Duration
2 hours
Serves
2 to 4
The commercial is a staple in diners and dives across the country—aptly named after the traveling commercial salesman who made this gravy-smothered dish a household name. It’s an open-faced, stick-to-your-bones meal that’ll keep your energy going no matter what the activity is. Traditionally, the commercial is made with beef or turkey, but any meat will do.
Whipping this dish together is a great way to utilize the entire bird. Roasting gives you the opportunity to pull that pesky dark meat (that most tend to avoid), but is really one of the best parts of a game bird. Also, make sure to save the body and bones after you’ve carved the meat as they will make a fantastic stock to use for a soup or stew.
Ingredients
- One whole skin-on pheasant
- 2 to 4 slices white bread, such as sourdough
Pheasant Gravy
- 3 cups pheasant stock
- 1 cup roasting drippings
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup fresh parsley
- 2 tbsp. fresh thyme
- 2 tbsp. Worchestershire
- 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
Mashed Potatoes
- 3 lbs. yukon gold potatoes, peeled and halved
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- 1 cup parmesan, grated
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 2 tsp. Kosher salt
Also works with
Special equipment
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Pat the pheasant dry and season the whole bird with salt and pepper, or your favorite MeatEater seasoning. Add a few aromatics like fresh herbs, garlic, and sliced lemon to the pan with some butter to kick start the drippings. Roast the pheasant on the center rack for 1 to 1½ hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF. Set aside to rest.
- Place potatoes into a pot with lightly salted cold water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender. While the potatoes are cooking, add the heavy cream and butter to a saucepot and heat to a light simmer. Keep warm until the potatoes are ready. Once cooked; strain and mash with a potato masher. Add the cream mixture, parmesan, season with salt, and whip the potatoes with a whisk until smooth. Cover and set aside to keep warm.
- Strain the drippings from the roasting pan and set them aside. Melt the butter into a small pot and add the drippings. Whisk the flour and thyme into the pan until smooth. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally until nice and thick and the flour flavor is cooked out. About two minutes. Now whisk in the stock, Worcestershire, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a light simmer and cook for five minutes or until the gravy has thickened. Mix in the chopped parsley. Cover and let stand.
- Slice the pheasant breasts and pull the leg and thigh meat. Place a piece of bread on a plate, add some mashed potatoes to the bread, put the pheasant meat on top of the potatoes, and spoon a healthy amount of gravy over the whole dish.
Sign In or Create a Free Account
Related
Recipes
Pheasant Kiev
(0)
Recipes
South Carolina Pheasant Bird Dog
(1)
Recipes
Koji-Fried Pheasant
(0)
The commercial is a staple in diners and dives across the country—aptly named after the traveling commercial salesman who made this gravy-smothered dish a household name. It’s an open-faced, stick-to-your-bones meal that’ll keep your energy going no matter what the activity is. Traditionally, the commercial is made with beef or turkey, but any meat will do.
Whipping this dish together is a great way to utilize the entire bird. Roasting gives you the opportunity to pull that pesky dark meat (that most tend to avoid), but is really one of the best parts of a game bird. Also, make sure to save the body and bones after you’ve carved the meat as they will make a fantastic stock to use for a soup or stew.
Ingredients
- One whole skin-on pheasant
- 2 to 4 slices white bread, such as sourdough
Pheasant Gravy
- 3 cups pheasant stock
- 1 cup roasting drippings
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup fresh parsley
- 2 tbsp. fresh thyme
- 2 tbsp. Worchestershire
- 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
Mashed Potatoes
- 3 lbs. yukon gold potatoes, peeled and halved
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- 1 cup parmesan, grated
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 2 tsp. Kosher salt
Also works with
Special equipment
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Pat the pheasant dry and season the whole bird with salt and pepper, or your favorite MeatEater seasoning. Add a few aromatics like fresh herbs, garlic, and sliced lemon to the pan with some butter to kick start the drippings. Roast the pheasant on the center rack for 1 to 1½ hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF. Set aside to rest.
- Place potatoes into a pot with lightly salted cold water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender. While the potatoes are cooking, add the heavy cream and butter to a saucepot and heat to a light simmer. Keep warm until the potatoes are ready. Once cooked; strain and mash with a potato masher. Add the cream mixture, parmesan, season with salt, and whip the potatoes with a whisk until smooth. Cover and set aside to keep warm.
- Strain the drippings from the roasting pan and set them aside. Melt the butter into a small pot and add the drippings. Whisk the flour and thyme into the pan until smooth. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally until nice and thick and the flour flavor is cooked out. About two minutes. Now whisk in the stock, Worcestershire, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a light simmer and cook for five minutes or until the gravy has thickened. Mix in the chopped parsley. Cover and let stand.
- Slice the pheasant breasts and pull the leg and thigh meat. Place a piece of bread on a plate, add some mashed potatoes to the bread, put the pheasant meat on top of the potatoes, and spoon a healthy amount of gravy over the whole dish.