My husband and son are going pheasant hunting this weekend. How should they field dress the birds to keep them safe to eat?

With the opening day of pheasant hunting starting this weekend, this is a very timely question. And, if the weather doesn’t cool off, the food safety concerns related to proper dressing and storage are critical.

Hunters should be prepared to field dress game birds and chill them promptly. Field dressing also improves the quality of the meat.

In preparing for the trip, make sure the following items are packed along with the other hunting gear: a sharp hunting knife, whetstone or steel, light rope or nylon cord, resealable food storage bags, paper towels suitable for use with food or clean cloths, and a cooler filled with ice. Hand sanitizing solutions, now available at most supermarkets, also are recommended when water is not available.

To properly field dress the birds, use the following procedure:

• Allow air to circulate around bird carcasses. Use light rope or nylon cord to hang the birds or lay them in a well-ventilated area. In warm weather, which can speed spoiling, place each bird in a resealable plastic food storage bag and place on ice.
• Remove entrails and crop as soon as possible. Removing the crop is recommended because grain stored in the crop may ferment. The heart and liver can be saved for giblets. Store them in a separate resealable food storage bag on ice. Pheasants and quail can be skinned in the field; store feathers in a separate plastic bag. Wipe cavity with a clean cloth or paper towel. To retain flavor and maintain food quality, cool carcass quickly. Store birds in cooler or ice chest out of the sun.
• If a cooler is not available, transport birds on the back seat or floor of the vehicle that has been covered with protective paper or cloth; crack windows for ventilation. Transporting game birds in a trunk on warm days is not recommended because the lack of ventilation will not allow heat to escape from the birds.

What’s the best way to store game birds?

In the kitchen, wash hands, knives and cutting boards in hot soapy water.

Soak clean, skinned birds in cold water for one to two hours to remove excess blood.

Remove whole birds or birds in parts from cold water bath, pat dry and store in resealable freezer food storage bags or moisture-proof wrap. Wrap tightly.

Store game birds that will be cooked and eaten in three days or less in the refrigerator, at 40 degrees or lower. Or, freeze meat while it is fresh. Label and date; use within a year.

Do ducks require special handling?

Yes. Cut off wings at the joints; remove head and pluck out pin feathers. Feathers can be removed by carefully scalding the birds in hot water. Pin feathers and down also can be removed by dipping the feathered bird in a mixture of paraffin and hot wax. After the wax hardens, feathers may be scraped off. Follow the same storage instructions as other game birds.

How should game birds be thawed before cooking?

Place game birds (in freezer bag or wrapping) in a pan or on a baking sheet in the refrigerator early in the day or the day before they will be cooked. Birds also can be thawed in the microwave. Follow microwave manufacturer’s instructions.

Do game birds require special cooking?

The age of the bird determines the cooking technique. Young birds have lighter legs, flexible breastbones and flexible beaks. Older birds will have darker, hard-skinned legs, brittle breastbones and inflexible beaks.

Game birds can be cooked like chicken. Dry cookery methods, such as frying or roasting, can be used for younger birds. Moist cookery methods, such as stewing or braising, are appropriate for older birds. At the Krumm home, we like to fillet the pheasant, cut it up into chunks and soak the pieces in buttermilk in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. To cook, remove the chunks from the buttermilk, coat them with flour and fry in canola oil. Thank goodness we don’t eat it very often because frying is hard on the heart.

How do we get rid of the game taste?

To diminish the game taste, trim as much fat as possible before cooking. Wild game also can be soaked in a cold water solution prepared with one tablespoon salt per quart of cold water, or one cup vinegar per quart of cold water. Prepare enough solution to cover the game; cover and soak overnight in the refrigerator. Discard soaking solution before cooking.

What is the nutritional value of pheasant?

A 3.5 ounce serving of raw breast meat from a pheasant has 133 calories, 3.3 grams fat (1.1 grams saturated fat), 58 milligrams cholesterol and 33 milligrams sodium. A 3.5 ounce serving of raw pheasant leg has 134 calories, 4.3 grams fat (1.7 grams saturated fat), 80 milligrams cholesterol and 45 milligrams sodium.

Obviously, the cooking method alters the nutrition values.

Susan Krumm is an Extension agent in family and consumer sciences with K-State Research and Extension-Douglas County, 2110 Harper St. She can be reached at 843-7058.