I'm not the pheasant plucker...

[Chickpea]

I bought a brace of pheasants for £3. It's the end of the shooting season and they all had to be sold ASAP. They're hanging in the garage until dad arrives on friday, then I'll pluck them, dress them and roast them for our dinner.

I had to phone Ed and warn him. He's a vegetarian and I think if he got home from work and put his bike in the garage only to get a faceful of pheasants still in the feather he'd have been a bit shocked.

There's a picture of them here.

[Dendrobium]

Good bargin, never had phesant, although Boss woman has and said she didn't like having to spit out the lead shot! I did know a rep who's factory was in the middle of no-where and occasionaly knocked down the odd one that would fly out in front of the car. Waste-not want-not he kept some bags in the boot of the car and would then take them home to hang up and eat them! At least it was quick for the pheasant!

However, is it just me, but the idea of hanging pheasants always reminds me of the eighties series 'Shogun' when a poor chap gets his head chopped off for burying a pheasant that had been left out hanging?

[Boots]

Hey Chickpea!

Haven't seen you around for a while, but we could just be in different threads... Good to see your grin again though.

I dunno what a brace is... How many is that?

You need any plucking hints? Can't say I have ever plucked a pheasant... but being a game bird, am guessing they could be a bit like ducks? Having hung them, you may find that they become a bit more difficult to pluck. I have always found plucking a lot easier on a warm fresh bird and that goes for both chooks and ducks. If you notice they are tough to pluck dry, fill a bin with hot hot hot water with a good squirt of dishwashing liquid (and keep it hot if you have a few to do)... scald the bird and jig it about a bit in the water, so it is well drenched... this will soften the skin and help the feathers come away easier.

I always begin at the bum and then pluck down the body and across the wings. Depending on how quick you work, you may have to redunk it as the skin will cool off again pretty quickly.

Do pheasants have pin feathers??? mmmaybe??? If you notice little feather follicles that look like they have not developed, tidy them up with tweezers once you come back into the kitchen. Every plucker prays for minimal pin feathers, but I honestly don't know if that could just be a duck thing... Tis not a chook thing... If you find downie or fluffy areas, just hit them with a lighter and scorch them off.

If you need a hand knuckling their legs, or removing their innards, just sing out. Try not to bust anything in there... and make sure you have a mate or a couple of kids handy to giggle with...It is much more fun then!!!

[The Chili Monster]

Hi, Boots, it's three birds to a brace.
If you buy them from a beater -as I once did - they tend to be dirt cheap; £3 -£5 or so.
They require hanging (as you pointed out) but I got my supplier (the beater) to hang & pluck them for the cost of a couple of beers.
Found game to be very dry; not keen on pheasant (even with bacon) but partridge... hmm ... nice.

[baldowrie]

erm a brace is a pair, as in a pair or pheasants

BRESS: brace, pair as in a brace of pheasants.

http://www.botriphnie.org.uk/Glossary.htm