hanging pheasants - what's too long ?

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hanging pheasants - what's too long ?
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gil
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 18416

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 11 6:08 pm Post subject: hanging pheasants - what's too long ?
How long is too long to hang a pheasant in these mild-ish temps, and how would I know ? Possible options ?

Green Rosie

Joined: 13 May 2007
Posts: 10498
Location: Calvados, France

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 11 6:15 pm Post subject:
Dad used to hang his pheasants until they were quite literally green (and even sometimes had maggots on them). He said it made for a better flavour. Quite frankly I thought they tasted revolting and were a health hazard but he never seemed to get ill from eating them. So in answer to your question - possibly a long time

NorthernMonkeyGirl

Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4643
Location: Peeping over your shoulder

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 11 6:17 pm Post subject:
I've hung one for a week with no discernable change. I've heard you're "supposed" to hang them until you can pull a toe off

Green Rosie

Joined: 13 May 2007
Posts: 10498
Location: Calvados, France

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 11 6:19 pm Post subject:

NorthernMonkeyGirl wrote:

I've heard you're "supposed" to hang them until you can pull a toe off

Yup - Dad would have agreed with that

misty07

Joined: 22 Jan 2010
Posts: 2223
Location: swindon wiltshire

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 11 6:19 pm Post subject:
think an old saying (not sure where i heard it) but hang till the maggots fly away. but i dont think i would hang them for much more than a week

mochyn

Joined: 21 Dec 2004
Posts: 24585
Location: mid-Wales

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 11 6:21 pm Post subject:
I don't bother any more, but if I haven't got time I'm happy to leave them for a few days. Just as good fresh though.

marigold

Joined: 02 Sep 2005
Posts: 12458
Location: West Sussex

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 11 6:32 pm Post subject:
I thought the header said "hanging peasants..."

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 11 6:41 pm Post subject:
I don't hang them for more than a couple of days as I'm not keen on the flavour of rotting meat! They are normally young birds in any case, so they don't need to semi-decompose before they are edible.

Cathryn

Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19856
Location: Ceredigion

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 11 7:09 pm Post subject:
We had some last week that had been hanging for seven days (we forgot them ). I am just about to eat some that were shot last Friday and have been hanging in a cold shed. For me that's just about right. I intended to prepare them yesterday and forgot again. On the other hand I was in work all day so Jack did them and also stuck them in a casserole ready for supper.

Mithril

Joined: 22 Jul 2011
Posts: 1755
Location: wessex

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 11 7:44 pm Post subject:
Three days is my preference.

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15457
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 11 8:07 pm Post subject:
I understood the tradition was to hang them by the head, and when they've rotted enough to fall, then they're ready to eat. Tradition is a funny thing.

gil
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 18416

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 11 8:19 pm Post subject:
These were shot last Friday, so they should be OK to process tomorrow, then.

Nicky cigreen

Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9896
Location: Devon, uk

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 11 8:50 pm Post subject:
i dont hang them at all - i loathe the gamey taste of hung meat.... So i eat or freeze the day or day after it died.

Colin & Jan

Joined: 03 Mar 2006
Posts: 203
Location: Dover, Kent

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 11 8:25 am Post subject:

Hanging is OK if you are sure what has happened to the bird. The trouble is if a dog has crunched them when retrieving or they have been shot at close range then decomosition will take place quicker. Having plucked/skinned/dressed many hundreds (probably thousands) over the years I am a believer that earlier is better than later. Unless I want to give as a present or sell a brace or two I tend to skin and remove the breasts and legs; disposing of the rest.

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 11 1:27 pm Post subject:

Colin & Jan wrote:

I tend to skin and remove the breasts and legs; disposing of the rest.

That's what I used to do when we had a regular supply of pheasants. There's damn all on the rest of them anyway.

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