Sportsmen love to share their harvest with family and friends. This appetizer creates a spicy and tasty mouthful. No one will know that the morsel is a wild pheasant and not chicken.

Wild birds are tasty but often dry. I have used this recipe with other wild birds as well. Bacon just makes everything better. Jalapenos add some kick. Poppers work best with the breasts of a pheasant. Save the legs for a soup. You can poach and pick the meat for other recipes.

1-2 lbs. pheasant breast

1 (4 oz.) jar of sliced Jalapeno peppers

12 slices of Bacon. Cut into thirds

6 wooden skewers. Soak them in water for 20 minutes before using

36 toothpicks

Cut the pheasant breast into 36 pieces and set aside in a bowl. Pour the Jalapeno liquid, from the jar, over the pheasant and let sit as a marinate for 20 minutes.

Preheat the grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate

Drain the marinate from the pheasant and discard. Place a slice of pepper onto each piece of pheasant breast. Wrap with a third of bacon and skewer 6 pheasant pieces on each skewer.

Cook on the grill, turning frequently, until the bacon is crispy. Remove the skewers from the pheasant pieces and place a toothpick in each for serving.

The great thing about any recipe is that you can always modify it to meet your tastes. Adding cheese, a different marinate, or a sauce will change the flavors and make them your own.

Pop goes the Pheasant!

Montana Grant