Pheasant Breast Wrapped in Bacon with Sauerkraut and Grapes

Ingredients

• 800 g fresh sauerkraut
• 200 ml light grape juice
• 100 ml poultry broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 juniper berries
• 4 pheasant breasts
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 8 slices bacon
• Pepper (freshly ground)
• 3 tbsp butter
• 350 ml poultry stock
• 200 g green grapes
• 200 g blue grapes
• Salt
• 1 tbsp honey

Instructions

1. 1.

   Drain the sauerkraut and simmer with grape juice, broth, and spices for about 20–30 minutes covered. Add more juice if needed.

2. 2.

   Wash and pat dry the pheasant breasts, roll them tightly. Remove thyme leaves, sprinkle over the breasts, then wrap each in 2–3 slices of bacon. Secure with toothpicks, season with pepper, and sear all sides in 1 tbsp hot butter. Deglaze with stock and braise in a preheated oven at 120 °C (fan: 100 °C; gas: lowest setting) for about 30 minutes.

3. 3.

   Meanwhile wash the grapes, halve them and deseed if desired. Heat 1 tbsp butter, dissolve honey in it, and toss the grapes in the mixture.

4. 4.

   Lift the meat from the stock, remove toothpicks, reduce the stock slightly if needed, then stir in the remaining cold butter. Do not bring to a boil again. Season with salt and pepper.

5. 5.

   Season the sauerkraut with salt and pepper as well, plate it, place each diagonally halved pheasant breast on top, arrange grapes around it, drizzle some braising liquid over the dish, and serve immediately.