Do You Have a Freezer Fossil Pheasant?

Make This Delicious Coconut Finger Recipe!

By Joshua Tatman

As hunting season approaches, it is time to take stock of the birds that you still have in the freezer. No one wants to miss out on hunting because you are still at your possession limit from last year. As you rummage through the deep-freeze, you might even find some truly vintage relics. These freezer fossils are reminders of fun and hard effort in the field with our dogs.

You should always make sure meat is safe. Don't eat anything that has been subjected to fluctuating temperatures- or that looks weird, smells weird, or otherwise fails a common sense inspection. But if you have a few packages with a touch of freezer burn, here is a crowd- pleasing recipe that turns these freezer fossils into great finger food.

This riff on coconut chicken works best with pheasant, partridge, and other light meat birds. It serves four as a light appetizer, or two as part of a hearty meal. This recipe is far from high- brow, but you can church it up with some sautéd Asian veggies and rice- or serve your pheasant fingers bar style with a few dipping sauces.

Anyone can accomplish this easy recipe and wow friends and family. You might even recruit a few new hunting buddies once they know how tasty wild birds are.

Coconut Pheasant Fingers

Ingredients

• 1 lb pheasant or partridge breasts
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup canola or avocado oil (for frying)

Kitchen Tools

• Heavy cast-iron or stainless steel pan
• Metal tongs
• 3-5 prep bowls
• Wire rack
• Serving plates or bowls
• Paper towels

Instructions

Trim the meat, removing shot and any freezer burned areas. Cut the meat into ¼ inch thick strips and pat dry with paper towels. Lightly salt and let stand. Now it is time to dredge. Lay out three bowls, one for flour, one for the eggs, and one for the coconut mixed with panko. Dredge the strips in each bowl successively, shaking off any excess breading at the end.

Add oil to your pan, to a depth of about ½ inch. Heat to around 350 F, or until the oil ripples. Gently lay the strips into the hot oil. Take care to avoid ‘crowding the pan’. You will need to fry the meat in several batches to avoid soggy pheasant fingers. Use tongs to gently turn the strips as the edges of the breading brown. Carefully remove the strips from the oil and set on the wire rack to cool.

That’s it. This isn’t a complicated recipe, it is just guaranteed to use up those lingering freezer birds in short order. Honey mustard or sweet chili dipping sauces are fantastic, and you can always serve coconut pheasant alongside your favorite homemade starch and vegetable.