Smothered Pheasant with Fresh Sage and Brown Butter Gravy

Season pheasant with seasoned salt to taste.

Pour 1/4 cup of flour into a shallow bowl or dish.

In a skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1/4 cup of vegetable oil, and when hot, dredge seasoned pheasant pieces in flour and fry until golden on both sides. If pheasant has skin on it, brown the skin side first.

Transfer fried pheasant to a plate and set aside.

Lower heat to medium.

Pour out excess oil in the skillet, leaving 2 tbs. remaining.

Add finely diced onion and celery, and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add minced garlic, 1/4 tsp. of seasoned salt and 1 tbs. of flour and stir for about 2 minutes. Do not allow the garlic to burn—lower heat if needed.

Next, gradually stir in stock, scraping up browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.

Allow sauce to simmer for about 5-7 minutes to thicken, increasing heat if needed, stirring occasionally. Sauce is thick enough when you can run a spoon across it and make a path that lasts momentarily.

Then, lay pheasant skin-side up into the sauce.

Cover and simmer on low for 15 minutes.

Stir the sauce occasionally to prevent the bottom from burning.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat. When you see the color of the butter start to turn hazelnut color—watch carefully—quickly add the sage leaves one by one.

Take skillet off heat to prevent the butter from burning; it will taste bitter if burnt.

Flip the leaves to fry the other side with residual heat, and then drain sage leaves on a paper towel. They should be crispy.

Transfer pheasant to a serving dish.

To make the sauce, stir in the browned butter, chopped parsley, Tabasco sauce, and freshly cracked pepper and salt to taste.

Pour sauce over pheasant and garnish with crispy sage leaves.

Serve immediately with cooked white rice.