The Nashville Hot Pheasant Sandwich might be my favorite thing I have made on this website! It is absolutely delicious and if you have some pheasant breasts in the freezer you definitely should make it!
Growing up and attending college in the South, Nashville Hot Sandwiches are a staple. This spicy crispy sandwich topped with creamy coleslaw and some cold lemonade on the side is the type of food I fantasize about lol. I was amazed when I searched online and could only find one other rendition of a Nashville Hot Pheasant Sandwich. As amazing as Nashville Hot sandwiches are I would’ve thought upland hunters would’ve been all over themselves to make something like this, but they weren’t!
This recipe is a little labor inducive, but that is the case with marinating and frying anything. Also, I just use this Coleslaw Recipe. It is creamy and balances the heat in the sandwich. Honestly it is the best coleslaw recipe I have found, and I don’t really want to mess up a good thing lol. I half it when making this sandwich recipe and make it in advance so it can flavor up in the fridge.
I hope you guys enjoy my wild game take on this delicious Southern dish!
Nashville Hot Wild Pheasant Sandwich
Ingredients
- 4 Pheasant Breasts Skinless
- Vegetable Oil Enough for deep fryer or deep pan
Spice Mixture:
- 5 T Cayenne
- 2 T Dark Brown Sugar
- 1 tsp Chipotle Chile Powder
- 1 T Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
Marinade:
- 1 C Buttermilk
- 1/4 C Pickle Brine I use Grillo’s Dill Pickle Chips Brine
- 3 T Spice Mixture
Egg Mixture:
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1 C Buttermilk
- 3 T Hot Sauce I use Louisiana Hot Sauce with the red dot
- Leftover Marinade Mixture
Flour Mixture:
- 2 C All Purpose Flour
- 3 T Spice Mixture
Sauce:
- 1/2 C Butter 1 stick
- Remaining seasoning
Toppings:
- 4 Hawaiian Buns
- Butter
- Pickles I use Grillo's Dill Pickle Chips
- Coleslaw*or Iceberg Lettuce
- Mayo Mixture 1/4 C Mayo to 2 T Louisiana Hot Sauce
Instructions
Coleslaw Instructions:
- If coleslaw is desired, make prior to pheasant breasts so it can be marinating in the fridge.
Marinade Instructions:
- Pat dry pheasant breasts and remove any remaining feathers.
- Place in a gallon Ziplock bag or bowl. Add marinade mixture to bag and toss breasts mixing evenly.
- Cover with Saran Wrap if using a bowl or tightly seal the bag and place in fridge to marinate 2-4 hours.
- After breasts are done marinating, remove from refrigerator and place them in a bowl saving the marinade.
Flour and Egg Mixture Instructions:
- Using a shallow bowl (like a pie dish), combine egg mixture carefully adding any excess marinade to the dish. Stir well.
- In another shallow bowl, combine flour mixture.
- Heat oil to 300 degrees (I use a deep fryer, but if you have a frying thermometer, a cast iron or any heavy duty deep enough pan will work).
- Take a pheasant breast, letting excess marinade drip back into bowl, toss in flour mixture until thoroughly coated.
- Next, carefully toss breast in egg mixture again allowing excess mixture to drip back into dish.
- Return back to flour mixture and coat evenly and place on rack/plate. Repeat process with each breast. Let rest for 5-10 minutes to allow coating to dry a bit and set.
Sauce Instructions:
- While resting, make the sauce.
- Place butter in a sauce pan and heat until melted over medium-high heat.
- Whisk in remaining seasoning. Once thoroughly mixed remove from heat, but keep sauce warm as to not let it coagulate.
Sandwich Instructions:
- Fry each piece until golden, crispy, and fully cooked. This is approximately 3 minutes each side.
- Depending on size of fryer/pan, this may need to be done in rounds. When you flip the breasts, be careful to keep breading attached.
- While breasts are cooking, spread butter on the insides of the Hawaiian buns. Toast Hawaiian buns in a pan over high heat until golden brown (1-2 minutes).
- Mix mayo and hot sauce.
- Once pheasant breasts are cooked, place on a plate or rack.
- Brush/toss with seasoned butter sauce mixture thoroughly. This is what gives the breasts the Nashville kick.
- Assemble your sandwich with buns, breasts, coleslaw/iceberg lettuce, pickles, and Mayo mixture. Enjoy!
My brother recommended I might like this blog. He was totally right. This post truly made my day. You can not imagine just how much time I had spent for this information! Thanks!
I love how you’ve broken down this topic into easy-to-understand sections. The step-by-step approach you’ve taken is very helpful.