Wild Game Recipes: Drunken Pheasant
Pheasant hunting requires skill and patience, but it's also a lot of fun. Pheasants are one of the most popular upland birds to hunt in the U.S., and for plenty of good reasons – not the least of which is that they are delicious!
Whether you hunt these birds with a hunting dog or simply strike out with a buddy to bring home some birds, you need a delicious recipe to prepare them for your after-hunt meal.
Here's a favorite recipe we found from Ultimate Pheasant Hunting!
Why Hunt Pheasants
Many hunters enjoy spending a day in the field with their dogs. Taking your dogs out for a pheasant hunt keeps them sharp while helping you rustle up some birds to hit your bag limit for the day.
Pheasants are creatures of habit, but they're also very smart. So, if you're up for a challenging hunt, these birds can deliver.
As we already mentioned, these birds are delicious. Hunting them is a sustainable way to bring home bird meat and feed your family!
Wild Game Recipes: Drunken Pheasant
If you love pheasant meat, you'll love this recipe. You don't have to be a drinker to appreciate how the beer in this recipe makes your wild pheasant flavorful and moist.
However, if you do enjoy a beverage now and then, you'll need one can for the recipe . . . and what you do with the rest of the pack is up to you!
Prep. time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
- 1 whole pheasant (skinned and de-feathered)
- 1 can of your favorite beer
- 1 stick of butter
- Seasoning to taste
This recipe doesn't require a lot of ingredients, and it's not short on flavor!
First, make sure the bird has been well-cleaned. Then, pat the pheasant dry with a paper towel.
Melt the butter and seasoning in a saucepan. Thoroughly brush the bird with the melted butter.
Pour out (or drink) half the can of beer. Heat your grill and place the bird over the beer can on the grill. If the can-and-bird doesn't stand up, you may need to purchase a can holder.
Cook for about an hour or until done throughout – then enjoy!
Hunt Safely to Enjoy Pheasant Wild Game Recipes
Enjoying the results of your time in the field requires a priority on safety. Pheasant hunting is plenty of fun, but it can also be very dangerous when hunters don't follow crucial safety protocols like wearing the right amount of blaze orange (including your dog), carrying firearms haphazardly, and not being aware of where others are before taking a shot at birds rustled out of their roosts.
Hunter-Ed wants you to enjoy this recipe and others! So, we provide online hunter safety courses to help hunters protect themselves and others in the field. Our state-approved courses cover a wide range of safety essentials, including firearm safety, blaze orange requirements, the safe zone of fire, and more.
So, before your next pheasant hunt, get safety certified! Find the course for your state and start learning.
Originally published October 27, 2015. Content updated December 6, 2022.
