Pheasant Sausage Stuffed Pumpkin
Welcome fall with a savory stuffed pumpkin dish that boasts bold flavors and upland bird meat
Though our reasons why may vary, we all can likely agree fall is the best season. It’s the cooler weather, for starters, that allows us to run the dogs as we count the days until our favorite upland opener.
Autumn may not mean flannel or PSLs to you—I found out a couple of weeks ago that means “pumpkin spice lattes”—but the season should elicit a sense of child-like excitement. To coincide with that enthusiasm, I very much enjoy the aromas of the season circulating about my kitchen and house. Nothing does that better than roasting a stuffed pumpkin.
There are several steps to this one, but overall it’s very simple and you can use any upland bird, though I used pheasant. You will need a grinder. MEAT! has a little 500-watt powerhouse for just north of $100 or you can get it for less if you subscribe to its email list.
I also used a Cinderella pumpkin, but if using another variety, you may wish to Google to see how it works in terms of flavor if roasting.
Don’t like pumpkin? Please know: This recipe isn’t sweet, so it will taste more like squash than pumpkin pie. Still don’t like pumpkin or squash? You can skip the pumpkin stuffing and roasting and just make the vegetable, pear, sausage, and rice mix, which is very good. And if the amount below seems like too much, grab a 5-pound pumpkin and cut ingredients in half.
Lastly, keep a close eye on the roasting time necessary for your pumpkin. I read a recipe that said 2 hours for roasting. Mine was done after 40 minutes. If your pumpkin collapses from roasting too long, worry not—you can still eat and it’ll taste great. You just won’t have that presentation and may have to serve that slightly sloppy mess in bowls.
