Chef Tom and his dad remanence on their pheasant hunt. Enjoying the beautiful outdoor scenery while finding the perfect bird - what could be more enjoyable? Pheasant Piccata is a savory dish that pairs perfectly with Yukon Gold potatoes. The addition of white wine elevates the flavor of the pheasant adds depth to the dish.
WHAT YOU'LL LOVE
- Pounding the pheasant breasts to an even 1/2-inch thickness before cooking means the whole breast cooks through at the same rate, rather than the thin edges overcooking while the center lags behind
- Smashing half the capers in the skillet releases their brine directly into the pan, building more caper flavor into the sauce than leaving them whole would
- Reducing the wine, stock, and lemon juice right in the same skillet the pheasant cooked in ties the sauce back to that fond, rather than building it separately
- Returning the seared pheasant to the skillet to coat in the finished sauce means the meat picks up that glossy piccata finish right before serving, rather than being sauced cold on the plate
Pheasant Piccata
Tom Jackson
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Entree
Cuisine
American
Servings
2
Prep Time
40 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Calories
1261
Join Chef Tom and his dad on a pheasant hunt as they reflect on the many things to be thankful for this holiday season, including a delicious Pheasant Piccata. Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours!
Ingredients
- 4 pheasant breasts, boneless, skinless
-
Jacobsen Salt Co. Black Garlic Salt
-
Jacobsen Salt Co. Tellicherry Black Peppercorns, freshly ground
- 1/4 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
-
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, divided
- 2 tbsp capers
- 1/2 cup Pinot Grigio white wine
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 2 tbsp lemon juice, fresh squeezed
- 2 tbsp fresh Italian parsley, minced
- 1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, diced
- 1/2 cup half-and-half
-
1 tsp Jacobsen Salt Co. Black Garlic Salt
For the Yukon Potato Purée:
Directions
- To make the Yukon Potato Purée, boil the potatoes until very tender. Drain. Press the potatoes through a potato ricer or food mill and into a bowl. Add the diced butter, stirring to melt the butter. Add the half-and-half and carefully stir until fully incorporated. Add the salt and stir to distribute. Cover and hold warm.
- Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill to 500°F, set up for direct grilling.
- Lay out the pheasant breasts on a cutting board. Using a meat mallet (or wine bottle or small skillet), pound out the thickest parts, so the entire breast is even in thickness, about 1/2” thick.
- Season the breasts with the Jacobsen Salt Co. Black Garlic Salt and fresh ground Jacobsen Salt Co. Tellicherry Black Peppercorns on both sides.
- Place your flour on a plate, using just enough flour to coat the bottom of a plate. Press the pheasant breasts into the flour on both sides, shaking to remove excess flour. Transfer to a clean plate.
- Place a Lodge 12” Cast Iron Skillet on the grill and allow the skillet to preheat for about 5 minutes.
Place the skillet directly over the fire. Add the extra virgin olive oil and two tablespoons of diced butter. When the butter is melted, place the pheasant breasts in the skillet. Cook until just browned and flip. Continue cooking until the breasts reach an internal temperature of 160°F. Remove the breasts from the skillet and transfer to a foil pan on the opposite side of the grill.
- Add the capers to the skillet. Smash about half of them to release their juices. Add the wine, chicken stock and lemon juice and allow to reduce by about half, then remove the skillet from the grill.
- Add the remaining two tablespoons of diced butter to the skillet, swirling them in until they are fully melted, constantly stirring. Return the pheasant breasts to the skillet, turning to coat both sides with the sauce. Add the parsley to the skillet.
- Lay out a base of the Yukon Potato Purée on a plate or shallow bowl. Slice the pheasant breasts and fan them out over the potatoes. Spoon the sauce and capers over the top of the breasts. Serve the Pheasant Piccata immediately.
Recipe Note
Recipe FAQ
Why pound the pheasant breasts to an even thickness before cooking?
Pounding out the thicker parts to about 1/2 inch means the whole breast cooks through at the same rate, rather than thin edges overcooking while a thicker center takes longer to catch up.
Why smash half the capers in the skillet instead of leaving them all whole?
Smashing about half releases their brine directly into the pan, building more caper flavor into the sauce than whole capers alone would provide, while the remaining whole capers still add texture.
Why reduce the wine, chicken stock, and lemon juice in the same skillet the pheasant cooked in?
Building the sauce right in that pan ties it back to the fond left behind from searing, rather than making the sauce separately with none of that flavor.
Why return the pheasant to the skillet to coat in the sauce, rather than plating it and spooning sauce on top?
Turning the breasts in the pan coats both sides evenly in the glossy piccata sauce right before serving, giving a more finished result than sauce poured over meat that's already plated.
What internal temperature should the pheasant breasts actually reach?
This recipe's own directions say to cook until the breasts reach 160°F, but USDA's minimum safe internal temperature for poultry is 165°F. Continue cooking to at least 165°F rather than pulling at 160°F.
How indoor-friendly is this recipe?
5 out of 5 — this comes together entirely in a cast iron skillet on the stovetop; the grill is only being used as an outdoor heat source, not for smoke or char.
Recipe Highlights
Even-thickness pounding: Ensures the whole breast cooks at the same rate.
Partially smashed capers: Builds more brine flavor into the sauce while keeping some texture.
Fond-built sauce: Ties the reduction back to the pan the pheasant seared in.
Pan-coated finish: Gives the meat an even, glossy sauce right before plating.
Recommended Recipes
Nutrition
Nutrition
- Nutrition Serving Size
- 31.31 oz
- per serving
- Calories
- 1261
- Carbs
- 33 grams
- Protein
- 95 grams
- Fat
- 80 grams
- Sodium
- 932 milligrams
