Equipment
Ingredients
Pheasant
- 600 g pheasant breasts, boneless, skinless, patted dry
- 5 g salt, fine
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 15 ml olive oil
- 30 g unsalted butter
Creamy Sour Cream Sauce
- 50 g shallot, finely diced
- 2 garlic, minced
- 120 ml chicken broth
- 120 ml heavy cream
- 10 g dijon mustard
- 120 g sour cream, room temperature
- 4 g fresh thyme, leaves picked from stems
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Season the dried pheasant breasts evenly on both sides with the salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Place a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and 15g of the unsalted butter, allowing the butter to melt and begin to foam.
Place the pheasant breasts into the hot skillet. Sear undisturbed for 4 minutes until a golden-brown crust forms. Flip and cook the other side for an additional 3 to 4 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 71C/160F. Remove the meat to a clean plate to rest.
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the remaining 15g of butter to the skillet along with the finely diced shallots. Sauté for 3 minutes until softened and translucent.
Stir in the minced garlic and fresh thyme leaves. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Pour the chicken broth into the skillet. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned fond from the bottom of the pan. Let the liquid bubble and reduce by half.
Whisk in the heavy cream and Dijon mustard. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
Remove the skillet completely from the heat source. Add the room temperature sour cream and stir continuously until the sauce is completely smooth and cohesive.
Return the rested pheasant breasts, along with any juices collected on the plate, back to the skillet. Turn them gently to coat in the warm sour cream sauce. Garnish with a pinch of fresh thyme before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Pheasant is extremely lean compared to conventional poultry. Leaving it slightly pink in the center or pulling it off the heat right at 71C/160F is imperative to prevent the meat from drying out.
- Allowing the sour cream to come to room temperature is crucial for a velvety sauce. Cold cultured dairy introduced to high heat will rapidly coagulate and ruin the mouthfeel.
- The fond, or browned bits developed during the initial searing phase, is the flavor foundation of your pan sauce. Take care not to burn it; adjust the heat slightly downward if the pan gets too hot before you add the shallots.
- If substituting skin-on pheasant breasts, sear skin-side down first for 6 to 7 minutes to properly render the fat and achieve a crispy exterior before flipping.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. Sauce may separate slightly upon reheating.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of chicken broth to loosen and re-emulsify the sauce.
