Teriyaki Pheasant Tacos

Its hunting season, meaning it’s also pheasant season!  I’m thankful for the hunters who are so generously sharing their bounty.  Game meat is lean, and for me, that means the meat flavor needs to be the star of the show.  Extra flavor and extra liquid is insurance to protect from overcooked dry protein. Be not afraid of game meat like pheasant breast! <And you can use this recipe for chicken breasts too!>

Today’s flavor profile is Teriyaki Garlic Smoked Pheasant Tacos.  First trick includes brining the pheasant to enable the proteins to retain water.  Then cook the breasts low and slow to ensure the proteins didn’t tighten up and squeeze out any of the precious juices.  As soon as the breasts came off the grill, they immediately rested in a pan of liquid for additional moisture.  After slicing the breasts thin, back into the same resting liquid.  By the time the tacos were served, the breasts absorbed almost ½ cup of additional juices!

Teriyaki Pheasant Tacos

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Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 4 pheasant (or chicken) breasts

Brine

• 1 quart/ 1L water
• 2 tablespoons table salt
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon ginger powder
• 1 teaspoon Kosmos Texas Beef spice rub (or 30% Diamond Crystal salt and 70% coarse black pepper)

Teriyaki Garlic Sauce

• 3 tablespoons Kikkoman Teriyaki sauce
• 1.5 tablesoons sake
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 3 minced garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil or chili oil

Taco

• 1 package of frozen green onion pancakes/ roti
• Thinly sliced suey choy or green leaf lettuce
• Pickled carrots
• Cilantro
• Japanese mayonnaise
• Benito flakes

Method

 

1. Make brine in at least a 2 quart / 2L container.
2. Add pheasant breasts into the brine for 1 hour.
3. Meanwhile, heat up charcoal grill on low heat.
4. Remove pheasant breasts from brine water and blot dry with a paper towel.
5. Combine onion powder, garlic powder, ginger powder and Kosmos Texas Beef spice rub as the Asian Seasoning and put into an empty rub container. Generously sprinkle Asian seasoning onto both sides of the pheasant breasts.
6. Mix all ingredients of the Teriyaki Garlic sauce in a shallow dish and set aside.
7. On a grill or frying pan that is 325-350F, slowly grill pheasants to 150F. Allow pheasant breasts to rest in the Teriyaki Garlic sauce.
8. On a flat griddle or stovetop frying pan, cook the frozen green onion pancakes/ roti per package instructions – usually this is as simple as allowing the pancake to cook until it is lightly browned on both sides. Do not flip until the pancake releases from the cooking surface.
9. Thinly slice the pheasant breasts and place back into the Teriyaki Garlic sauce to coat.

Taco Assembly

1. Use the crispy green onion pancakes/ roti as the taco shell, add suey choy/ green leaf lettuce, pickled carrots, cilantro, Teriyaki pheasant, drizzle of Japanese mayonnaise and benito flakes. Enjoy!