Pheasant in Red Wine

Steps

• 1
  Cut the carrots, celery, and parsley root into approximately 1 cm cubes. Roughly chop the red onion. Also, chop the smoked bacon into 1 cm cubes. Cut the larding bacon into 1x3 cm strips and place them in the freezer for 20 minutes.
• 2
  Using a narrow knife, cut 1-2 pockets into the pheasant meat and slide the frozen bacon strips into them. Season the meat thoroughly with salt and pepper.
• 3
  In a pot, heat the clarified butter (ghee) over medium heat and brown the meat until golden. Remove the meat from the pot and set aside. Add the diced vegetables and smoked bacon to the pot, then sauté them until golden brown, stirring frequently. Add the onion, thyme, bay leaves, juniper berries, allspice, and whole black peppercorns.
• 4
  Reduce the heat and continue to sauté until the onion turns a dark golden color. Stir frequently. Add the tomato paste and sauté for another 2 minutes. Sprinkle in the sugar and let it dissolve.
• 5
  Return the pheasant pieces to the pot, pour in the red wine, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce thickens to two-thirds of its original volume.
• 6
  Pour in the beef stock, bring to a boil again, then reduce the heat to minimum. Cover the pot and braise the meat for about 1 hour, or until completely tender. (For older pheasants, the braising time may be longer.)
• 7
  Remove the tender meat from the sauce and set aside. Add the roux to the sauce, mix thoroughly, and cook over low heat for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the diced cold butter. Do not boil the sauce after this. Taste and add salt if necessary. Return the meat to the sauce to warm through.
• 8
  Serving suggestion: You can serve pheasant in red wine with potato dumplings, croquettes, or spaetzle. The bacon helps to balance the acidity of the wine, and the larded bacon makes the lean game meat juicier.