Fried Pheasant Waffle Sandwich with Pickled Apples Recipe

Accompanied by a spiced maple-miso butter sauce for the ultimate in umami.

March 20, 2026 By Adam Berkelmans

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Fried chicken and waffles has long intrigued me. I first encountered the dish while living in Toronto, when a new Harlem-born restaurant brought the dish north to my neighborhood. Having never heard of the combo before, my curiosity was piqued and drew me into the restaurant for dinner one evening.

I didn’t find the combination of the two disparate foods revelatory, but then, it’s not supposed to be. It felt nostalgic and hearty, the kind of food meant to satisfy rather than surprise. I wanted to recreate that feeling in sandwich form, with a few tweaks to perhaps make it a touch more dramatic than the source material.

First, I swapped the chicken for skin-on pheasant breast (it’s always worth the pluck), which brings a richer, earthier flavor that tastes fantastic when fried. Instead of predictable slaw as a topping, I opted for pickled Granny Smith matchsticks, which help provide a sharp counterpoint to all of that richness from the pheasant and waffles.

Lastly, I elevated the sauce by whisking freshly cracked black pepper and white miso paste into warmed maple syrup. No bottles of Aunt Jemima here. The result is indulgent and bold, but still rooted in that down-home comfort that made the original dish so enduring.

fried pheasant — (Photo courtesy of Adam Berkelmans)

Serves: 4
Time to Make: 1 hour + marinade time

Ingredients:

2 pheasant breasts, or 4 grouse breasts (skin-on if possible)
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Neutral oil or lard to fry
8 smallish warm waffles, store-bought or homemade (extra thick waffles can be cut in half through the middle to make sandwiching easier)
1-2 granny smiths, skin-on, cut into matchsticks
1/2 cup cider vinegar
2 teaspoon honey
1 small pinch kosher salt and black pepper
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 stick salted butter, cut into 8 chunks
1 teaspoon white miso (optional)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

(Day Before) Mix together the salt and buttermilk in a bowl. Add the pheasant breasts and let brine overnight.
Heat the vinegar, honey, salt and pepper in a small pot until the honey dissolves. Let cool, then toss the apple matchsticks in the liquid and transfer to the fridge for 2 hours or overnight.
(Day Of) Mix the paprika, pepper, garlic powder, oregano, cayenne, and flour in a medium bowl. Remove the pheasant breasts from the marinade and dredge in the spiced flour, ensuring that they are coated on all sides.
Warm the maple syrup in a medium pot over medium heat (do not let boil). Once warmed, remove from heat and whisk in the butter chunks one at a time until everything is emulsified. Whisk in the miso paste and add the black pepper.
Add the oil to a deep skillet so it comes up to about an inch and heat to 300°F. Add the dredged pheasant breasts and fry on both sides until internal temperature reaches 160°F. Let rest for 5 minutes, then cut each breast in half.
Meanwhile, re-heat or toast the waffles.
Stack the apples, a half breast and a generous amount of the maple sauce between two waffles and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Adam Berkelmans

Adam Berkelmans, also known as The Intrepid Eater, is a passionate ambassador for wild food and a proponent of nose-to-tail eating. A Jack-of-all-trades, but master-of-none, he has spent a lifetime collecting knowledge and experiences, trying his hand at wilderness canoe guiding, whole animal butchery, hazard tree removal, riparian restoration, arborist work, organic vegetable farming, park operations, food blogging, recipe development, and education. Starting his brand, The Intrepid Eater, in 2020 as a response to the pandemic, he has since developed over 600 recipes, which can be found on his website, www.theintrepideater.com, and across hunting and outdoor media, both online and in print. With a heavy focus on wild foods, he derives inspiration for his recipes from international flavors and techniques and looks to make his plates pop with bright natural colors and flavors. He also works closely with Harvesting Nature, providing support as managing editor, podcast host, writer, cooking and butchery instructor, and recipe contributor. A Canadian, Adam spends his time between Ottawa and a cozy lake house north of Kingston, Ontario, with his partner Kathy and small münsterländer Arrow. When not cooking, he can be found hunting, fishing, foraging, gardening, reading, traveling, and discovering new ways to find and eat food.

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