Pan-fried pheasant breast – choucroute & bacon white-wine broth

Name: Pan-fried pheasant breast – choucroute & bacon white-wine broth
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4 people
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 4 pheasant breasts (with skin); 600 g choucroute (mild sauerkraut, drained); 100 g smoked bacon, diced; 1 onion; 200 ml Louré (or dry white wine); 100 ml poultry stock; 1 bay leaf, 4 juniper berries; 40 g butter; salt, freshly ground pepper

Conceived in the Alsatian spirit: lean pheasant breast, briefly and carefully pan-fried so it stays juicy, on mild choucroute with bacon and a white-wine broth. A game bird for the cooler season that calls for a mineral white wine.

Poultry category

25 MIN Vorbereitung

35 MIN Kochzeit

4 people portions

Zubereitung

Choucroute

Render the bacon and onion, then add the choucroute, bay leaf, juniper, white wine and stock. Braise gently, covered, for 30 minutes.

Pheasant breast

Season the breasts and fry skin-side down in butter for 3–4 minutes until golden, turn and finish for 2–3 minutes. Core temperature 62 °C, then rest for 5 minutes — pheasant dries out quickly otherwise.

Broth & serving

Season the choucroute braising liquid, binding it with a little cold butter if needed. Slice the pheasant breast, arrange on the choucroute and drizzle with the broth.

Why this wine?

To Louré:

The Louré is the mineral counterpart to the bacon: its substance carries the pheasant, the fine acidity holds against the saltiness of the choucroute.

To Prélude:

The Prélude works well too: its clear, structured rosé freshens the hearty cabbage and stays discreet beside the delicate meat.