Easy and delicious... Give this roast pheasant recipe a try!
This is an updated version of my roast pheasant with honey glaze recipe. Originally, I cooked the roast pheasant in my oven but today I decided to get outdoors and cook it in my Doori tandoor oven. The result was truly spectacular with flavours not only from the delicious marinade but also cooking in the hot and smoky tandoor.
Whether you use an oven, barbecue or tandoor to cook this, I really hope you give my roast pheasant recipe a try soon.
About this roast pheasant recipe.
Cooking the roast pheasant in a tandoor is quick and easy and you get the added bonus of the smoke flavouring the meat. You could cook this in your barbecue over indirect heat but using a tandoor is faster and in my opinion a bit more fun.
The most important part of the recipe is the marinade which is simple but the flavours go so well with the pheasant. I developed this recipe to be easier than my more elaborate tandoori pheasant recipe so that you could try it without all the fuss. If you would like to take a look at my authentic tandoori marinated pheasant recipe, you will find it here.
What does pheasant taste like?
Pheasant tastes a lot like chicken though it does have a slightly stronger flavour because it's wild. So using a good marinade that compliments that game flavour is always nice.
The marinade I have for you here is an easy tandoori marinade with the addition of honey that you baste the pheasant with at the end of cooking. This gives the skin a delicious sweet and smoky flavour.
You could actually use this same marinade with chicken but when it's pheasant season, I tend to stay away from boring chicken and go for pheasant or another game bird such as quail or partridge.
Do you have to cook tandoori roast pheasant in a tandoor oven?
No! I use a Doori tandoor oven which is economical and also easy to transport. It's great for taking to the beach or camping.
You could cook this roast pheasant over indirect heat on your barbecue. Aim for a cooking temperature of about 200°C/400°F and let it cook until the internal temperature reaches 74°C/175°F. The same applies to cooking the pheasant in your oven.
Which ever cooking method you choose, be sure to baste the bird with the melted ghee and honey mixture a few times at the end of cooking. Allow the pheasant to rest for 10 minutes before carving.
Can you upscale or downscale this recipe?
Yes and I did it this time too. I made twice as much marinade and marinated two pheasants when I cooked this recipe. If you were to cook four pheasants, you could probably get away with just doubling the marinade.
How long can your store leftovers in the fridge?
If you happen to have leftovers, you can reheat them in a pan. Just shred or slice the meat and fry it in a tablespoon of oil.
if you have larger pieces or a whole bird, you could reheat it in an air fryer or oven until heated through. I usually do it in an air fryer and set the temperature to 200°C/400°F and cook it until heated through. You could do the same in an oven.
The meat will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Are there other ways to use tandoori pheasant?
Yes. Just like when you prepare tandoori chicken for curries, you can do the same with this meat. Adding cooked, smoky tandoori pheasant to a curry tastes amazing.
You might like to try this spicy pheasant curry or a milder coconut pheasant curry.
Step by step photographs.
If you like this roast pheasant recipe, you might like to try some of these other recipes, cooked in the Doori Tandoor.
- Tandoori Turkey Crown
- Turkish Chicken Wings
- Tandoori Pheasant
- Tandoori Monkfish
- Whole Tandoori Fish
- Turkish Chicken Kebabs
- Grilled Rabbit on BBQ or Tandoor
Have you tried this grilled rabbit recipe?
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Roast Pheasant with Honey Glaze
Try this updated version of roast pheasant with honey glaze recipe. Roast this delicious pheasant in an oven, tandoor or barbecue.
Ingredients
- 1 pheasant
- FOR THE MARINADE
- 1 tsp rapeseed (canola) oil
- 3 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
- Juice of one lemon
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp tandoori masala
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tbsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
- 250ml plain yogurt
- TO BASTE
- 3 tbsp honey
- 3 tbsp melted, hot ghee
Instructions
- Whisk the oil, 2 tablespoons of the garlic and ginger paste, the lemon juice and all of the ground spices together in a bowl.
- Apply this to the pheasant but rubbing it right into the flesh and inside the cavity. Set aside for 10 to 20 minutes.
- Using the same bowl, whisk the yoghurt, remaining garlic and ginger paste and the salt together until smooth.
- Rub this all over the pheasant inside and out. Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight. The longer the better. If marinating overnight, you can pour it all into a large freezer bag and seal it.
- When ready to cook, build a fire in your tandoor. Please see notes for BBQ and oven method. Heat your tandoor up to around 230°C/450°F.
- Rub most of the marinade off the pheasant and skewer it by running the skewer down the back bone from the neck end. Try to weave it through the meat to make it extra secury. It is a good idea to place a potato at the end of the skewer to stop the pheasant from sliding. I also used a clamp from my rotisserie but that wasn't really necessary.
- Move the coals to one side of your tandoor and place the pheasant skewer on the other side. You really need to watch things as the dripping juices will probably cause the tandoor to get hotter.
- If you find the tandoor is getting too hot and you have no way of reducing the heat, no problem! Simply take the pheasant out and lay it across the top. Turn it from time to time and it will continue cooking from the heat below. You can then return the pheasant to the tandoor once it has cooled some.
- Regardless, it is a good idea to remove the pheasant from the tandoor from time to time to let it cook on top. This will help ensure that it cooks in the centre without scorching the exterior.
- Continue cooking until the pheasant has reached an internal temperature of 74°C/165°F. You can do this both inside and on top of the tandoor. Toward the end of cooking, whisk the hot, melted ghee with the honey and baste the pheasant generously. all over a few times.
- Once cooked, let the pheasant rest for 10 minutes before carving. You can eat it as is or wrap it up in a paratha or chapati which is my favourite way to enjoy it.
Notes
Oven and BBQ Cooking.
If cooking over indirect heat in your barbecue or in an oven, cook it at 200°C/400°F for about 40 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 74°C/165°F. Be sure to baste it with the hot ghee and honey mixture a few times toward the end of cooking. Once cooked, let rest for 10 minutes before carving.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
3Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 710Total Fat: 47gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 29gCholesterol: 113mgSodium: 2092mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 3gSugar: 29gProtein: 36g
Phil Joyce says
The rice you stuff the birds with: Is it cooked, or does it cook inside the birds with their juices?
Dan Toombs says
Hi Phil
I have tried it several ways. The original recipe from India recommended raw rice. I have found, however that half cooked rice works better in my oven.
Simon Owen says
Hi there,
I made this tandoori pheasant this week and it was AMAZING! Really enjoyed it. Thank you!
I bought your app (and bought the upgrade) as a result and there is loads of tasty looking things! Will the pheasant recipe be added to the app so I don't forget it.
Thanks very much,
Simon
Dan Toombs says
Thanks Simon!
Yes, it will be added at some point. I am planning on updating the app at least three time per year. 🙂
Dan