Turkey hunter's

[Don Fischer]

Do you guy's eat those thing's? Seem's like most the people I ask how they eat, don't like them. Actually there has been a few that were OK with them. Lot of turkey's around here, well abut 15 mi from here but I've never hunted them.

 

[Outofstate-r]

I usually eat 5-7 a yr. I love'em.

 

[MT_BWHTR]

Same as above. We put 7 in the freezer this year. Simple tip is to brine them in saltwater and brown sugar, or a mix of milk and brown sugar. Biggest mistake people make is over cooking.

 

[dcopas78]

I love em. We chunk up the breast and put it in slow cooker with chicken broth, potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, some seasoning mix (usually chicken noodle soup mix) and let it cook on low all day. It's great. The wings aren't much worth fooling with. The legs are tougher than on a domestic bird, so we usually cook them up until tender in a slow cooker and my mother uses the meat and broth to make some awesome stuffing.

 

[kansasdad]

Turkey is the one game animal that everyone in the family actively looks forward to eating.

 

[Brian in Montana]

I think wild turkey is some of the best game meat there is. The only part I don't eat are the legs. I've cooked them various ways over the years and they always wind up tough and stringy.

For years, growing up, we almost always had wild turkey for thanksgiving dinner. And a young deer roast.

 

[genesis273]

I love them. I will say that if not done right, they can be tough. But that can be said for any wild game.

 

[JohnCushman]

We love turkey. There's a lot of things you can do with the breast meat if you're a little creative. I cook the legs and thighs overnight in the slow cooker and the meat pulls right off the bones and leaves the tendons. I make enchilladas or tacos with it or bbq pulled meat for sandwiches. The broth left behind is good for soup.

 

[Eric.MN]

Any of you fellas willing to share some more recipes of the best ways to make it?
I have little experience with making turkey so up for a new way of making them. Can never have enough creative ways of making new food.

 

[Doublecluck]

Turkey pot pies are amazing. I use this recipe but use my own crust with a giant muffin cup tin. First I butter the tin a little then roll out the dough 1/8" thick and twice the dia of the top of the tin. Place the crust in tin and press firmly in to corners. Usually throw it in the freezer for about 20 mins at this point. After I cook the mixture I add frozen peas and carrots before placing in the cups. Then I top with more crust and brush with egg. Sometimes I will freeze the whole tin with pot pies in it, then next day pop them out and vacuum seal to be used later. If you do this make sure you cook for 1.25-2 hours until 165 and cover the crust with aluminum foil until about the last 20 mins.

1 medium butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon olive oil $
3 tablespoons butter, divided and melted
Sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 shallots, minced
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour $
2 cups chicken broth
4 cups shredded cooked turkey
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage (or 1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage)
1/3 cup half-and-half
1 (17.3-ounce) package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
Egg wash (1 large egg beaten with 2 tablespoons milk) $
Garnish: Fresh sage
Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Toss squash with olive oil and 1 tablespoon melted butter; add sea salt and pepper. Spread evenly on a lightly greased foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until tender and golden brown, stirring once.

2. Add remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter to a large nonstick skillet, and cook shallot and mushrooms over medium heat, stirring frequently, about 10 to 12 minutes or until most of liquid is absorbed. Add flour, and cook, stirring frequently, about 3 to 4 minutes or until brown. Slowly whisk in broth, and bring to a low boil, stirring constantly.

3. Stir in turkey, sage, and additional sea salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes or until thick and creamy. Remove from heat; let cool slightly. Stir in baked squash and half-and-half.

4. Roll puff pastry on a lightly floured surface, and cut 6 rounds slightly larger than the top of a 10-ounce custard cup. Fill 6 lightly greased cups with turkey mixture, and place pastry over dishes, allowing any excess to drape over the side. Brush with egg wash, and chill at least 1 hour.

5. Preheat oven to 350°. Cut several slits into top of pies, and place on baking sheets. Garnish, if desired, and brush with egg wash.

6. Bake at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes or until pastry has puffed and is golden brown.

 

[genesis273]

Here's an easy one:
I take half the breast, if not too many holes in it, clean it up and cut into about 6 equal pieces. Tenderize them and saute in butter w/garlic and dill. Take room temp cream cheese and mix lemon juice and dill for a spread. Spread the cream cheese on a Kaiser or hamburger buns, and add turkey meat, sliced tomato, and lettuce. Delicious!

It's especially good this time of year with home grown tomatoes!!

 

[Wally Dog]

They are very good, but you must age them like beef before cooking.

 

[PAGOAT]

We make stew in the crock pot and also make turkey jerky out of the breast meat. I really like the jerky

 

[Bukwild3]

Wrap it in bacon!

 

[Don Fischer]

Thanks guy's, very encouraging! I just might have to try them.

 

[7mm08mo]

The only way we eat it is fried. Slice the breast up in thin strips there is nothing more delicious in my opinion. It goes very well with morels in the spring. Around here the turkey never makes it to the freezer.

 

[TLowell02]

Hank Shaw has a recipe for smoked turkey breast that involves curing it in a brine for a day or two and is easy. I harvested six turkeys this spring and have smoked the breast from at least three and every time it turns out awesome. He has a bunch of other great recipes for upland birds including a Yucatan turkey that is a great way to use the thigh, legs, and wings. IMO his website and books should be the first stop in looking for wild game recipes.

 

[cedahm]

Any of you fellas willing to share some more recipes of the best ways to make it?
I have little experience with making turkey so up for a new way of making them. Can never have enough creative ways of making new food.

I do a version of Cushman's shredded meat above - but I do it Confit-style.

• Cure thighs and legs overnight in a simple cure mix (you can find lots online, but basically salt, sugar, herbs, pepper and curing salt if you wany).
  
• Rinse the cure off, dry it well, then put on racksin the fridge for an hour to dry it even more.
  
• Pack in a single layer in rendered duck fat with some sprigs of thyme and rosemary
  
• Cook on super low heat (I use a cast iron casserole pot in the oven @ 180 degrees) for 8 hours or so. You can go up to 200/220 and 3-4 hours if you want a little more 'tooth' to the meat.

I save all my grouse and pheasant legs for the same purpose. Last year I did a version with some chilis, cumin seed and garlic added to the fat that made the best taco meat I've ever had. I use domestic duck fat since it's cheap and clean and easy to get a lot of (and you need a lot), but if you have a lot of wild ducks, that would be even better.

Breasts can be done so many different ways. Steve Rinella's schnitzel is a new favorite.

 

[JohnCushman]

There's always the couple of normal 'go to' ways....

Slice the breast fillet into strips and marinade overnight in Italian dressing and grill...serve with brown rice and veggies

Take fresh jalepenos and cut long ways and de seed it. Fill with cream cheese and put a piece of turkey breast on it and wrap in bacon and grill

Another way I like to do it is to cut the breast meat into pieces and pound out thin. Dredge in flour, then egg wash, and then seasoned bread crumbs. Fry quickly in oil and drain. I do it with sauerkraut and boiled potatoes with a jar of chicken or turkey gravy (I know it's blasphemy to use a jar of gravy when you have a degree in Culinary Arts..but $hit happens ). Lots of times I will add the kraut juice and some dill pickle juice to the gravy...just a little bit to change the gravy flavor.

 

[belshawelk]

Nope. I turn mine into jerkey. I will look at trying a couple ideas above, but as of now its Jerkey. I have turkeys up the wazoo on my property and never hunt them because I don't care for them, but I will try a couple recipes above recipes and see if I like them any better. Thanks guys