Fall Favorites

Sandwich: Spicy Pheasant (Southern Style)

Shared with me by: Ryan (son)

Original recipe came from a hunting magazine our son subscribes to.
Chicken breasts could easily be substituted for pheasant.

Ingredients

  • 4 pheasant breasts
  • canola oil for deep frying
  • 1 to 2 Tbls. softened butter
  • mayonnaise, for serving
  • dill pickle slices, for serving

Buttermilk Brine

  • 1 c. buttermilk (or low-fat buttermilk)
  • 1 Tbls. Louisiana hot sauce, or similar
  • 1 Tbls. Lawry's seasoned salt
  • 1/4 t. fine sea salt

Breading

  • 3/4 c. unbleached white all-purpose flour
  • 1 t. baking powder
  • 1/4 t. ground white pepper
  • 1/4 t. ground black pepper
  • 1/8 t. cayenne pepper, or more to taste
  • 1/4 t. garlic powder
  • 1/4 t. onion powder
  • 1/4 t. paprika
  • 1/2 t. Lawry's seasoned salt
  • 1 Tbls. buttermilk
  • 1 large egg + 1/2 c. buttermilk combined

Instructions

The night before. lightly pound pheasant breasts with a meat mallet to get uniform thickness.

In a bowl or Ziplock bag, combine buttermilk brine ingredients. Completely submerge pheasant breasts in brine and refrigerate covered overnight.

After brining, remove pheasant from the buttermilk mixture, allowing excess to drip off. Set aside on a plate.

In a wide, shallow bowl, combine flour, baking powder, white pepper, black pepper, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and Lawry's seasoned salt. Then stir in 1 tablespoon of buttermilk to form small lumps. Add 1 egg mixed with 1/2 c. buttermilk and mix to combine.

Heat oil to 350 degrees for deep frying.

Meanwhile, lightly coat the pheasant breasts in the flour mixture first, then in the egg mixture and again in the flour mixture, encouraging the lumps in the flour to stick, which will turn into crispy craggy bits when fried.

When oil comes to temperature, fry coated pheasant (in batches to avoid crowding in pan) until golden on both sides, flipping halfway through. Internal temperature should read at least 155 degrees.

Drain fried breasts on paper towel or fry rack.

To Assemble: Spread butter on the inside of brioche buns and toast on a hot skillet until golden. Assemble sandwiches with fried pheasant, pickles and mayonnaise (stir hot sauce into the mayo if you like your sandwich spicier). .

NOTE: Maks 4