Wild Turkey Recipies

[Dakota Kid]

Now that spring turkey season has ended or is nearing the end in most places, I would like to see some recipies for the table.

I would like basic from roasting, smoking, grilling; to the exotic from some of you fowl experts.

Thanks again,
Dakota Kid

[Mint]

I would like a recipe for smoking turkeys, i got my first one this year and want to make it up for the guys at my archery club.

[chefpaul]

Hi Mint,
We talked about this at Baltimore shoot the past weekend. I might as well share it with the gang. the method goes as follows first brine the turkey then dry rub followed by smoking.
Definitely use the apple juice instead of water.

Brining Chef Magro
Brine for Pork or Poultry


1/ 2 gal Hot Water
2 lbs.   Brown sugar
4 cups   Kosher Salt—Diamond Crystal
6 Heads   Garlic- chopped
2 cups   Black Peppercorns
80    Cloves
40   Bay Leaves-crumbled
1 bunch   Sage
1 bunch   Rosemary
1 bunch   Thyme
1/4 cup Juniper Berries
2 gal   Ice Water
   

Method
1.   Mix Brown sugar, salt in hot water
2.   Add everything but the water for 1/2 of
         hour to let infuse
3.   After ½ hour add cold water

Note: brine product in only cold brine solution.
Note: You can substitute apple juice for h2o but need to cut brown sugar by 1 cup

Brine overnight whole turkeys or whole pork loins

Then rub a dry rub on it. I like an Asian influence-mash 6-8 cloves of garlic, 2 tbs grated ginger root 2 TBS kosher salt, 2 TBS ground black pepper and 2-3 TBS Chinese 5 spice powder. (a mixture of cinnamon, star anise, ginger, fennel, clove) some chefs also add ground Szechwan peppercorns. Rub this all over the bird and let dry in refrigerator for 2-3 hours and then smoke. Very Tasty.

Chef Paul

[Ray Hammond]

turkeys, especially wild ones have little fat in the meat..so are apt to dry out bad in a smoker.

I use cajun injector in the turkey..the creole butter recipe. Then on the outside I use a dry rub called Lysander's for chicken.

Smoke it at low temps, over a pan of water- in other words..no fire directly under the bird..maybe 285 to 300 degrees if the fire is not under the bird..and when the skin gets that golden crackly brown...she's done. If its a 20 lb bird I inject at least a half bottle of that creole butter, sometimes more. You can't put too much in, really..especially the wings, and legs need it to stay moist.

I believe some folks use a meat thermometer to verify its done inside...I on the other hand like to live dangerously and just "guess"..kind of like stopping and asking directions...real men don't do that...and real bbq afficionados guess, rather than use the meat thermometer.  

[3sixbits]

It's pretty good, just over ice, also!

[Daniel Hugelier]

Dakota,

I got a whole section of wild turkey recipes in the spring issue of The Bowyer's Journal under Wild Harvest, what to do with natures bounty.
Wild turkey cutlets with creamed morels are awesome, and just cooked to the point; not dried out at all.

In addition to that, I was promted to pressure can the leg meat by a suggested thread from Dean Torges and Tim Ott winner of last years ABC.......
I roasted the legs to brown with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning, deglazed the pan with a little stock, boned them and put the meat in half pint jars with the natural meat juices............best turkey leg meat I ever had. Made some awesome turkey-potato hash with poached eggs and mushroom sauce for me and a hunting pal last weekend.

The article has detailed recipes which are easy to follow,

Dan

[Killdeer]

chefpaul, 6 heads of garlic?  :eek:  
I'm in love!!

Killdeer