YOUR RESOURCE FOR EVERYTHING YODER SMOKERS
This amazing taco recipe comes our way from Janice Smella of Smellaque, and it’s packed with flavor from the hunt: “Its hunting season, meaning it’s also pheasant season! I’m thankful for the hunters who are so generously sharing their bounty. Game meat is lean, and for me, that means the meat flavor needs to be the star of the show. Extra flavor and extra liquid is insurance to protect from overcooked dry protein. Be not afraid of game meat like pheasant breast! And you can use this recipe for chicken breasts too! Today’s flavor profile is Teriyaki Garlic Smoked Pheasant Tacos. First trick includes brining the pheasant to enable the proteins to retain water. Then cook the breasts low and slow to ensure the proteins didn’t tighten up and squeeze out any of the precious juices. As soon as the breasts came off the grill, they immediately rested in a pan of liquid for additional moisture. After slicing the breasts thin, back into the same resting liquid. By the time the tacos were served, the breasts absorbed almost ½ cup of additional juices!”
—
Recipe from Janice Smella
Instagram: @janice_smellaQue
Facebook: @SmellaQue
Blog: smellaque.com
Cooked on the Yoder Smokers Flat Top Charcoal Grill
INGREDIENTS
- 4 pheasant (or chicken) breasts
- 2 tablespoons of tallow or solid animal fat
- 1 package of frozen green onion pancakes/ roti (found in Asian grocery store)/ flour tortillas
- Thinly sliced suey choy / Asian napa cabbage or romaine lettuce
- Pickled carrots
- Cilantro
- Japanese mayonnaise
- Benito flakes (optional)
- 1 quart/ 1L water
- 2 tablespoons table salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ginger powder
- 1 teaspoon salt and pepper (preferably 30% Diamond Crystal Kosher salt and 70% coarse black pepper)
- 3 tablespoons Teriyaki sauce
- 1.5 tablespoons sake
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 minced garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil or chili oil
BRINE
ASIAN SEASONING
TERIYAKI GARLIC SAUCE
INSTRUCTIONS
- Make brine in at least a 2 quart / 2L container.
- Add pheasant breasts into the brine for 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, light 1 chimney of charcoal to warm up Yoder Flat Top grill with Grill Griddle on top of charcoal. On the side of the Yoder Smokers Flat Top that the charcoal and Grill Griddle are on, close the air intake. Keep the air intake on the other side of the Flat Top fully open. Warm Grill Griddle up to ~325-350°F.
- Remove pheasant breasts from brine water and blot dry with a paper towel.
- Combine all ingredients of Asian Seasoning: onion powder, garlic powder, ginger powder and salt and pepper and put into an empty rub container. Generously sprinkle Asian seasoning onto both sides of the pheasant breasts.
- Mix all ingredients of the Teriyaki Garlic sauce in a shallow dish and set aside.
- On a Grill Griddle, add 1 tablespoon of tallow on the Grill Griddle to melt and grease the grill. Immediately, grill pheasants on each side until browning and internal temperature reaches 150°F.
- Allow pheasant breasts to rest in the Teriyaki Garlic sauce.
- Add 1 tablespoon of tallow on the Grill Griddle to melt and grease the grill. Immediately, grill the frozen green onion pancakes/ roti per package instructions – usually this is as simple as allowing the pancake to cook until it is lightly browned on both sides. Do not flip until the pancake releases from the cooking surface. Alternatively, warm flour tortillas.
- Thinly slice the pheasant breasts and place back into the Teriyaki Garlic sauce to coat until taco assembly.
- Build your tacos! Use the crispy green onion pancakes/ roti as the taco shell, add suey choy/ green leaf lettuce, pickled carrots, cilantro, Teriyaki pheasant, drizzle of Japanese mayonnaise and benito flakes. Enjoy!
This amazing taco recipe comes our way from Janice Smella of Smellaque, and it’s packed with flavor from the hunt: “Its hunting season, meaning it’s also pheasant season! I’m thankful for the hunters who are so generously sharing their bounty. Game meat is lean, and for me, that means the meat flavor needs to be the star of the show. Extra flavor and extra liquid is insurance to protect from overcooked dry protein. Be not afraid of game meat like pheasant breast! And you can use this recipe for chicken breasts too! Today’s flavor profile is Teriyaki Garlic Smoked Pheasant Tacos. First trick includes brining the pheasant to enable the proteins to retain water. Then cook the breasts low and slow to ensure the proteins didn’t tighten up and squeeze out any of the precious juices. As soon as the breasts came off the grill, they immediately rested in a pan of liquid for additional moisture. After slicing the breasts thin, back into the same resting liquid. By the time the tacos were served, the breasts absorbed almost ½ cup of additional juices!”
—
Recipe from Janice Smella
Instagram: @janice_smellaQue
Facebook: @SmellaQue
Blog: smellaque.com
Cooked on the Yoder Smokers Flat Top Charcoal Grill
INGREDIENTS
- 4 pheasant (or chicken) breasts
- 2 tablespoons of tallow or solid animal fat
- 1 package of frozen green onion pancakes/ roti (found in Asian grocery store)/ flour tortillas
- Thinly sliced suey choy / Asian napa cabbage or romaine lettuce
- Pickled carrots
- Cilantro
- Japanese mayonnaise
- Benito flakes (optional)
- 1 quart/ 1L water
- 2 tablespoons table salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ginger powder
- 1 teaspoon salt and pepper (preferably 30% Diamond Crystal Kosher salt and 70% coarse black pepper)
- 3 tablespoons Teriyaki sauce
- 1.5 tablespoons sake
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 minced garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil or chili oil
BRINE
ASIAN SEASONING
TERIYAKI GARLIC SAUCE
INSTRUCTIONS
- Make brine in at least a 2 quart / 2L container.
- Add pheasant breasts into the brine for 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, light 1 chimney of charcoal to warm up Yoder Flat Top grill with Grill Griddle on top of charcoal. On the side of the Yoder Smokers Flat Top that the charcoal and Grill Griddle are on, close the air intake. Keep the air intake on the other side of the Flat Top fully open. Warm Grill Griddle up to ~325-350°F.
- Remove pheasant breasts from brine water and blot dry with a paper towel.
- Combine all ingredients of Asian Seasoning: onion powder, garlic powder, ginger powder and salt and pepper and put into an empty rub container. Generously sprinkle Asian seasoning onto both sides of the pheasant breasts.
- Mix all ingredients of the Teriyaki Garlic sauce in a shallow dish and set aside.
- On a Grill Griddle, add 1 tablespoon of tallow on the Grill Griddle to melt and grease the grill. Immediately, grill pheasants on each side until browning and internal temperature reaches 150°F.
- Allow pheasant breasts to rest in the Teriyaki Garlic sauce.
- Add 1 tablespoon of tallow on the Grill Griddle to melt and grease the grill. Immediately, grill the frozen green onion pancakes/ roti per package instructions – usually this is as simple as allowing the pancake to cook until it is lightly browned on both sides. Do not flip until the pancake releases from the cooking surface. Alternatively, warm flour tortillas.
- Thinly slice the pheasant breasts and place back into the Teriyaki Garlic sauce to coat until taco assembly.
- Build your tacos! Use the crispy green onion pancakes/ roti as the taco shell, add suey choy/ green leaf lettuce, pickled carrots, cilantro, Teriyaki pheasant, drizzle of Japanese mayonnaise and benito flakes. Enjoy!
