Pheasant Baked in A Blanket

Aroostook's Note:

Found this by request on a hunting site. If pressed for time, I think one could easily substitute a frozen pie crust dough and a can of chicken gravy in this dish.

• Total Time: 2 hrs 20 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 1 (2 lb) dressed pheasants

Vegetable Stuffing

• ¾ cup finely chopped onion
• 3 tablespoons butter or 3 tablespoons margarine
• ¾ cup coarsely grated carrot
• ¾ cup finely diced celery
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1⁄8; teaspoon pepper

Dough Blanket

• 1 ½ cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons shortening
• ½ cup water

Directions:

1. Remove pin feathers and singe pheasant according to directions.
2. Rinse inside and out with several changes of warm water.
3. Drain well.
4. Remove neck and cook with giblets for gravy.
5. Fill salted cavity with vegetable stuffing made as follows: Lightly saute onion in heated butter.
6. Add the remaining vegetables and seasonings and toss to mix well.
7. Fill cavity and truss.
8. To make dough blanket: Sift together flour and salt; cut in fat with pastry blender or two knives until particles are the size of rice grains.
9. Add water gradually, stirring to make a dough soft enough to roll.
10. Roll out on a lightly floured board from 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick into a rectangular sheet about 15 by 10 inches.
11. Wrap dough around pheasant, completely covering it.
12. Moisten edges and pinch together to seal.
13. Place pheasant, breast side up, on a trivet in a shallow roasting pan and roast uncovered in a moderate oven (350 F) for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
14. Prepare giblet gravy from drippings (Break away crusty golden brown blanket in pieces and serve with the pheasant and giblet gravy).

Reviews

[kstrating]

First rate! My husband & sons, who won't quit bringing pheasants home, thought this was teriffic! I deboned the pheasants, & simply added the pieces with portions of the vegetables to serving size divisions of the dough. I desperately need to remember to use lard for the 'blanket' next time though... makes a flakier crust. Great change from the ol' mushroom soup recipes for pheasant! Will be making this again.