Polish Bażant Pieczony, Roast Pheasant

📍 Where this dish comes from: Polish–Belarusian border · Białowieża Forest
Discover the history of this region →

Pheasant is a classic Polish game bird, its meat considerably leaner than chicken and prone to drying out if not handled carefully. Barding it with bacon during roasting is the traditional solution, keeping the breast meat moist through the cook.

What You’ll Need

Polish Bażant Pieczony, Roast Pheasant

A genuine game bird tradition, roasted simply with bacon to keep the lean meat moist.

Print Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Polish

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 340kcal

Ingredients

• 1 whole pheasant about 2–2.5 lbs
• 6 slices bacon
• 2 tbsp butter softened
• 1 onion quartered
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
• Pat pheasant dry and season the cavity with salt and pepper, stuffing with onion and thyme.
• Rub the skin with softened butter and season with salt and pepper.
• Lay bacon slices over the breast, securing with kitchen string if needed.
• Roast 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a thermometer in the thigh reads 165°F (74°C).
• Rest 10 minutes before carving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 340kcal | Protein: 34g | Fat: 20g

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Health Benefits

• Pheasant is a lean, high-protein game bird with less fat than farmed chicken.
• Barding with bacon keeps the lean meat moist without excessive added fat.
• A traditional dish that’s naturally low in carbohydrate as prepared.

Pairs Well With

• Polish Cauliflower Kluski, Almond Flour Dumplings
• Polish Buraki Zasmażane, Sautéed Beets