two dishes, A Brown Bayou Duck Chili, that'll I'll post another time, and this Pheasant Gumbo with Wild Hog Sausage and a Brown Rice Pilaf. Like me, this dish isn't going to 100% Cajun. I doubt you'll find many wild Pheasant anywhere in Louisiana, so you'll just have to consider it a kind of Cajun Fusion dish, but if you make it, you won't be sorry.

Part of the inspiration for this recipe was a recent potluck dinner we had at work. The office manager brought in this Gumbo she had made at home. It.was.Fantastic!!! I begged her for the recipe, until she reluctantly gave it to me. Turns out it was her husband's family recipe ... probably past down from generation to generation. Being as its most likely a family secret, I'm not going to use that exact recipe here, but I did steal little pieces of it.

The wife and I attended the New Orleans Cooking School a few summers ago, it was an amazing experience that we both enjoyed, and I would recommend it to anyone. We learned some of the history behind Cajun Cooking, about the French and Spanish influences, about the "Holy Trinity" and how make a roux. In Cajun cooking the "Holy Trinity" is a combination of Onions, Bell Peppers and Celery, it's used as the foundation of most Cajun dishes. It kind of makes an appearance in this recipe, however I've chosen not to include the Celery, but you can add to your dish, if you like.

Most Gumbo's also have Okra in them, which is used as a thickening agent. Have you ever boiled Okra in the hopes of canning it? It secretes this thick clear mucus like ooze, it's extreme messy to deal with and nasty to look at. I'm not an Okra fan, unless it's fried, so I'm not going to use any in this recipe either, which brings up the question, if it doesn't have Okra in it, is it really a Gumbo? I'm sure some people will say no, but there are other thickening agents that can be used, like Cornstarch, Arrowroot and even Masa if you want, but we won't need them here, our Roux will be enough to thicken up this recipe. A roux is just flour and oil, usually equal parts, just not in this recipe, cooked on a low heat until it's dark brown in color. It'll give off a nutty kind of smell and it'll impart a lot of flavor in the sauce.

I also made a homemade pheasant stock from some left-over pheasant caresses from a previous recipe. I've included instructions on how I made it on the recipe page. It's really going help amp up the pheasant flavor, however ... . You can substitute it with equal amounts of regular unsalted chicken stock.

Ingredients

Rice Pilaf

Basic Pheasant Stock

Cajun Seasoning

Instructions

Pheasant Stock

Step #1 Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Step #2 Roughly chop Carrots, Celery and Onions and place in the bottom of roasting pan.

Step #3 Add Pheasant carcasses and place in the oven to roast for 30-40 minutes.

Step #4 Remove from oven

Step #5 Place a large stock pot on the stove. Add Pheasant and all the vegetable from the bottom of the roasting pan. Add two bay leaves then fill with enough water to cover all the ingredients. Optional you can add additional spices and salt if desired, Peppercorn, Juniper Berries, Cloves, Ginger.

Step #6 Place another large stock pot in the sink. Using a colander and / or cheesecloth, strain by pouring your stock mixture into the other stock pot. You can discard the pheasant and vegetables. You should be left with dark amber colored stock.

Step #7 Allow to cool. Use a measuring cup, fill each mason jar with about 3 cups of stock. Seal and place each in the refrigerator, where it should keep for about a week. Or consider canning and freezing to long term use.

Pheasant Gumbo with Brown Rice Pilaf

Step #1 Prepare all your ingredients by dicing up the Onions and Bell Peppers for Gumbo and Rice, insuring to keeping the ingredients for each dish separate. Dice garlic cloves for Gumbo.

Step #2 Prepare your Cajun seasoning by combining Paprika, Salt, Garlic, Cayenne, Black Pepper, White Pepper, Onion Powder and Ground Thyme in a small bowl.

Step #3 Remove the skin from pheasant breast and generously salt and pepper both sides.

Step #4 We'll start our rice pilaf. Add about a tablespoon of butter to a large Dutch oven. Allow the butter to melt.

Step #5 In batches, add three of the breast to the Dutch oven, allowing to brown on both sides. 3-4 minutes per side. Remove breast to a plate and start another batch, until all the breast meat is cooked.

Step #6 Add diced Sweet Onion and Yellow Bell Pepper to Dutch oven and sauté for 4-5 minutes.

Step #7 Add cup of rice to Dutch oven and allow to cook for an additional minute.

Step #8 Add two cups for Pheasant Stock. Scrap all those brown bits in the bottom of the pan. Bring to boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Allow to cook about 20-30 minutes. The pheasant stock is unsalted, so once the rice is done, add salt to taste. Or if you used store bought Chicken Stock or Broth, taste your rice and add additional seasoning if necessary.

Step #9 While the rice is cooking let's start the rue for the gumbo. In another large Dutch oven heat 3/4 cups of canola oil on the stove on medium heat. Allow the oil to get hot, then add a one cup of flour. You'll need to stir this continuously for 30 - 40 minutes, your arm will get tired, until it gets to be brown in color, the darker the better. Keep in on a low heat, you don't want to allow it to burn, but the darker the color the more robust flavor it'll develop. It'll have a nutty kind of smell to it as it cooks.

Step #10 Once your satisfied with your rue, add diced Yellow Onion and two diced Red Bell Peppers and cook for about 5 minutes. Then add garlic. Adding the vegetable to the rue will make a thick paste.

Step #11 Shred the pheasant breast with a fork, then add to your rue.

Step #12 Add about 4 cups of the pheasant stock ( or chicken stock ). Mixing everything together.

Step #13 Add about 2 - 3 tbsp of the Cajun seasoning you made, ensuring that you mix and taste after each tablespoon.

Step #14 In another skillet, heat a tablespoon of canola oil on medium heat. Slice up some smoked or andouille sausage, I used Wild Hog links, then add it to the skillet and cook 5-6 minutes.

Step #15 Remove sausage from skillet onto a plate covered with paper towels to drain off excess grease.

Step #16 Add sausage to Gumbo. Incorporate all the ingredients and taste. Add addition salt and Cajun seasoning if needed.

Step #17 Fill half of a severing bowl with the rice pilaf and the other half with the Pheasant Gumbo. Garnish the dish with fresh chopped parsley, red pepper flakes and additional Cajun seasoning if desired.

Recipe Card

Pheasant Gumbo with Brown Rice Pilaf

Written by Jeff Davis Visit : Visit authors website

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Prep Time: 30 Min - Cook Time: 1 Hour

Ingredients

8 Pheasant Breast ( Skin Removed )

1 Package of Cajun Wild Hog Links ( or Smoked Sausage )

1 whole Large Yellow Onion - Chopped

2 whole Red Bell Peppers - Seeded and Chopped

5 clove(s) Garlic

4 cup(s) Basic Pheasant Stock

3/4 cup(s) Canola Oil or Vegetable Oil

1 cup(s) All-purpose flour

Rice Pilaf

1 cup(s) Brown Rice

2 cup(s) Basic Pheasant Stock

1 Small Sweet Onion - Chopped

1 whole Yellow Bell Pepper - Chopped

Salt ( to taste )

Basic Pheasant Stock

2 Pheasant Carcasses

4 whole Carrots

4 whole Celery Stalks

2 White Onions

8 Cloves of Garlic

12-15 cup(s) Water

Cajun Seasoning

1 tbsp Paprika

1 tbsp Kosher Salt

1 tbsp Garlic Powder

3/4 tbsp Cayenne pepper

1/2 tbsp Black Pepper

1/2 tbsp White Pepper

1/2 tbsp Onion Powder

1/4 tbsp Ground Thyme

Instructions

Pheasant Stock

Step #1 - Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Step #2 - Roughly chop Carrots, Celery and Onions and place in the bottom of roasting pan.

Step #3 - Add Pheasant carcasses and place in the oven to roast for 30-40 minutes.

Step #4 - Remove from oven

Step #5 - Place a large stock pot on the stove. Add Pheasant and all the vegetable from the bottom of the roasting pan. Add two bay leaves then fill with enough water to cover all the ingredients. Optional you can add additional spices and salt if desired, Peppercorn, Juniper Berries, Cloves, Ginger.

Step #6 - Place another large stock pot in the sink. Using a colander and / or cheesecloth, strain by pouring your stock mixture into the other stock pot. You can discard the pheasant and vegetables. You should be left with dark amber colored stock.

Step #7 - Allow to cool. Use a measuring cup, fill each mason jar with about 3 cups of stock. Seal and place each in the refrigerator, where it should keep for about a week. Or consider canning and freezing to long term use.

Pheasant Gumbo with Brown Rice Pilaf

Step #1 - Prepare all your ingredients by dicing up the Onions and Bell Peppers for Gumbo and Rice, insuring to keeping the ingredients for each dish separate. Dice garlic cloves for Gumbo.

Step #2 - Prepare your Cajun seasoning by combining Paprika, Salt, Garlic, Cayenne, Black Pepper, White Pepper, Onion Powder and Ground Thyme in a small bowl.

Step #3 - Remove the skin from pheasant breast and generously salt and pepper both sides.

Step #4 - We'll start our rice pilaf. Add about a tablespoon of butter to a large Dutch oven. Allow the butter to melt.

Step #5 - In batches, add three of the breast to the Dutch oven, allowing to brown on both sides. 3-4 minutes per side. Remove breast to a plate and start another batch, until all the breast meat is cooked.

Step #6 - Add diced Sweet Onion and Yellow Bell Pepper to Dutch oven and sauté for 4-5 minutes.

Step #7 - Add cup of rice to Dutch oven and allow to cook for an additional minute.

Step #8 - Add two cups for Pheasant Stock. Scrap all those brown bits in the bottom of the pan. Bring to boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Allow to cook about 20-30 minutes. The pheasant stock is unsalted, so once the rice is done, add salt to taste. Or if you used store bought Chicken Stock or Broth, taste your rice and add additional seasoning if necessary.

Step #9 - While the rice is cooking let's start the rue for the gumbo. In another large Dutch oven heat 3/4 cups of canola oil on the stove on medium heat. Allow the oil to get hot, then add a one cup of flour. You'll need to stir this continuously for 30 - 40 minutes, your arm will get tired, until it gets to be brown in color, the darker the better. Keep in on a low heat, you don't want to allow it to burn, but the darker the color the more robust flavor it'll develop. It'll have a nutty kind of smell to it as it cooks.

Step #10 - Once your satisfied with your rue, add diced Yellow Onion and two diced Red Bell Peppers and cook for about 5 minutes. Then add garlic. Adding the vegetable to the rue will make a thick paste.

Step #11 - Shred the pheasant breast with a fork, then add to your rue.

Step #12 - Add about 4 cups of the pheasant stock ( or chicken stock ). Mixing everything together.

Step #13 - Add about 2 - 3 tbsp of the Cajun seasoning you made, ensuring that you mix and taste after each tablespoon.

Step #14 - In another skillet, heat a tablespoon of canola oil on medium heat. Slice up some smoked or andouille sausage, I used Wild Hog links, then add it to the skillet and cook 5-6 minutes.

Step #15 - Remove sausage from skillet onto a plate covered with paper towels to drain off excess grease.

Step #16 - Add sausage to Gumbo. Incorporate all the ingredients and taste. Add addition salt and Cajun seasoning if needed.

Step #17 - Fill half of a severing bowl with the rice pilaf and the other half with the Pheasant Gumbo. Garnish the dish with fresh chopped parsley, red pepper flakes and additional Cajun seasoning if desired.

About the Author

Jeff Davis

You may think cooking and recipes don’t have much to do with a website dedicated to hunting dogs ... but really, why do we hunt? Sure, we enjoy watching our dogs work in the field and being outdoors, but ultimately, hunting is about survival and feeding our families. We might as well try to do it well. I'm not a chef and definitely no food authority ... but I do like to eat and enjoy cooking. After searching for people willing to share their recipes on Gundog Central, without much success, I decided to try to do a few on my own, with my wife Tami's help. The recipes I share here are things I like to eat and have made here at home. I've tried to include step-by-step instructions with each meal describing exactly how I did it, but my method may not be best, if you decide to try a recipe posted here, please use whatever technique you think works best, I'm simply sharing how I did it. You'll see a lot of recipes where I've tried to make things from starch, when I could have just used store bought ingredients, simply because I wanted to learn how something was done. My goal is to continually update these recipes as I learn new things and techniques. These are my attempts at creating good, home cooked food, that I would like to eat! If I'm sharing it here, my family and I enjoyed it and I believe you will too.