Taste of the Wild: Chorizo pheasant eggs benedict with a hatch chili bearnaise

This chorizo-style pheasant sausage is quick and easy to make but still has the spicy and smoky goodness found in a traditional pork chorizo.

The pheasant sausage is simply ground pheasant breast and leg meat mixed with a chorizo style seasoning. Since pheasant is such a lean meat, pork fat could be added to the mixture but is not necessary. Omitted from this recipe, the sausage still turned out light and juicy without the addition of pork or beef fat. This recipe also works with wild turkey, grouse or chukar.

The final chorizo pheasant eggs benedict dish evokes Southwest flavors with the combination of the smoky paprika and chili powder in the pheasant sausage patties with the sweet and tangy hatch chili béarnaise sauce. Lindsey used a canned hatch chili product from 505 Southwest brand, which also had lime juice, garlic, and some tomatillos in it, but noted that any canned or fresh variety of hatch chiles would work in this recipe.

---

MAKES 6 SERVINGS | PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES |

RECIPE AND PHOTOS BY LINDSEY BARTOSH

INGREDIENTS FOR THE SAUSAGE

1 lb ground pheasant

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons chorizo seasoning:

2 tablespoons garlic powder

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon oregano

2 teaspoons cumin

FOR THE BÉARNAISE

1 cup melted butter

3 egg yolks

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup 505 Southwest Hatch Chili Salsa (or other canned hatch chili)

Pinch of salt to taste

FOR THE EGGS BENEDICT

6 eggs

6 English muffins

Medium tomato

Medium avocado

Cilantro

---

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE SAUSAGE

1. To make the chorizo seasoning for the sausage patties, mix all the spice ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside the three tablespoons for the sausage and store the rest in an airtight container.

2. Take a pound of ground pheasant, which can be ground from the breast and the leg meat, and mix in a medium size bowl with three tablespoons of the chorizo seasoning and a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.

3. Form the sausage patties to about an inch thick.

4. Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add a few tablespoons of water to the hot pan.

5. Cook the pheasant sausage patties over medium-high heat for six minutes per side, or until the center of the meat registers 160 degrees.

FOR THE BÉARNAISE

1. To a blender, add the egg yolks and pulse a few times to break them up.

2. Melt a cup of butter in the microwave and let cool for a few minutes. The butter should still be warm for mixing into the sauce, but not so hot it just cooks the eggs.

3. With the blender running on low, slowly stream in the melted butter to the egg yolks. Let the sauce continue mixing on low for a few minutes.

4. Add the other tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to the blender and the 1/2 cup of hatch chilis.

5. Season with salt and let mix for a minute more.

6. Keep the béarnaise covered in the blender while working on the rest of the meal. This will keep it nice and warm.

ASSEMBLY

1. Poach the eggs. There are several techniques for poaching eggs, I like to do the “water tornado.” Bring a large pot of water, about three cups, to a gentle boil. When the water is starting to boil use a spoon to stir a gentle water tornado. Once the water is moving around the pot, lightly ease the eggs in the water.

Allow to cook for two and a half minutes in the water then remove with a slotted spoon.

2. Toast the English muffins and arrange open faced on a plate.

3. Top the muffin with a thin slice of tomato, a chorizo pheasant sausage patty, and a few thin slices of avocado.

4. Gentle ease the poached egg on top of the stack, taking care to not break the yolk.

5. Drizzle a few tablespoons of the hatch chili béarnaise sauce over the entire dish. Garnish with chopped cilantro and a few dashes of paprika.

6. Enjoy!

---

ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR

Lindsey Bartosh is a Harvesting Nature Field Staff Writer who lives in southeastern Utah where she spends her time hiking, biking, hunting, and fishing. She runs a website, huntingandcooking.com, and also a weekly radio show about seeking, pursuing, and processing wild game.

For more great wild fish and game recipes, visit harvestingnature.com

Follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/OutdoorNewsTasteOfTheWild

Find more game and fish recipes at outdoornews.com/cooking