Simple and Delicious Garlic-Wine Pheasant

By
Derrick Riches
Derrick Riches
Derrick Riches
Derrick Riches is a grilling and barbecue expert. He has written two cookbooks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 02/8/22
Pheasant
SKashkin / Getty Images
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 60 mins
Marinate: 3 hrs
Total: 4 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
904 Calories
48g Fat
2g Carbs
111g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 904
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 48g 61%
Saturated Fat 14g 71%
Cholesterol 303mg 101%
Sodium 468mg 20%
Total Carbohydrate 2g 1%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 111g
Vitamin C 14mg 71%
Calcium 66mg 5%
Iron 5mg 29%
Potassium 1001mg 21%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This is a simple and delicious grilled pheasant recipe that uses wine, citrus, and garlic as the base flavor components. The pheasant is cut into quarters, marinated, and then grilled. This dish is perfect for special occasions and even better served with grilled vegetables.

You can use either farm-raised or wild pheasants for this recipe. It can also be made with one cut-up fryer chicken, bone-in chicken breasts, thighs, or leg quarters, instead of pheasant, if you'd like. Pheasant has a similar taste to chicken but is a very lean bird. It is very easy to overcook this meat, so watch it carefully to get a nice, tender, and juicy meat rather than a dry, tasteless one. 

Serve this pheasant with some steamed wild rice, green beans or carrots, and crusty homemade bread.

Ingredients

  • 1 (2-to 3-pound) pheasant

  • 1/2 cup red wine

  • 1/4 cup lemon juice

  • 3 tablespoons roughly chopped parsley

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Rinse pheasant and pat dry with a paper towel. Take kitchen shears or sharp knife and cut pheasant into quarters. Place pieces in a resealable plastic bag.

  3. Combine the remaining ingredients in a small mixing bowl.

  4. Pour mixture over the pheasant, seal bag, and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for 3 to 6 hours.

  5. Preheat the grill for medium-high heat.

  6. Remove the pheasant from the plastic bag, reserving marinade. Place pieces on a lightly oiled grill rack and allow to cook for 15 minutes, basting occasionally with marinade.

  7. Reduce to medium heat and continue basting for another 15 minutes. Discard the remaining marinade after this point. Let bird cook for a total of 1 hour or until internal temperature reaches 165 F.

  8. Once cooked, remove from the heat, let rest for 5 minutes, carve, and serve with your favorite side dishes.

Tips

  • After the pheasant has cooked for an hour, check it with an instant-read thermometer to ensure that it reaches 165 F.
  • It is important to let the pheasant rest before carving. Resting the meat allows it to cool down a bit and let the juices flow back into the meat, thus making it juicier. If you carve it too soon, these juices will spill out on the cutting board.
  • Do not keep any leftover marinade, it should be discarded.

How to Store

  • Keep any leftover pheasant in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

Recipe Tags: