Hot Pheasant Sandwich
A spicy, Nashville-style wild pheasant recipe
Growing up and attending college in the South, Nashville Hot Sandwiches were a staple in my diet. Please enjoy my wild game take on this Southern dish.
Hot Pheasant Sandwich
This Nashville-style hot sandwich brings a spicy kick to a crispy pheasant breast
Ingredients
- 4 pheasant breasts skinless
- Vegetable oil for frying
Spice Mixture
- 5 tbsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tbsp dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp chipotle chile powder
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
Marinade
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup pickle brine
- 3 tbsp spice mixture
Egg Mixture
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 3 tbsp hot sauce I use Louisiana Hot Sauce
- Leftover marinade mixture
Flour Mixture
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tbsp spice mixture
Sauce
- ½ cup butter
- Remaining seasoning
Toppings
- 4 Hawaiian buns
- Butter pickles
- Coleslaw or iceberg lettuce
- Spicy Mayo (¼ C mayo with 2 T hot sauce)
Instructions
- If topping with coleslaw*, make in advance so it can be marinating in the fridge
- Pat dry pheasant breasts and remove any remaining feathers. Place in a gallon Ziploc bag or bowl. Add marinade mixture to bag and toss breasts, mixing evenly. Cover with plastic wrap if using a bowl or tightly seal the bag and place in fridge to marinate 2-4 hours.
- After breasts are done marinating, remove from refrigerator and place them in a bowl. Save the marinade. Using a shallow bowl (like a pie dish), combine egg mixture carefully, adding any excess marinade to the dish. Stir well. In another shallow bowl, combine flour mixture.
- Heat oil to 300 degrees (I use a deep fryer, but if you have a frying thermometer, a cast iron or any heavy duty, deep pan will work)
- Take a pheasant breast, letting excess marinade drip back into bowl. Toss in flour mixture until thoroughly coated. Next, carefully toss breast in egg mixture, again allowing excess mixture to drip back into dish. Return back to the flour mixture and coat evenly. Place on a rack or plate. Repeat process with each breast.
- Allow the coated pheasant breasts to rest for 5-10 minutes, which allows the coating to dry and set
- While resting, make the sauce. Place butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat until melted. Whisk in remaining seasoning. Once thoroughly mixed, remove from heat, but keep the sauce warm to prevent it from coagulating.
- Fry each piece until golden, crispy, and fully cooked. This is approximately 3 minutes each side. Depending on size of fryer/pan, this may need to be done in rounds. When you flip the breasts, be careful to keep breading attached.
- While breasts are cooking, spread butter on the insides of the Hawaiian buns. Toast Hawaiian buns in a pan over high heat until golden brown (1-2 minutes).
- Mix mayo and hot sauce.
- Once pheasant breasts are cooked, place them on a plate or rack. Brush/toss with seasoned butter sauce mixture thoroughly. This is what gives the breasts the Nashville kick.
- Assemble your sandwich with buns, breasts, coleslaw/iceberg lettuce, pickles, and Mayo mixture. Enjoy!
Notes
*This coleslaw recipe can be made in advance. It’s the best coleslaw recipe I have found. It is creamy and balances the heat in the sandwich. I halve it when making this sandwich recipe.
Tried this recipe?Mention @hunttoeat on Instagram in your photos!
