Peter is an award winning Master Chef of Great Britain and has been cooking since the age of 16. Peter now runs his own restaurant, Gorton’s, in Tavistock and has recently published the book ‘Devon Food Heroes’.
I love game, it has a great texture and flavour due to the fact the creature has lived a fully functional life as a wild animal. They are not confined to a pen or a shed; they are free to forage for their own food running free through the woods and fields. Pheasant Is quite low in sodium and is an excellent source of protein and vitamin B3, but it is high in cholesterol.
Hanging pheasant
It is difficult to state firmly exactly how long to hang a pheasant. A young bird shot in October will only need three days, while if shot in January two weeks could be long enough. Make sure the birds are hung from their necks, in a cool place where the air can circulate freely. The reason for hanging game is to enable the fibres of the flesh to break down so that the meat will become more tender and also to improve the flavour. There is no hard and fast rule that states how long to hang birds or ground game, as much depends on the weather and individual taste.
Plucking
Plucking should be done out of doors in a sheltered spot or in a shed or garage as there are bound to be some flying feathers!
Cooking Game
If your game bird or beast is young and in prime condition then the best thing is simply to roast it with a good sauce as an accompaniment. This does not mean putting it in an oven and forgetting about it, this means careful preparation, trussing it well, barding and larding then basting.
Later in the season when the game is a little older it will need braising or stewing. There is no reason why pigeons, partridges and venison cannot exchange recipes.
Tips:
- Use all poultry trimmings such as neck, heart and wings, chop up into small pieces and sauté them and add to your sauce for an extra flavour.
- All meat should be left to rest after it has been removed from the oven. The resting time allows the juices to be reabsorbed into the meat, making the meat tender and easier to cut. Always cut the meat across the grain so that it is easier to eat.
- Rest all meat and game on a cooling rack or at an angle on the edge of a small plate turned upside down on top of a larger plate. This will allow air to circulate creating an even circulation of juices.
Happy cooking!
Peter Gorton
For more information about Peter visit petergortonmasterchef.co.uk or for Gorton’s restaurant see gortons-tavistock.co.uk