The market · Meat · Northern and Central Europe, France and the north-west
Pheasants
The most common game bird and the mildest — lean, pale-fleshed and a gentle step into game, with darker, sinewy legs.
mild · gamey · lean
Kinds
- Hen
- Smaller, plumper and more tender; the one to roast.
- Cock
- Bigger and leaner; better braised or in a pie.
Knowing it
- Where to buy
- Game dealers and farmers' markets in winter, often as a brace — a cock and a hen — and cheap.
- Worth knowing
- It dries out fast. Roast the breasts on the crown, covered in bacon, and take them off at 60°C; braise the legs separately and slowly, with cider and apples.
More meat, in season with it