Irish Pheasant Stew

I've been out of commission for a little while traveling through the great states of Montana, North Dakota and Minnesota. I'm still in the hunting mode though so I keep my eyes open while driving. It keeps me awake; looking up the coulees to find deer or along the fences for pheasants. I didn't see anything all that impressive but it was still a cool drive. When you're not looking for wildlife, the landscape is pretty spectacular. Mountains turn into plains and then the Badlands and then prairie. It's all beautiful in it's own way. The Badlands are pretty bad-ass.

 

So I always figured my truck had about 4 and 1/2 gallons of gas left when the orange gas light turns on. Turns out, it's only about 4 gallons...I was just outside 70 miles from Dickinson, ND on my way back when the light came on. I was feeling pretty daring and wanted to save about a quarter per gallon by not stopping in a little, one-gas-station town so I pushed it. I hit the first exit to Dickinson and my truck stalled out. I coasted off the freeway and wound up about 400 yards short of the gas station. I'd say I pushed it a little too far. I don't recommend that for winter driving through North Dakota.

 

The next time the light came on I got to meet George. He runs the little gas station in Worden, MT - about 25 miles short of Billings. I was 46 miles deep into the orange light when I decided to stop that time.

 

So what makes this Irish pheasant stew? Is it the cabbage? The potatoes? Or is it the drink in the background?

 

I breast my pheasants out and save the legs for other things. When you cook the entire body of a pheasant in a slow cooker, you'll find tons of tiny little bones from either the ribs or the spine or the legs themselves. It becomes way more work than it's worth and isn't very enjoyable to pick through.

 

So with a couple good size breasts, I line the bottom of the crock pot with rough chopped carrots and onion and lay the breasts on top of them. I then place a couple chopped up potatoes, some more onions, carrots, mushrooms and cabbage around the breasts. Sprinkle a couple teaspoons of rosemary on top of that, minced garlic and pepper. I then take a 32 ounce carton of chicken stock and dump it over the top, put the lid on the crock pot, turn to low and go fishing or hunting.

 

I'm usually out for a while - way longer than needed to cook the pheasant but that's why I keep the temp on low the whole time. I also don't salt it because the stock has salt in it and by seasoning the pheasant, it tends to dry it out. The cabbage helps to keep the moisture in and adds a really cool flavor - pretty damn easy but like I've said before, I like easy when it comes to cooking.

 

Save the legs and thighs! It's coming soon. Again, it's easy and delicious.

 

Today I woke up in my little cottage to 2 degrees on the plus side. Saturday night a cold front came down from Canada bringing a couple inches of snow and some VERY cold temps. Sunday was cold and sunny - never getting into the teens. Today should get to around 17 so I'm heading out to the river to see what that cold front brought down with it. There should be some fresh ducks and geese but we shall see.

  

Keep 'em where they live...