Pheasant Hunters??

[CSG]

My friend brought me a couple of pheasants to cook up and I was hoping someone might have some tips or advice on how to pluck a pheasant without tearing the skin?? The skin around the breast is very thin and there are some very thick feathers in that area. I tried dropping them in boiling water for 10 seconds and it helped but couldn't keep the skin on the breast intact...

[Jimbo]

The backs and the legs pluck pretty easily, as you probably found. I do the breasts in 2 passes. Pluck the longer outer feathers first, not too many at a time. Then pluck the shorter, downie feathers. When all the feathers are gone I use a propane torch to singe off the pin feathers. Makes for a nice finished product.

[branthunter]

Sometimes you have to do one feather at a time--also, it can help to keep the skin from which you are pulling the feather , tight with the off hand.

[newhunterette]

Plucking a Pheasant

Pheasant is best after hanging at least 2 days in cool conditions before plucking, however, letting the pheasant rst to room temperature before plucking makes it easier to pluck. Since game birds are usually tougher than domestic poultry for plucking and we are a little more carefull plucking a game bird we have so carefully harvested.

Lay the pheasant on its back. Begin plucking the feathers from the breast and work upward toward the neck. Pluck by taking a small group of feathers between your thumb and forefinger, pulling crisply out and opposite the direction that the feathers naturally lie in. This technique reduces the occurrence of skin breakage.

Pluck the neck all the way around, working in a downward direction. Continue plucking this area until you are about halfway down the neck.

Continue plucking downward until you've plucked the entire body. Use tweezers to remove the stubborn tiny pinfeathers that remain along the spine.

Pluck the legs and then the tail. Be especially careful when plucking the tail, as this area is more prone to skin tearing than the other areas are.

Lay the pheasant on its back again. Stretch out the wings and use shears to cut through the center wing hinge joints to remove the wing tips along with the long, tough primary feathers. Use pliers to remove any of the larger and more resistant wing feathers that remain.

Cut off the head using a sharp, stout knife, making your cut as close to the body as possible.

Cut through the elbow joints to remove the feet and discard them.

just an added note: while having a great time plucking sing this little song hehehehehehe

The Pheasant Plucking Song

I'm not a pheasant plucker, I'm a pheasant plucker's son

I'm only plucking pheasants 'till the pheasant plucker comes.
Me husband is a keeper, he's a very busy man
I try to understand him and I help him all I can,
But sometimes in an evening I feel a trifle dim
All alone, I'm plucking pheasants, when I'd rather pluck with him.
I'm not a pheasant plucker, I'm a pheasant plucker's mate
I'm only plucking pheasants 'cos the pheasant plucker's late !
I'm not good at plucking pheasants, at pheasant plucking I get stuck
Though some pheasants find it pleasant I'd rather pluck a duck.
Oh plucking geese is gorgeous, I can pluck a goose with ease
But pheasant plucking's torture because they haven't any grease.
I'm not a pheasant plucker, he has gone out on the tiles
He only plucked one pheasant and I'm sitting here with piles !
You have to pluck them fresh, if it’s fresh they’re not unpleasant,
I knew a man in Dunstable who could pluck a frozen pheasant.
They say the village constable had pheasant plucking sessions
With the vicar on a Sunday ‘tween the first and second lessons.
I'm not a pheasant plucker, I'm a pheasant plucker's mum
I'm only plucking pheasants 'till the pheasant plucker's come.
My good friend Godfrey is most adept, he's really got the knack
He likes to have a pheasant plucked before he hits the sack.
I like to give a helping hand, I gather up the feathers,
It's really all our pheasant plucking keeps us pair together.
I'm not a pheasant plucker, I'm a pheasant plucker's friend
I'm only plucking pheasants as a means unto an end !
My husband's in the forest always banging with his gun
If he could hear me half the time I'm sure that he would run,
For there's fluff in all my crannies, there's feathers up my nose
And I'm itching in the kitchen from my head down to my toes.
I'm not a pheasant plucker, I'm a pheasant plucker's wife

And when we pluck together it's a pheasant plucking life !