Ninja Pheasant Legs & Thighs
Are you picturing beautiful birds wielding sharp swords, dressed in black? I know I am! Pheasant is one of the best eating meat we are blessed to bring home many times throughout the year. Cooking the birds whole is always and option but can result in dry breast meat and tougher leg and thigh meat. By splitting up the birds and cooking the breasts separate from the legs and thighs you can enjoy the versatility of two recipes and more moist results.
Although this dish can be made on the stovetop, in the oven or in a traditional slow-cooker, using my new Ninja Cooking System has yielded the best results. It can all be accomplished in this cooker. From browning the meat to slow cooking to keeping it warm before serving, I only had one pan to clean!
The key to this recipe is in not covering the browned pheasant legs and thighs with liquid. They are able to slow-cook away without losing their nice coating. This is a recipe I put together with what I had on hand… another “little bit of this, little bit of that” recipe. So feel free to make variations in flavor and ingredients. It is more the method that brings out the best in these prized game birds.
- 4-6 pheasant leg/thighs
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon granulated onion
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive or coconut oil
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 2-3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
Clean pheasant leg/thighs thoroughly, inspecting for stray bb’s. Remove any areas that look blood-shot. In a medium bowl, mix flour and seasonings. Rinse leg/thighs in water and while still damp, coat with seasoned flour mixture. Heat oil on medium-high heat on the “stovetop setting” in the Ninja Cooking System. Brown both sides of leg/thighs, 1-2 minutes per side. Add onions and broth. Slow-cook on high heat 2-3 hours or low heat 5-6 hours or until leg/thighs are tender. Serve over rice or noodles, garnish with fresh chives if desired.
Oven Variation: Brown leg/thighs on stovetop, place in an ovenproof casserole pan and add remaining ingredients. Cook in a preheated 325º oven 1 1/2 hours or until leg/thighs are tender.
Stovetop Variation: In a heavy skillet, brown leg/thighs, add remaining ingredients, cover and turn to low. Simmer 1 hour or until leg/thighs are tender.
Crock Pot Variation: Brown leg/thighs on stovetop, place in crock pot and add remaining ingredients. Slow-cook on high heat 2-3 hours or low heat 5-6 hours or until leg/thighs are tender.
For more game bird recipes check out our book, Cooking Game Birds at www.tiffanyhaugen.com
Cooking Game Birds by Scott & Tiffany Haugen
For more information on the Ninja Cooking System Check it out here http://www.ninjakitchen.com
