Smoked Pheasant

Serves 2 – 3

1 whole pheasant

Cherry wood chips or chunks

½ cup pickling/canning salt

6 cups cold water

¼ cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 teaspoons pickling spice

2 tablespoons honey

3 teaspoons soy sauce

1 cup chicken broth

1 can beer

Soak cherry wood in water over night.

In a large glass bowl or sealable bag, combine pickling salt, water, brown sugar, maple syrup, vinegar and pickling spice. Add pheasant and put in refrigerator for at least 4 hours. Turn occasionally.

Drain, discard the brine and let pheasant dry on paper towel for 30 minutes.

Combine chicken broth and beer. Put mixture into smoker pan beneath grate/s. Start smoker.

In a small bowl, combine honey and soy sauce. Brush pheasant with honey soy mixture and place in smoker. Cover; try to maintain temperature between 150 – 200 degrees F, opening smoker as little as possible. Smoke for 2 – 3 hours.

Remove pheasant from smoker. Let rest for 10 minutes and serve.