Pheasant Katsu

By James Ono (SEA)

While most of our recipes are for ducks and geese, today we're talking about  another game bird.  This is another relatively easy recipe that is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

For frying oil, use an oil with a higher smoke point.  I usually use Canola oil.  Peanut oil is another good choice.  I would avoid extra virgin olive oil.

I use a tenderizing hammer to flatten my breasts, but if you don’t have one, you can use a frying pan or the back of a heavy knife.  It is also common to put plastic wrap over the meat when you are tenderizing it to prevent cross-contamination.

For dredging, I place my flour, egg, and panko in 3 small, deep plates in order of how I am going to be using them.  You can use plates, bowls, or any sort of container you like.

If you decide you want to make a large batch of this, make sure not to overcrowd your pan.  This will drop your oil below the optimal temperature and will affect how well it cooks.

Ingredients

• 2 Skinless Pheasant Breast Halves
• Salt
• Pepper
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1 egg beaten
• ½ Cup Panko Bread Crumbs
• Frying Oil

Instructions

• Preheat about ¼ inch of oil in a pan on medium-high heat, if your oil is smoking turn it down a little bit.
• Using a tenderizing hammer, pound the breast lobes so that they are about a half inch thick. This will help with uniform doneness when frying
• Season the breast with salt and pepper to taste
• In 3 separate dishes put your flour, beaten egg, and panko.
• Dredge the pheasant in the flour and shake off any excess
• Dip it into the egg
• Then press the breast into the panko crumbs on both sides
• Place the breast into your frying oil
• Cook for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown
• Flip it and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until golden brown
• Serve with steamed rice, katsu sauce, and a side salad (if you can't find katsu sauce at your local store, it is pretty easy to make, usually with ketchup, worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, dijon mustard, and sugar.  There are lot of variations out there, but you can find a number of recipes online)

If you would like to share your favorite way to cook your game birds, please send your recipe and photos to WaWaterfowlMedia@gmail.com