Wild turkey, good eating?

[Vaino]

Although there are wild turkeys in the back, I've never eaten them. Many hunt them but I've never seen any recipes or heard any discussions on how good they are to eat. This leads me to believe that wild turkeys aren't that desirable as table fare? I've eaten most American game animals and birds and if properly cared for and prepared {my wife is a very gifted cook}, all were enjoyed, except a couple of old Canada geese which made excellent gravy but otherwise weren't edible. I'm suspectin' that wild turkeys are in this same category. Comments, warnings and recipes?.....Fred

 

[paulvallandigham]

The Difference between wild turkeys and domestic turkeys is that the wild ones don't have the white meat you find on the domestic ones. And, they don't have the amount of fat you find on the domestic turkeys.

So, use a wet recipe when cooking wild turkey. By that, I mean if you are roasting the turkey, put plenty of water( wine) in the roasting pan to keep the meat most( the alcohol will also help tenderize the meat. Some people put an open can of beer inside the bird when its cooking.)

You can deep fry a wild turkey and it comes out with wonderful flavor, and is very moist and tender.

When I am roasting a turkey in the oven, and not a closed roasting pan( they never seem big enough for the turkey I buy!) I use a roasting pan with a grill on it, so I can put water, apple juice, wine, beer, etc. under it. I wrap it in foil. I also cut a strip of cheesecloth to put over the breast, to hold the butter with which I am basting the bird . That keeps the skin moist, and keeps it from burning. I take cheese cloth for the last 10 minutes of cooking to brown the skin. Do use a basting syringe to push melted butter, or oil, and any herbs and flavorings( fruits make a good addition to turkeys) under the skin all around the bird. If I am going to stuff the bird for cooking, I use coarse dried or toasted bread, onions, celery stalks, carrots, grapes, orange slices, pineapple, or what ever I have that smells good. With Domestic Turkeys there is so much grease in the skin, that the stuffing in the bird is almost too rich to eat. Sometimes it gets baked a bit more in a bread pan, and sometimes I simply make a good stuffing as a side dish, and throw this stuff away. Ducks and Geese can also be " greasy", and too rich to eat, So stuffing from those birds are also often thrown, if not eaten by the dogs.

I can't think of any reason NOT to eat Wild Turkey, unless it has been allowed to spoil, with the guts inside it. If you can smell it, its probably too far gone to save. I field dress the birds just as I would a rabbit, pheasant, squirrel, or deer. The livers are saved, but that is because I like fresh liver. Its sweet. I save the heart, too. Get the bird on ice ASAP, for the best flavor at the dinner table.

Other than those suggestions, just about any favored Turkey recipe will work. Enjoy!

 

[nchawkeye]

They are very good eating...When roasting, don't overcook as they are smaller than domestic and will be dry if overcooked...

I also like to fillet the breast off, cut into pieces, batter and fry...

Nothing wrong with wild turkeys...

 

[wtilenw]

Best eating is fillet the breast, cut into finger steaks, batter and fry........excellent. The legs are so full of tendons and pin bones that I just pressure cook them, seperate the meat from all other matter, mix with mayonaisse, salt & pepper for sandwich spread.

 

[longfowler]

I think wild turkeys are the best tasting thing running around in the woods, and MUCH better than a domestic bird. After you eat a properly cooked wild bird, the store-bought will seem like cardboard to you. Like Paul says, keep it moist! I skin my birds, then soak in salt water overnight to draw out any left over blood, cover with olive oil & spices, and roast in a foil covered pan with a cup of white wine for about an hour at 350 deg. done this way even the legs come out tender,even though they are "stringy" compared to fat & lazy domestics. they will even taste different depending on where they lived - diet is a big factor, some I've shot were very rich & nutty tasting from acorns but birds from farmland areas are milder flavored. I also save the heart & liver, and pan fry in butter & garlic as soon as I get home!
the key is "properly cooked"...most hunters are notoriously bad chefs, and the "lady of the house" usualy won't even touch a dead animal brought home, much less help cook it! I hear so many storys: "it was so bad even the dog wouldn't eat it, so we threw it out", "it smelled bad", I don't know how to clean it", or something like that. as hunters we owe the game more respect, and need to know how to care for it after the shot!
Don't be afraid to try it, wild game is the best table fare and turkeys are the king of the table!

 

[29caliber]

The turkey I got a couple of weeks ago was baked in the oven just like the regular Thanksgiving bird, stuffings and all. It came out just like the holiday one with the exception of the tough legs, which was noted in previous posts. I picked the meat off of the legs and my wife ground it up, using it to make turkey chilli which turned out to be very tasty. My next season comes in on Thursday, so I appreciate all of the suggested preparations everyone has contributed.

 

[agill]

I like to smoke them with wood chips and a pan of water to keep them moist, but they are great in the oven too! The smoker will dry a thin outer layer and leave the inside tender and moist.

Fried young turkeys are good also.

I think they are better than domestic turkeys.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Great Tip. I forgot to mention soaking the bird in salted water overnight, to draw out as much of the blood as possible. Then, I clean the sink, and put fresh water, and the bird stays in it for about 6-8 hours to draw out the salt. No one needs all that salt in the meat.

In more recent years, I have begun to debone the meat, even before it goes in the freezer. The bones will make a good stock for soup, which can be frozen until used. If you don't have a pressure cooker, try putting the legs in a crock pot, and leave them with water, seasonings, vegetables for a gravy, and let them cook all day. The cartilage comes right out, and the scraps of meat can be eaten as it, or separated(strained) from the rest of the liquid and vegetables to be made into a nice sandwich spread.

You can add the rest to fresh potatoes or rice, and other chunks of vegetable for a side dish, or use part of the mix to make your gravy, or a soup to lead the feast.

Thicken gravy with flour and milk, and butter, and pour it lovingly over those potatoes, and cuts of the breasts. The gravy is also terrific as an addition to deep fried turkey( Think of gravy over french fries, or " chicken fried" steak.) If you have cranberries, sprinkle a few cooked ones over the potatoes and gravy for a different flavor. If no cranberries, cook some apple slices, and spread them over the potatoes and gravy.

 

[Tom Black]

Slice the breast across the grain into finger size strips. Dip in beaten egg, dredge in flour, fry seasoned with just salt and pepper. Dip in Ranch Dressing. It'll make you slap your grandmother.
Tom Black
Cantucky

 

[Johnny Tremain]

Wild Turkey 8 year old over ice

It dont get no better than that :rotf:

 

[Vaino]

Thanks for all the responses and recipes....there's a flock in the back of my property that's usually around 2 dozen and will have to try one when the season is open. Judging from what has been said, I'm in for a treat...Fred

 

[eli crowe]

I have to agree with Flint Hunter and Johny Tremain.

When it comes to wild game smoked wild turkey is hard to beat and when it comes to Spirits 8 year old WT over Ice is awful good.

 

[Horace]

Wild turkey is the best. I cut it in strips (accross the grain), soak it in buttermilk for at least a day (you can even freeze it that way), batter and fry however you like it.

 

[CZMark]

I cooked one on the smoker last Saturday. There is nothing better than smoked wild turkey with mashed potatoes and gravy. All week we've been eating turkey sandwiches, turkey ala king and turkey barley soup; no one is complaining.

 

[Vaino]

Mark...really enjoyed our talk at Easter and will have to try smoked wild turkey.....Fred

 

[Ron LaClair]

First ya shoot em...a load of #6 shot to the head and neck with the ole flintlock fowler always does the job for me.

Then pull the inards and if it's an old bird like this'n let hang for a few days to tenderize. Then skin em, cut into pieces and soak in salt water over night.

 

[Ron LaClair]

Then cut some of the breast meat into chunks and throw in the stirfry pan with some olive oil.

Brown the meat lightly then throw in some of your favorite veggies. I like onion, bell peppers, zucchini, pea pods, broccoli an what ever else you can think of. Season the dickins out of it and stir till the veggies are done but still crunchy. Then put the whole mess over a pile of white rice....it don't get no better'n that.. :wink:

 

[Ron LaClair]

The rest of the bird, legs, wings, back I cook all day in a crock pot. You can make what ever you want out of that, soup, stew, whatever.. Or you can throw in some potatoes, carrots and onions just before the meat is ready to come off the bones. Put in a dish and cover with biscuits or dumplings and bake in the oven till the biscuits are done....laripin.

 

[Len Graves]

I heard that you soak your bird in that 8 year old Wild Turkey, cook her on low, throw away the bird and drink the gravy. Seriously, smokin is the best. next best is deep fryin. like the boys said "tame turkey just don't match up".

 

[wvbuckbuster]

Cut the breast in strips tenderize with Adolphs. Roll in seasoned flour and fry in pan until brown. Place strips into baking dish and cover with cream of chicken soup. Cover baking dish with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 45 mins. It is very moist and tender not to mention TASTY! Dan.