How to Pluck a Pheasant
Gather plenty of newspaper or a very large plastic bag to lay the pheasant on.. Know the two types of feathers you will encounter and how to deal with them.. Hold the skin in place with your supporting hand whenever pulling out feathers.
Steps
Gather plenty of newspaper or a very large plastic bag to lay the pheasant on.
Gather plenty of newspaper or a very large plastic bag to lay the pheasant on.
Know the two types of feathers you will encounter and how to deal with them.
Know the two types of feathers you will encounter and how to deal with them.
Hold the skin in place with your supporting hand whenever pulling out feathers.
Hold the skin in place with your supporting hand whenever pulling out feathers.
Start by removing the long, thick tail feathers one at a time.
Start by removing the long, thick tail feathers one at a time.
Work on the wings next, pulling 1-2 feathers at a time.
Work on the wings next, pulling 1-2 feathers at a time.
Pull off the back feathers slowly by working against the grain.
Pull off the back feathers slowly by working against the grain.
Using the same strategy as used on the back feathers, move on to the breast.
Using the same strategy as used on the back feathers, move on to the breast.
Remove the thick feathers around the neck, and under the wing one at a time.
Remove the thick feathers around the neck, and under the wing one at a time.
Carefully remove the last bits of feather around the feet, neck, and tail.
Carefully remove the last bits of feather around the feet, neck, and tail.
Optionally, hang pheasants for 3-4 days before plucking to make processing easie
Optionally, hang pheasants for 3-4 days before plucking to make processing easier.
Soak the birds quickly in hot water to make plucking much faster and easier.
Soak the birds quickly in hot water to make plucking much faster and easier.
Set a large pot of water on the stove until it reaches roughly 140–150 °F (60–66
Set a large pot of water on the stove until it reaches roughly 140–150 °F (60–66 °C).
Holding it by the neck, dunk the body of the pheasant into the scalding water fo
Holding it by the neck, dunk the body of the pheasant into the scalding water for 30 seconds.
Remove the bird, draining over the pot until water no longer streams down the si
Remove the bird, draining over the pot until water no longer streams down the sides.
Dunk and drain the bird two more times so it "cooks" for 90 seconds total.
Dunk and drain the bird two more times so it "cooks" for 90 seconds total.
Quickly pluck the pheasant as if you were doing a normal dry pluck.
Quickly pluck the pheasant as if you were doing a normal dry pluck.
Heat and pluck only one pheasant at a time.
Heat and pluck only one pheasant at a time.
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