turkey cooker

[Mike in Virginia]

I did a lot of research for one of my novels about early 1700's in the NC mountains.  The Cherokee and the early settlers cooked turkeys in the ground. After killing a turkey, they dug a hole and built a fire in it. Let it burn to coals. Keep adding wood until you have a good bed of coals. They coated the skinned bird in mud from a creek or mud they made with water they carried. Put him on the coals, put some coals around and on top of him, then cover the hole with dirt, but not so much that air can't get in.  I don't know how long it cooked, but when it was done, they washed it off and enjoyedu a hearty meal.
The process is incosistent with tagging and checking turkeys in  most states, but if your'e going to eat it, what the heck. 

[Graybeard]

I don't recommend it whether they did or didn't really do it. Once several years back out in Texas at the Reed Ranch during the Big Hog Outing can't recall if first or second Jim's wife Judy decided to give that mud wrapped baking idea a try.

Whoowe that was AWFUL. I don't think anyone was able to eat what was cooked that way. I forget now just what she cooked up that way but it was horrible. Perhaps it was the mud chosen I dunno but I'd sure not waste a turkey trying it. Use something smaller and of less value to you first.