Wild Turkey...how do they taste? best way to cook it?

[TopNoc]

I've killed and eaten several. We have deep fried them whole and also baked them in a roaster for Thanksgiving Dinner. I don't think anyone could tell they were wild and not store bought. Whoever told you they're not good must have managed to mess up the cooking really badly.

[SaltwaterSlick]

They are excellent table fare... In the Fall, they will tend to have more fat and less pin feathers in the skin so it is possible to pick 'em instead of skinning them. IF you want to bake one, it needs to be picked, not skinned. My family and I have cooked hundreds of them, and truly, I find the wild turkeys to be more moist than the store bought birds... The breast especially is much more moist. My favorite part of any turkey is the thighs, and they are just as good, maybe better on a wild turkey as opposed to a store bought bird. Now in the Spring, it's a whole other story. The gobblers tend to be run down from the rut, and all turkeys in the spring are full of pin feathers and next to impossible to pick cleanly. Wouldn't try baking one shot in the spring. Breast though is still just as juicy and tender when battered and fried.

[Bowtechdave]

second frying it. Legs are really tough, but the breast cut into strips and fried is great.

[rbertman]

Beat them a little before you batter and fry them there great just tend to be a little tuff if you don't tenderize them a little

[frios]

Thanks for all the input! I think I'm gonna shoot one now!!!

[SaltwaterSlick]

...waitin' on LDP's!

[Shane]

I like wild turkey better than butterball. Wild turkey has more and better flavor. Deep fried whole, chicken fried, wrapped in bacon and baked, pan fried in butter and olive oil with Ragin Blaze seasoning..... It's good all kinds of ways.

[clayg08]

Thanks for all the input! I think I'm gonna shoot one now!!!

take the opportunity and shoot one ! i just wish i could SEE one

[paigers01]

I usually slice up the breast meat, and soak it for several hours in a brine of sugar and salt. Then bacon wrap it in a jalapeno with cream cheese.

[Patton]

We cut up the breast meat brine for 24 hours then batter and fry it's really good

You forgot our secret batter ingredient- crushed gram crackers. 1/2 and 1/2 on gram and flour w/seasonings

It tastes delicious

[cricman]

I fry the breast for the family and crock pot the legs for my vizsla.


cricman

[Danimal14]

Beat them a little before you batter and fry them there great just tend to be a little tuff if you don't tenderize them a little

yup, people like to hate on the legs but I cut the meat off and pound it out flat marinate over night then cut in strips and fry, very tasty

[wade _s]

We cut the breast meat into thin strips, bread with planko bread crumbs and lightly fry. I like to de-bone the thighs, season, add a little water and cook them in the crock pot slowly for about 4 hours...very tender.

[Mayhem]

I mix it with 7up. Talk about good.

[oktx]

Chicken fried. We cooked in a crockpot all day. My wife shredded it and made enchiladas with it.