Turkey cooking

[laker1]

Being a novice how do you prepare your turkey? Roast,jerky,stew etc.?

[DanOmite19]

We cooked my sons turkey that he got yesterday based on a recipe that was posted in here not too long ago. Cube up the breast and marinate it in Italian dressing. I did ours overnight in some zesty garlic Italian. Wrap them in bacon, and grill. Unbelievable. I will do wild turkey this way from now on... I searched this recipe on the Internet, and found it is pretty common with lots of variations. Legs are good for stews and jerky is great too but the bacon wrapped is definitely worth a try....

[ANYFISH2]

Last year we deep fried my bird, injected it was an entire jar of creole butter cajun injecter. Fried at 375 for 45 min. It was tender and tasted better than any raised turkey, minus legs and thighs, they were tough and I will probably try the enchalada(sp)thing with those.

This year I tore the skin badly while plucking so I decided to breast this one and slow cook it. The wife used 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup, 1 1/2 cans of heavy cream, 8 oz of portabella mushrooms, teaspoon of peprika(sp), and salt and pepper. cooked on low for 8 hours.

Again it was fantastic, especially served over buttered noddles.

I have no idea where some people say they taste gamey or less than great!

[Borch]

The thing with wild turkey is that it's so lean. So anything you can do to keep it moist with help in the taste department. I've never thought of it as gamey but I have had it dry. Keep it moist and it's very good.

[leech~~]

You don't need to have the skin on to deep fry them. That's the way I will be cooking mine soon.

[PFUNK]

Wild turkey enchiladas for me. One of my favorite meals of wild game.

[laker1]

Can you cut the breast up and pan fry it like ruff grouse,or does it get just too tough.

I consider grouse a very dry meat.

I really have not heard of many baking turkey legs,is it possible or do you end up with leather?

Young birds(jakes) vs older birds as far as being more tender?

[sticknstring]

I've been marinating my turkeys legs for a day & then cooking them on the grill. They come out really tender, but are still dificult to eat w/ all the tendons. That dark meat is delicious though. I've got a 1/2 breast thawing out for Sat night right now - going to cube, marinate, wrap in bacon, and grill to perfection!

[Borch]

Can you cut the breast up and pan fry it like ruff grouse,or does it get just too tough.

I consider grouse a very dry meat.

I really have not heard of many baking turkey legs,is it possible or do you end up with leather?

Young birds(jakes) vs older birds as far as being more tender?

I would say that as far as leanness wild turkey breast is very similar to ruffed grouse. Slightly different texture and flavor. I like to marinade and either cook slowly at a low temp or sear it at a high temp initially and back off the temp until it's done. Whatever you can do to keep it moist.

Pan frying may work if you cut it into smaller pieces so it gets done more quickly.

[laker1]

That is what I was thinking. Cut breast in small thin pieces and pan fry like grouse.

[otterman91105]

The meat that i got off the legs and thighs i ended up grinding it up. Don't know if it's any good that way but there are so many tendons to have to work around.

[DonBo]

For me, legs and thighs get thrown in the crockpot for soup. I'm sure grinding is a good idea if you can get all the tendons out of there.

[leech~~]

For me, legs and thighs get thrown in the crockpot for soup. I'm sure grinding is a good idea if you can get all the tendons out of there.

Donbo, when you do that do you trim off the meat or just lob them in to stew? What do you do to get all the little tendon boney parts out?

[DonBo]

Donbo, when you do that do you trim off the meat or just lob them in to stew? What do you do to get all the little tendon boney parts out?

I don't try to trim it first, just throw them in whole. Pick apart after they're done.

[IlliniWalli]

big key to easily getting the tendons out of the legs - after they have simmered in the crock pot for 10 hours with secret herbs and spices - is to remove them while the meat is still warm.

take the legs out of the crocker and let cool for 5 minutes or so and the meat falls off the bone/tendons. if you let the legs get cold, its a lot tougher.

[leech~~]

Maybe I'm cooking a little to long in the crook? Most of the time when I pull the legs out it's just bone and the rest of the tendon hanging. But lots' of tendon spread out in the pot from mixing throughout the day. I hate boney soup!

[IlliniWalli]

cook the legs and remove the bone and tendons THEN add the meat to your soup or whatever other recipe.

[laker1]

You think jakes are much more tender than a old Tom turkey?

[otterman91105]

I mixed the leg meat with hamburger after i ground it up it turned out good.