Pheasant With Bacon and Sour Cream

I used to own a poultry and game shop many years ago. This recipe (from The Poultry and Game Cookbook) was one of my favourite ways to cook pheasant. I think the modern trend is to eat game cooked rare, but I love a longer, slower cooking method still. This is supposedly a Swedish recipe.

• Ready In: 1 hr 35 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 -2  pheasant
• 2  slices bacon, thick fat ones halved, with rind removed
• 2  tablespoons  melted butter
• 1  cup light sour cream
•  salt
•  fresh ground black pepper
• 1⁄4 cup  cream
•  salt

Directions

1. Pre-heat the oven to moderate.
2. Carefully loosen the skin over the breasts of the pheasants and insert a piece of bacon under the skin over each breast.
3. Pull the skin back over the breasts, and brush the birds liberally with the melted butter.
4. Fold the wings under the body of the birds, tie the legs together loosely, and place the birds in a casserole dish.
5. Roast, uncovered in the centre of the oven for 15 minutes, until the birds begin to brown.
6. Pour the sour cream over the birds and season with salt and pepper.
7. Cover and cook for 40 to 55 minutes.
8. Transfer the birds to a heated serving platter and keep hot.
9. Stir the cream into the pan juices, on top of the stove.
10. Simmer gently until the sauce has thickened, adjust the seasoning, and serve with the pheasants.