# how to prepare wild turkey



## ihuntgsps (Mar 10, 2008)

I managed to bag my first turkey with my bow last Saturday.
Prepared 1/2 the breast by cooking in crockpot in chicken stock most of the day. served it with stuffing and gravy and was good. 
Questions is what other ways to cook a wild turkey so it doesnt taste gamey?
these are corn fed Iowa birds so not even sure if that is a real issue but many people I work with tell me it is.
Grabbed a second tag and hoping to bag another one this weekend if possible.


----------



## unregistered41671 (Dec 29, 2009)

The best wild turkey I ever ate had been cut up into fryer pieces. Salt, peppered and floured and fried like chicken.


----------



## houndlover (Feb 20, 2009)

We usually age our wild turkeys about a week first. And then, like possum belly, cut them up in pieces, coat and fry, either in the frypan or oven fry,


----------



## brownegg (Jan 5, 2006)

We simply slow roast in the oven with a few inches of water in the roaster. We season with poultry seasoning, chicken soup base, salt and pepper, thyme, rosemary, and savory. Prolly in the oven for 8 hours and baste a few times. The drippings make wonderful gravy. I would never consider our wild turkey to taste gamey.....simply delishous.

brownegg


----------



## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

People always talk about how tuff say the Thighs,I take cut the meat off the bone,beat it with tenderizer,dip in Egg and Milk,Flour and Fry.Breast cut in Strips,Flour and Fry.

Don't waste none.

big rockpile


----------



## Oldcountryboy (Feb 23, 2008)

I aint never killed and ate one yet. But a fellar I use to go to church with said he always removed the breast meat and sliced it thin. Then dipped the slices in butter milk and rolled it in seasoned self rising flour. Then pan fry it. Said it was the absolute best way to eat wild turkey. He didn't say what to do with the rest of the bird. I'd probably stew it and make dumplins.


----------



## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

From someone who has eaten a few wild turkeys, everyone roasts one once. After that, it's cutting the meat off the bone and slow-cooking it and further simmering it in a gravy. Never had one that tasted "gamey" since their diet is mostly corn and acorns here.

Martin


----------



## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

A splash of water and just enough ice to make it tinkle.


----------



## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

I boil them with carrots, celery and onions and then can the broth. The meat is good like that too, but the broth is to die for.


----------



## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

1 wild turkey (10-14 lb) 

*Brine:*
5 quarts water
1/2 C. salt
1/4 C. brown sugar
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp soy sauce


Seasoning:
1/4 C. lemon juice
1 C. butter, melted
1/8 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
4-6 slices bacon


Basting Sauce:
1/4 C. butter, melted
1/3 C. white wine


Instructions: Mix brine ingredients. In a large, clean bucket (or any clean, non-reactive container you have), immerse turkey in brining mixture for 24 hours. Drain and dry very thoroughly. Set out one additional hour to dry completely. Rub outside and inside of turkey with lemon juice.

At this point, you make want to smoke the turkey for added flavor, as smoked wild turkey is particularly good. (However, this is optional.) If smoking, smoke six hours according to your smoker's directions.

If stuffing the turkey, stuff it at this time using the recipe of your choice. 

Mix butter, pepper, and salt, and rub mixture on skin and into cavity of turkey. Lay bacon slices over breast meat. Place the turkey breast side up in roasting pan. Mix melted butter and white wine. Bake in 325 degree oven about 3 to 3 3/4 hours (cook time will be less if turkey is smoked, more if turkey is stuffed), basting occasionally with butter and white wine mixture. Turkey is ready when legs and joints move loosely and internal temperature reads 165 degrees F.
.

We have also used a suringe and shot the turkey up with melted butter, breast thighs and drum sticks. Place them in a micro wave bag and cook they per the instructions that came with the bag, so many minutes per pound. then place then in a normal oven under a broiler eleament to brown the skin.

 Al


----------



## Big Dave (Feb 5, 2006)

Five gallon bucket. Put in water and sugar and salt. Let the turkey sit in this brine for four to five hours. Take it out and cook it how ever you like. The brine makes the meat tender and moist.


----------



## lathermaker (May 7, 2010)

I agree with Big Dave. I've always brined the wild turkeys DH shot (IA corn fed too!). I would either crockpot it, or else put it in a cooking bag with some sloppy, heavy on the butter, sage dressing. It keeps it moist and tames down the stronger flavor. There's always smoking the critter too!


----------



## nickvree (Sep 26, 2012)

vicker said:


> A splash of water and just enough ice to make it tinkle.


This was my initial thought too :thumb:


----------



## ihuntgsps (Mar 10, 2008)

Thanks for the ideas!

Couldn't get any more in my effective range but will 
try again in the spring and give your ideas a try.


----------



## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

From Carla Emory's big book I did the boil in water idea........
It sure was moist and good . . . . . .

Was invited to a friends place where he did a commercial turkey in the outdoor deep oil fryer.......
It was bad, very tough, dry, stringy..........worst turkey I ever had.......


----------



## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

Had wild turkey for Thanksgiving Day. Meat had been removed from the bone, sliced about Â¼", marinated in something with peppery taste, and cooked in a light gravy. (Marinade may have been like a jerky mix.) Every bite was super good.

Martin


----------



## dkhern (Nov 30, 2012)

buy you a turkey fryer set up cause once you fry one youll never roast one agin. get an injector a bottle of italian dressing strain the stuff out of the dressing and inject the bird breast thigh drumsticks etc place in fryer 4 min/lb thats it crisp skin, moist meat great flavor


----------

