How to Cook Pheasant in a Slow Cooker

Co-authored by Jessica Gibson Reviewed by Marrow Private Chefs

Last Updated: December 14, 2024 Approved

Pheasant is lean meat with a mild flavor, which makes it great for slow-cooking. For a complete meal, cook seasoned pheasant along with onions, carrots, and parsnips. You can also make pheasant in a creamy mushroom sauce that's great served over steamed rice. If you'd like a rustic way of cooking pheasant, sear it in a skillet so it becomes browned and then put it in the slow cooker with cider and garlic. Then cook the pheasant until the meat becomes tender and flavorful.

Ingredients

Pheasant with Root Vegetables ^{[1]
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2 to 3 pounds (0.9 to 1.3 kg) of pheasant
1 onion, sliced
2 carrots, roughly chopped
2 parsnips, roughly chopped
4 slices of bacon
¹ ⁄ ₄ cup (59 ml) of chicken broth
¹ ⁄ ₄ cup (59 ml) of sherry
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon (0.6 g) of garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon (0.6 g) of onion powder

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Pheasant Casserole with Mushrooms ^{[2]
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2 pheasants, cut into fourths
1 medium onion, chopped
1 4-ounce (113 g) can of sliced mushrooms, drained
¹ ⁄ ₂ cup (120 ml) of chicken broth
2 tablespoons (16 g) of flour
1 tablespoon (15 ml) of Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon (5.5 g) of salt
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
1 10.75-ounce (298 g) can of condensed cream of chicken soup
Paprika for garnish
Steamed rice to serve

Makes 8 servings

Cider-Braised Pheasant ^{[3]
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Research source}

2 whole pheasants cut into quarters or 6 pheasant breasts
8 tablespoons (120 ml) of extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 ¹ ⁄ ₂ cups (350 ml) of cider
2 cups (470 ml) of chicken broth
2 crushed garlic cloves
Salt and pepper to taste

Makes 6 servings

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Pheasant with Root Vegetables

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1
Spray the inside of your slow cooker with cooking spray. Get out a slow cooker that's at least 4 quarts (3.8 liters) in size. Spray the inside of the slow cooker with a vegetable oil cooking spray.
- The cooking spray will prevent the pheasant and vegetables from sticking to the slow cooker.
2
Cut 1 onion, 2 carrots, and 2 parsnips. Peel the vegetables and then use a sharp knife to cut the onion into 1/2 in (1.3 cm) slices. Then chop the carrots and parsnips into rough pieces that aren't smaller than 1 1/2 inches (3.8 cm).
- Cut the parsnips and carrots into pieces that are the same size so they cook evenly.
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3
Place the vegetables and pheasant into the slow cooker. Spread the sliced onions and chopped carrots and parsnips evenly across the bottom of the greased slow cooker. Then arrange 2 to 3 pounds (0.9 to 1.3 kg) of pheasant on top of the vegetables.
- You can use pheasant breasts or any pieces of pheasant you have.
4
Put the bacon, broth, and sherry into the slow cooker. Lay 4 slices of bacon over the pieces of pheasant so the bacon is in a single layer. Then pour ¹ ⁄ ₄ cup (59 ml) of chicken broth and ¹ ⁄ ₄ cup (59 ml) of sherry over the pheasant and vegetables.
- If you don't have bacon, you can leave it out of the recipe, but the pheasants won't have a rich, smoky flavor.
Sprinkle salt and pepper according to your taste over the pheasant and vegetables. You'll also need to scatter 1/4 teaspoon (0.6 g) of garlic powder and 1/4 teaspoon (0.6 g) of onion powder over the mixture.
6
Cover and cook the pheasant for 8 to 10 hours on LOW. Turn the slow cooker on and cook the pheasant and vegetables until the pheasant is completely cooked. If you prefer to cook the dish faster, turn your slow cooker to HIGH and cook the pheasant for 3 to 4 hours.
- If you're cooking whole pheasants, they should reach 180 °F (82 °C) with an instant-read meat thermometer. If you're cooking pieces, they should reach 165 °F (74 °C).
7
Serve the pheasant with vegetables. Turn off the slow cooker and serve the hot pheasant with the tender vegetables. Consider serving them with warm, crusty bread, steamed rice, or noodles.
- Refrigerate the leftover pheasant with vegetables in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Pheasant Casserole with Mushrooms

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1
Grease the slow cooker with cooking spray and put the pheasant in it. Spray the inside of a slow cooker with cooking spray so the pheasant and mushrooms won't stick. Then put 2 pheasants that you've cut into fourths directly into the slow cooker.
- Use a slow cooker that's at least 4 quarts (3.8 liters) in size.
2
Chop 1 onion and drain 1 can of sliced mushrooms. Peel the onion and chop it into 1/2 in (1.3 cm) pieces. Then open a 4-ounce (113 g) can of sliced mushrooms and drain it.
- If you prefer, you could use the same amount of fresh mushrooms instead of canned mushrooms.
3
Mix the flour with broth, Worcestershire, salt, garlic, and soup. Put 2 tablespoons (16 g) of flour into a bowl and stir in ¹ ⁄ ₂ cup (120 ml) of chicken broth until the flour dissolves. Then stir in:
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon (5.5 g) of salt
- 1 clove of finely chopped garlic
- 1 10.75-ounce (298 g) can of condensed cream of chicken soup
Scatter the chopped onion and sliced mushrooms evenly over the pheasant in the slow cooker. Then pour the creamy mushroom sauce into the slow cooker.
5
Cover and cook the pheasant in mushrooms for 6 to 8 hours on LOW. Put the lid on the slow cooker and turn it on to LOW. Cook the pheasant until it's completely cooked and the onions are soft.
- To check if the pheasant is cooked, insert an instant-read meat thermometer. The temperature should reach 165 °F (74 °C) once it's cooked.
Yotam Ottolenghi, Chef and Restaurateur

Slow cooking yields results. "The smells of slow cooking spread around the house and impart a unique warmth, matched only by the flavor of the food."
6
Garnish the pheasant with paprika and serve it immediately. Turn off the burner and sprinkle paprika over the pheasant pieces. Scoop the pheasant and mushroom sauce onto serving plates. Consider serving the meal with steamed rice or noodles.
- Store the leftover pheasant in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Cider-Braised Pheasant

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1
Sear the pheasants over medium-high heat for 4 minutes. Pour 4 tablespoons (59 ml) of the extra-virgin olive oil into a skillet and turn the burner to medium-high. Once the oil shimmers, lower 1 of the pheasants cut into quarters or 3 of the pheasant breasts. Cook them for 2 minutes and flip them over. Cook them for 2 more minutes.
- The pheasants should turn golden brown, but they won't be completely cooked.
- Transfer the seared pheasants to a slow cooker and sear the remaining pheasants in the rest of the oil.
2
Put the pheasants into a slow cooker with the garlic and cider. Turn off the burner and use tongs to transfer the pheasants from the skillet into your slow cooker. Add 2 crushed garlic cloves, 1 ¹ ⁄ ₂ cups (350 ml) of cider, and 2 cups (470 ml) of chicken broth to the slow cooker.
- If you prefer, substitute your favorite sweet wine or beer for the cider.
Leave the pheasant to cook until it's reached an internal temperature of 180 °F (82 °C). Then turn off the slow cooker.
4
Serve the cider-braised pheasant. Transfer the pheasant pieces to a platter and let them rest for a few minutes before serving. Consider serving the pheasant with roasted vegetables, stuffing, or mashed potatoes.
- Refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days.

Community Q&A

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Question

How long should pheasant be cooked in a slow cooker?

Drew Hawkins1

Community Answer

Pheasant is a lean meat and can be tough and chewy if you don't cook it long enough. The best way to make it tender is to cook pheasant in a slow cooker. Place the bird into the slow cooker with your seasonings and vegetables of choice and cook it on low for about 5-8 hours, or until the meat is falling off of the bone.

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Question

How do you know when pheasant is cooked?

Drew Hawkins1

Community Answer

The most accurate way to check to see if a pheasant is cooked is to use a meat thermometer. Insert the end of the thermometer into the thickest part of the pheasant's breast. The internal temperature should be at least 140 °F (60 °C). If the meat isn't cooked enough, you could become very ill if you consume it.

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Question

Can you eat pheasant medium rare?

Drew Hawkins1

Community Answer

It's okay for a well-cooked pheasant to have a little bit of a pinkish color, but you should never consume pheasant that looks to be cooked "medium-rare" like a steak. Undercooked pheasant can make you extremely ill. If you're unsure, use a meat thermometer to make sure the internal temperature of the pheasant is at least 140 °F (60 °C).

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