Wild turkey recipe?

I always brine a wild turkey before I cook it, add enough salt to water to float an egg, add enough
Brown Sugar until the sweet overtakes some of the salt, soak for 24 hours and rinse before cooking or
Smoking, add garlic and pepper at the end.

*I usually use tenderquick salt cure!

dang fields full of them right now.

toss the meat into a big skillet with all your favorite veggies and potatoes.
Once done, toss out the turkey and eat the veggies and potatoes.

They aint no butterball. I quit hunting the dumb things because I hated eating the buzzards.

I have the best results using breast meat for any poultry recipe and keeping the dark meat separate. The white meat will be as tender and juicy as a grocery store Butterball as long as it is not overcooked by even a minute. Virtually no fat = no room for error! Just be watchful and it should be wonderful roasted, fried, baked, grilled or smoked.

Because of the stringy and tougher nature of the dark meat, I like treat it separately. You definitely do not want to risk overcooking the white meat in a whole turkey in an effort to get that dark meat done! I like to chop the dark meat against the grain into short bits and use it in other recipes like pot pies and certain appetizers. It would be good pressure cooked or canned too.

Nvwrangler, I know you asked for leg recipes and this is only for breast meat, but I thought you might enjoy it anyway. This recipe reflects the ingredients I use to make appetizer-sized wild turkey kabobs for the Trapperman Feeds. Store-bought turkey or chicken works great for this too.



Wild Turkey Kabobs

Kabob Ingredients:
8 Short appetizer-sized bamboo skewers
24 3/4” cubes of wild turkey breast (4 to 5 ounces)
6 Strips of bacon, cut into quarters to make 24 short strips
16 Whole water chestnuts

Glaze Ingredients:
1/4 Cup brown sugar
1/4 Cup butter
3 Tablespoons white vinegar
1 Teaspoon soy sauce

Before assembly:
Soak the bamboo skewers in water at least 30 minutes to prevent them from burning on the grill. Cut the bacon strips into quarters and microwave the bacon so it is just a little warmer than room temperature (for easier wrapping). Cut up the turkey breast into 3/4” cubes and season them with salt and pepper.

To assemble the kabobs:
Wrap each turkey cube with bacon and slide 3 bacon-wrapped turkey cubes and 2 water chestnuts onto each skewer so a water chestnut is between each turkey cube. Take your time and twist the water chestnuts as you slowly “screw” them onto the skewers to avoid splitting.

To make the glaze:
Combine the brown sugar, butter, soy sauce and vinegar in a pan and heat it until it is melted. Set the glaze aside until AFTER the kabobs are grilled.

To cook and glaze the kabobs:
Grill the kabobs over direct heat, turning once, until browned on each side. When the bacon is done to your liking, the turkey will be done as well. Remove the kabobs from the grill and baste them with the glaze just before serving.

Enjoy!

One morning I hunted too late, killed a bird, didn't have time to drive home and clean, so I stopped at my Amish neighbor and offered up the bird. He shook his head and said, "we tried to eat them but they are poor table fare". So anyway, the only way we have made them edible is to bake them, cut into strips, put in pan with Italian dressing and water, cook slow on low heat so the dry meat can soak up the moisture.

I use a heavy salt water brine on mine say 2 cups salt per gallon of water to cover the meat. add the same amount of brown sugar dissolved in the brine as well. Brine it 8-12 hours, then soak it in clean water for 2-3 hours. Inject it with 100% apple juice, add your rub (recipe below*) and smoke it at 250 til its 175-180 degrees internal temp. By far the best for any poultry is to use 3 cups pecan and 1 cup cherry wood chips. Get them wet (I don't soak them just run water over them and submerge them a min or so) and put them in right before the meat.

rub recipe-
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup paprika
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)



It's guaranteed.

~ADC~

Are you quartering the breast before starting ADC?

On the Rock's! LOL