BBQ Pheasant Pizza

Here is a new twist on BBQ Chicken Pizza-- BBQ Pheasant Pizza. The pheasant came from Nebraska, a gift to us from Rick's cousins Keith and Jo Ann before we left last year. We wanted to do something different with it, so pizza and wild game came to mind.

For a basic pizza dough recipe, see the Pioneer Woman's recipe below.

For a thin, Neapolitan-style crust, which we have come to prefer, see Peter Reinhart's pizza dough recipe on 101Cookbooks. It's more difficult to make, but so worth adding to your list of kitchen skills. https://www.101cookbooks.com/best-pizza-dough-ever/

This pheasant pizza is baked with lots of gooey, fresh mozzarella cheese, sauteed red onion, smoky BBQ sauce, scallion for a touch of color and fragrant cilantro. 

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 1-2 hours

Cooking Time: 12-15 minutes

Ingredients:

Pioneer Woman's Pizza Dough

- 1 scant tsp. active dry yeast

- 3/4 cup warm water

- 2 cups all-purpose flour

- 3/4 tsp. kosher salt 

- 3 tbs. olive oil

Toppings

- breasts of 1 pheasant

- quarter of a red onion, thinly sliced

- 1/2 cup bbq sauce, divided

- 10 ounces of fresh mozzarella cheese

- 1/4 cup pasta/pizza sauce

- 4-5 green onions, white and light green parts chopped

- 1/4 cup of fresh cilantro, chopped

- red pepper flakes, to taste

I. Pizza Dough 

1. In a small bowl, combine 1 tsp. of yeast and 3/4 cup of warm water. Allow it to sit for 10 minutes. 

2. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups of flour, 3/4 tsp. of kosher salt and the yeast/water mixture. 

*The Pioneer Woman used an electric stand mixer, but we don't own one. In the age of technology, we found that our "spirit fingers" still work just fine. 

3. Mix the dough while slowly pouring in 3 tablespoons of olive oil. If doing by hand, it helps to have an extra set to help.

*If you have an electric mixer, use the paddle attachment on low.

4. Stop mixing when everything comes together. Lightly grease the same bowl with olive oil, replace the dough, cover with plastic wrap and allow it to rest for at least 1 hour. You can do this several days in advance. 

II. Toppings

1. While dough rests, prepare the toppings. 

Here is a beautiful breast from one pheasant. Looks a lot like chicken, but much smaller. Run under cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. 

I just used a very sharp filet knife to remove the breasts from the bone. I started from the side of the bird and slowly worked my way through, trying hard to leave as little meat on the bone as possible. Waste not, want not. 

Here is the carcass. I think i did a pretty good job. 

What you end up with is 2 main breasts and 2 tenders that run behind. It's very similar to de-boning a chicken breast.  

2. Place pheasant breasts into a small container. Lightly sprinkle salt on all sides. Then squirt some bbq sauce to coat all over. 

Prepare the grill. 

3. To make the pizza sauce, combine 1/4 cup of bbq sauce and 1/4 cup of pizza/pasta sauce.

4. Slice fresh mozzarella thinly. Set aside. 

5. Chop white and light green parts of green onion. 

6. Heat 1 tbs. of olive oil in a pan. Saute sliced red onion for about 5-7 minutes, or until soft and translucent.  

Stir often. Or if you're a pro like my brother, you can flip it. But remember,  what you lose you must clean.  

7. Once grill is ready, cook pheasant breasts for about 5 minutes on each side, or until just cooked through. DO NOT OVERCOOK! 

Baste with the rest of the bbq sauce.

Isn't this beautiful, or what?!

Slice/chop breasts into small pieces. 

8. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

After an hour or two, the dough would've doubled in size.  

9. Flatten dough out on a cookie sheet. I found it easiest to use my hands. 

Lightly sprinkle some salt over flattened dough. Then spread bbq/pizza sauce mixture over it. We didn't use all of it, but it's up to you.

Then top pizza with sliced mozzarella cheese. You can add as much cheese as you want. We went back in afterwards to fill in the spaces. 

The pheasant comes next. 

And also the sauteed red onion and chopped green onion. Drizzle leftover bbq/pizza sauce mixture over the top of pizza.

10. Then bake in a 500 degree F oven on the lowest rack for about 12-15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and crust turns golden brown. 

11. Garnish with chopped cilantro and red pepper flakes. And enjoy with a glass of red wine.