Entree: United States – South Dakota (Great Plains United States) – Pheasant and Dumplings

Serving Size: 6

Approximate Time

Prep 35 min

Cook 1 hr 15 min

Additional 5 min

Total 1 hr 55 min

Ingredients

- 2 whole pheasants, approx. 3 lb (1.4 kg) total, dressed and jointed
- 1 1/2 tsp (8 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 3/4 tsp (2 g) freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
- 4 tbsp (56 g) unsalted butter, divided
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped (about 8 oz / 225 g)
- 3 celery stalks, chopped (about 7 oz / 200 g)
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced (about 9 oz / 255 g)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced (about 9 g)
- 2 tsp (2 g) dried thyme or 1 tbsp (3 g) fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tbsp (3 g) fresh sage, chopped (or 1 tsp / 1 g dried sage)
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 tbsp (24 g) all-purpose flour (for the gravy)
- 4 cups (960 ml) low-sodium chicken stock (or pheasant stock if available)
- 1 cup (240 ml) water, as needed
- 1 cup (150 g) frozen peas
- 2 tbsp (8 g) chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Dumplings
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp (15 g) baking powder
- 1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp (1 g) ground black pepper
- 3 tbsp (42 g) cold unsalted butter, diced
- 1 egg, lightly beaten (about 50 g)
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
- 2 tbsp (8 g) chopped fresh sage

Instructions

Short Description:
A hearty South Dakota hunter’s stew of locally hunted pheasant braised in a savory herb broth and finished with tender sage dumplings, carrots, celery, and peas for a complete one-pot main course.

Regional Notes:
This Great Plains version uses locally hunted pheasant and traditional braising with sage and thyme, reflecting prairie hunting and farmhouse cooking in South Dakota. Unlike generic chicken-and-dumpling recipes, the lean game meat is first browned and slowly simmered to build a richer, slightly gamey broth characteristic of the region.

1. Pat the jointed pheasant pieces dry and season all over with 1 1/2 tsp salt and 3/4 tsp pepper.
2. Heat the vegetable oil and 2 tbsp butter in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown the pheasant pieces in batches, 3–4 minutes per side, until well browned; transfer browned pieces to a plate.
3. Reduce heat to medium. Add the chopped onion, celery, and carrots to the pot and sauté in the remaining fat until softened, about 6–8 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic, thyme, chopped sage, and bay leaves and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Sprinkle 3 tbsp flour over the vegetables and stir to coat; cook 1–2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
5. Gradually whisk in the chicken stock and 1 cup water, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer.
6. Return the browned pheasant pieces to the pot, submerging as much as possible in the liquid. Cover partially and simmer gently for 45–60 minutes, or until the meat is tender and beginning to pull from the bones. Check occasionally and add a little more water if the liquid reduces too much.
7. Remove the pheasant pieces to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, remove meat from the bones and shred or chop into bite-sized pieces; discard bones and excess skin. Skim any excess fat from the cooking liquid if desired, then return the shredded meat to the pot. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper.
8. Stir the frozen peas into the stew and bring to a gentle simmer while you make the dumpling batter.
9. For the dumplings: in a bowl whisk together 2 cups flour, baking powder, 1 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Cut in 3 tbsp cold diced butter with a pastry cutter or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in chopped sage. Mix the beaten egg with the milk, then add to the flour mixture and stir just until combined into a thick drop-dough.
10. With the stew at a bare simmer (not a rolling boil), drop spoonfuls (about 2 tbsp each) of dumpling dough onto the surface, leaving space between each. Cover the pot tightly and simmer gently for 12–15 minutes without lifting the lid, until dumplings are puffed and cooked through.
11. Remove from heat, let sit covered 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining 2 tbsp butter and chopped parsley to finish, adjusting seasoning if needed.
12. Serve hot, spooning pheasant, vegetables, gravy, and 2–3 dumplings per serving.