Sous Vide Pheasant Confit

Impress your next dinner date with this easy Sous Vide Pheasant Confit. Don’t worry: Most of the prep time is curing the pheasant in the fridge for a day.

Author

Emily Farris and Jeff Akin

Emily Farris and Jeff Akin are the co-founders of Feed Me Creative, a former culinary creative agency in Kansas City, MO.

Prep Time: 25:00

Recipe Time: 12:00

Temperature : 170F / 76.7C

Ingredients

• 2 whole pheasant legs
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
• 1/2 cup duck fat
• 2 dried bay leaves

Directions

1. Rub the pheasant with the thyme, salt, and peppercorns. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
2. Set the Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker to 170°F (76.7°C).
3. Remove the pheasant from the refrigerator. Rinse off the salt mixture and pat dry. Place in a large zipper lock or vacuum seal bag with the duck fat and bay leaves. Seal the bag using the water immersion technique or a vacuum sealer on the moist setting.
4. Place the bag in the water bath and set the timer for 12 hours. Cover the water bath with plastic wrap to minimize water evaporation. Add water intermittently to keep the pheasant submerged.

Finishing Steps -- Serving Immediately

1. When the timer goes off, remove the bag from the water bath. Remove the pheasant legs from the bag and pat dry. Discard cooking liquid.
2. Season the pheasant with salt and pepper.
3. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pheasant and sear until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Serve.

Finishing Steps -- Serving Later

1. When the timer goes off, remove the bag from the water bath and immediately transfer to an ice bath. When cool, refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
2. When ready to serve, remove the pheasant from the bag. Remove and discard any additional fat. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pheasant and sear until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Serve.