CD Kitchen: Crock Pot Pheasant in Mushroom Sauce

I just happened to be meandering around my local foodie grocery when I noticed something new and interesting in the frozen game section.  It was a pile of frozen pheasants.  I had never actually had pheasant, so of course I had to acquire some and try them out.  I quickly learned that pheasant is so lean, it's basically shoe leather after cooking.  Then I found this recipe, which ensures about as good of an outcome as you can hope for in such a lean bird.  You don't get to admire the beautiful pheasant pieces, but it's delicious and comforting on a cold day.

Crock Pot Pheasant in Mushroom Sauce
Adapted from CD Kitchen

2 pheasants, cut into quarters
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (4-ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained
½ cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 (10¾-ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup, divided use
½ teaspoon dried marjoram
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried summer savory (optional)

Place the pheasant pieces in the crock pot. Sprinkle with the onion and mushrooms.

In a bowl, combine the broth and flour until the flour is dissolved. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, salt, garlic, 1 can of cream of chicken soup, and the dried herbs. Mix well. Pour over the pheasant.  Cover the crock pot and cook on low heat for 6 hours or until the pheasant is cooked.

Remove the pheasant pieces from the crock pot and put the meat from the bones, discarding the bones.  Add remaining can of cream of chicken soup to the crock pot and stir to combine.  This will thicken the gravy for the pheasant.  Return the pheasant meat to the crock pot.

Serve the pheasant with the gravy over noodles or rice.

Makes 4 servings