[stinkeypete]

Maple syrup/apple grilled pheasant breast over rice with dried cherry slivers

Let bird rest in a cool place for a few days. I use the “10 second” method of pulling on the feet to get a nice skinned breast carcass. The breasts are easy to filet.

Neck, thighs, legs, the carcass post filleting etc are browned in a skillet to make soup stock- that’s another day’s meal.

Marinade: 2 tablespoons of local maple syrup to 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar with the smallest pinch of salt.
Marinate breasts at least an hour.

Set grill to medium heat. Not too hot! The filets are thin. There are two main muscle groups per breast, it’s okay if they are separate (giving two large filets and two ‘fingers”)

Grill lightly one side. Flip, top with the best unsweetened applesauce you can find. Let bake... the apple sauce helps keep your bird moist but so is keeping your heat medium/low. Bird is going to take about 10 minutes to cook.

Make yourself some brown or wild rice. That takes over an hour. Argue! Man hungry NOW! While you wait, chop up a couple tablespoons of dried Michigan cherries. Chop em real fine, a little goes a long ways.

Sautée the cooked rice and chopped cherries in butter... mixing the cherries and mmmm butter!

Serve the filet with baked apple sauce on top over a bed of that rice. Acorn squash (an hour!? Hungry now!) with butter and brown sugar complement the flavors, as does local micro brew beer.

Everything can be sourced local except the cherries, and Michigan is a good neighbor so that’s just fine too.