Don’t throw away those pheasant legs and thighs. Try braising them. It’s the same process as using your slow cooker. This is a great way to turn pheasant legs and thighs into tender vittles. Best of all, braising can be done in advance as in mass quantities. Save the legs and carcass in the freezer (vacuum sealed) and do a whole batch at once.

For Pheasant:

12 pheasant legs/thighs

1 onion, diced (can use cut ends of onion; throw no parts away)

1 cup celery, diced

1 cup carrots, diced

cooking oil

For Stock:

1 cup celery, diced

1 cup carrot, peeled and diced

1 cup yellow onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

Bay leaf

Fresh herbs (rosemary is my go-to)

For Stew:

5 cups pheasant or chicken stock

celery, carrots, onions (remaining amounts from above)

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup butter

2 cups mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 cups whole milk, optional (if omitted, add 2 cups stock)

1 cup cooked wild rice

2 cups cooked pheasant, shredded

Salt and pepper to taste

Pheasant:

Brown the pheasant legs/thighs in a large, lightly oiled, heavy-duty, oven-safe stockpot. Add diced onion, celery and carrots (saving some). Brown until the onions are translucent. Remove the legs. Add 1 inch of water and stir to deglaze stuck bits left on the bottom of the pot. Return the browned pheasant, cover and place in a 325-degree oven, ensuring there is always 1 inch of liquid in the pot.

After 3 hours, test for doneness. Meat will fall off the bones when done. Cool the cooked meat.

Stock:

Return picked leg and thighbones to the braising pot. Add additional celery, carrots and onions (saving some), along with the minced garlic cloves, bay leaf and fresh herbs. Cover the contents of the pot with COLD water. Bring to a low boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered for several hours. Strain liquid through colander lined with cheesecloth to clarify the liquid.

Stew:

Melt half the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add remaining celery, carrots, yellow onions and cloves left over from steps above and cook until onions are translucent. Add the remaining butter. When melted, sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir often for 3 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup pheasant stock and continue stirring until smooth. Add remaining stock a little at a time with a ladle, while stirring. Add mushrooms and milk (if you want it a little creamy). Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in wild rice and shredded pheasant. Cook until rice is done. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

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