Author Topic: How good are Turkey's to Eat.  (Read 1244 times)

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Offline dougk

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How good are Turkey's to Eat.
« on: May 03, 2005, 03:39:02 PM »
I have had several opportunities to take Turkeys this past season.  But I have never eaten wild Turkey and have heard it is not good.  What is the real scoop?
thanks,
Doug

Offline quickdtoo

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How good are Turkey's to Eat.
« Reply #1 on: May 03, 2005, 03:50:31 PM »
The breast of wild turkey is great cut in ½" strips and deep fried or dipped in egg and rolled in bisquick then fried....some great eating!! The rest of the bird is best cooked in a crock pot and made into a casserole, stew or soup.
"Always do right, this will gratify some and astonish the rest" -  Mark Twain

Offline Robert

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How good are Turkey's to Eat.
« Reply #2 on: May 04, 2005, 06:13:54 AM »
I am going to disagree.  I have tried them many ways.  The last one, I filleted the breast and baked out in a small pan covered tightly with foil, then I boiled the legs and thighs and stripped off the meat for soup.  It is certainly EASIER than cleaning an entire bird.  However....tonight we are doing one in the traditional way except that I use the Reynolds Turkey Baking Bags.  If you cook it like Grandma's Thanksgiving Turkey...Yes, it will come out tough and chewey..but follow the directions with the baking bags and it comes out juicy and tender.  You have to remember though.....a WILD turkey's LEGS have about equal meat as breasts...so Wild Turkey is a Dark Meat Lover's Delight.  Some people do not like the legs.....but then 'some people' don't like dark meat on a domestic bird either.  On another note.....Since I have learned to cook Wild Turkeys in the baking bags....I use the same bags for Domestic birds over the holidays too.  I discovered that if you give it a little extra time in the oven, it does not dry out....but it falls off the bone and is really juicy...I cook it till the leg bone pulls out clean.  Mmm Mmm Mmm.
  other options.....Before baking, put it in a smoker for one hour with Mesquite or Alder chips, while still warm salt and pepper, put it in the bag and bake.
  Some people use Deep fryers made especially for Turkeys and fry in peanut oil, I haven't tried it but heard it is really good.  I have also heard many stories of people catching their hous on fire with these.
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Offline quickdtoo

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How good are Turkey's to Eat.
« Reply #3 on: May 04, 2005, 06:26:55 AM »
I've tried the baking bag twice, was disappointed both times, frying or deep frying the breast is the only way I'll ever cook a wild tom turkey ever again.....they ain't no butterball by a long shot!!! I skin the bird then  fillet the breast off of the carcass, remove the thighs and legs. Works for me and lots of friends. Deep frying is dangerous and for the amount of birds that I can do before the oil goes rancid, very expensive. The frying pan gets my vote!
"Always do right, this will gratify some and astonish the rest" -  Mark Twain

Offline Robert

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How good are Turkey's to Eat.
« Reply #4 on: May 04, 2005, 06:43:43 AM »
Tim...Dinner will be about 7 tonight.  I am about 1 hour east of Portland, a 'stone's throw' from I-84 Exit 62 in Hood River. 541-400-9047.  This one IS SKINNED...but left whole for baking.  It is a lot easier than plucking the nasty smelling critters.  I'll bet you a beer that I can sway your opinion.  Ha Ha.
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Offline quickdtoo

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How good are Turkey's to Eat.
« Reply #5 on: May 04, 2005, 06:54:20 AM »
I don't think so, been there, done that!!! :roll:  Too many friends have  ageed with me and found the same to be true.....now if cooking hens and jakes, that's a bit different, they are better....but still no butterball!

Tim
"Always do right, this will gratify some and astonish the rest" -  Mark Twain

Offline Robert

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How good are Turkey's to Eat.
« Reply #6 on: May 04, 2005, 07:04:21 AM »
Oh...if you are talking old birds...I totally agree.  This one ain't a Jake, but not an old Tom either.  About a 13 pounder...gonna be tasty
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Offline dukkillr

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How good are Turkey's to Eat.
« Reply #7 on: May 04, 2005, 07:05:17 AM »
I breast them out and use them for turkey-salad, pasta, or anything else that provides a little flavor.  The only ones I've ever baked were not good.  I'd stick to using them for generic poltry in other dishes rather than making them the main dish.  

Some eat the legs for moral reasons.  They are stringy and tough.

Offline quickdtoo

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How good are Turkey's to Eat.
« Reply #8 on: May 04, 2005, 07:37:17 AM »
Robert, where's my manners!!! Thanks for the invite, though!! The last bird I got field weighed 21lbs, the wife and I just polished the breast off a couple nights ago....she wouldn't even eat wild turkey after the second attempt at cooking one so it was edible, told me to give em away....so that's what I did until I found out about this cooking method, now she looks forward to me bringing them home!!! I usually freeze the legs and thighs which helps tenderize em, then crock pot em, debone and detendon the meat, serve it up with brown gravy and mashed taters!
"Always do right, this will gratify some and astonish the rest" -  Mark Twain

Offline Robert

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How good are Turkey's to Eat.
« Reply #9 on: May 04, 2005, 02:26:34 PM »
21 POUNDS????  Holy Mackerel....that is ONE BIG WILD TURKEY!  They seem to average about 15-17 lbs around here, but I think they might have a harder winter here.  Well, we'll see how this one does tonight.  He's been in the oven about an hour now, should be done about 6:30 -7:00.  I haven't done a whole bird skinned before...I usually go through the ordeal of plucking them if I am not boning it out.  So this one is probaly gonna look a little different.
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Offline quickdtoo

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How good are Turkey's to Eat.
« Reply #10 on: May 04, 2005, 02:47:57 PM »
That's a mature merriams, about as big as they get, easterns can go 30lbs. Enjoy that meal.... :wink:
"Always do right, this will gratify some and astonish the rest" -  Mark Twain

Offline New Hampshire

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How good are Turkey's to Eat.
« Reply #11 on: May 05, 2005, 01:05:39 AM »
We stopped in to the checking station before heading home and one guy had a beautiful tom that just went over the 25 lb mark.  Now thats an excellent eastern if I do say so myself  :grin: .
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Offline dougk

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How good are Turkey's to Eat.
« Reply #12 on: April 14, 2006, 09:38:30 AM »
we will be eating the breast from the Tom I took yesterday this Sunday....

Offline dougk

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How good are Turkey's to Eat.
« Reply #13 on: April 17, 2006, 08:44:27 AM »
the wife made a stuffed turkey breast.  It was great...

Offline Leatherstocking

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How good are Turkey's to Eat.
« Reply #14 on: April 17, 2006, 03:59:36 PM »
Try smoking turkey! I am not a big white meat fan, and the drumsticks on every wild turkey I've had are like eating leather, but smoked they're pretty good. And turkey breast smoked with a little poultry seasoning is fantastic!
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Offline osceola

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How good are Turkey's to Eat.
« Reply #15 on: April 19, 2006, 11:48:21 AM »
When I bake my plucked turkey using a cooking bag I found it works best to use a meat thermometer.  I place it in the deep thigh muscle being sure not to touch the bone.  After letting it rest for about 15 minutes I take it out of the bag to slice.  The breast meat is dry so I help it out with a couple basters of liquid from the bag.  There is so little fat to bake out of a wild turkey, it does wonders for the texture and flavor.  The rest of the broth goes into gravy, shake about 1 1/2 cups cool water with 1/2 cup flour together, salt, pepper, tsp kitchen bouquet for color, pour into the boiling stock and bring back to a boil(add more thickener or just water if needed, it's an art as much as a science).
Be Safe!

Offline Star1pup

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How good are Turkey's to Eat.
« Reply #16 on: May 06, 2006, 09:03:20 AM »
Quote from: New Hampshire
We stopped in to the checking station before heading home and one guy had a beautiful tom that just went over the 25 lb mark.  Now thats an excellent eastern if I do say so myself  :grin: .
Brian M.


Nice bird!  Mine this year was 25 lb with 11" beard & 1 3/8" spurs.  I think I'll just eat the breast.