Wild Turkey Legs

[Lane]

I have two legs left off the turkey I shot late last season.

What is the best way to cook wild turkey legs?

[DonBo]

You won't be happy anyway you choose to fix them, unless you just boil 'em down for soup.

[Hoyt4]

Slow cook them and then add to a soup. Love it that way or I bring in and have them smoked and that's really good to.

[fivebucks]

I haven't kept the legs since my first bird, just been breasting them out. I like the soup idea and might have to try that this year if I get a bird.

[tcsprtsmn]

Boil them down...debone and make soup!!!!!!!

I do the same with pheasants.

[IlliniWalli]

wild turkey legs are delicious - as are the thighs, drummies and other trimmings.

toss the legs or thighs in the crock pot with some spices/herbs, add water and cook on low 10-12 hours and the meat falls off the bones.

then we make turkey and noodles, turkey soup, turkey salad, sandwiches, whatever. we even save and use the broth for the noodles, soup or other recipes that call for chicken stock.

i cant imagine throwing away all that meat and missing out on all those good eats.

[Hoyt4]

Make sure not to toss around the woods or camp. Guy got busted not in our group last year in NE for wast of game by not taking the legs. Still should not toss either way. Someone would use them.

[toughguy]

Make sure not to toss around the woods or camp. Guy got busted not in our group last year in NE for wast of game by not taking the legs. Still should not toss either way. Someone would use them.

How ridiculous. Do they require you take the heart, liver and intestines with too?

[triggertrav]

Bring them to the local locker plant and have them smoke them.

[DonBo]

Bring them to the local locker plant and have them smoke them.

Someone else mentioned this too, but geez, there's so many of those stringy bones and tendons and fibers and such in there, is it worth it? I can't imagine it would be anything but tough and stringy as he11. Am I wrong?

[MinnesotaMike]

Me and buddy stop in at the local New Albin Ia. smoke house during hunting season to get the smoked Turkey Legs from them. Yes, they are stringy but boy are they good.

If I get a Turkey this year I will have them smoked.

Good Luck,

Mike

[DonBo]

Me and buddy stop in at the local New Albin Ia. smoke house during hunting season to get the smoked Turkey Legs from them. Yes, they are stringy but boy are they good.

If I get a Turkey this year I will have them smoked.

Good Luck,

Mike

Are they WILD turkey legs???? Huge difference I would think between a wild bird and a domestic.

[Hoyt4]

Don

The one's we had done at Von Hason's tasted great. Yes they will have a little stringy to them but man that smoke turkey tasted good.

[Hoyt4]

How ridiculous. Do they require you take the heart, liver and intestines with too?

He had harvested two birds so he had four legs in the dumpster. Alot of wasted meat.

[LABS4ME]

All the legs you 'buy' at the meat markets are domestic birds. I brined, injected brine and smoked wild turkey legs (same process as a meat locker) and still dang near inedible. Dogs got more of it than I. Flat out, wild turkey's lives rely on their legs and they are in no way shape or form the same as domestic birds.

The only way I've successfully utilized the meat is in soup, stew or slow cooking. I did find a shredded chipotle poultry recipe once done in the crock pot. Used the legs in that and it was darn tastey burritos that night... roasted, smoked and deep fried will leave you with meat as tough as shoe leather....

Good Luck!

Ken

[DonBo]

Flat out, wild turkey's lives rely on their legs and they are in no way shape or form the same as domestic birds.... roasted, smoked and deep fried will leave you with meat as tough as shoe leather...

That's exactly what I was thinkin', but honestly have never tried anything other than slow cooking them down for soup/stew/enchillada type meat.

[Cheetah]

I tried slow cooking a pair of wild turkey drumsticks a few months back and they were super tough. They cooked for a good 10 hours if I remember correctly. Maybe I didn't cook them long enough to get the meat to really come off the bones and tendons?

Turkey thighs produce a lot of meat and cook well. Real shame if guys are throwing that out.

[LABS4ME]

need to slow cook with lots of moisture or liquid...

Good Luck!

Ken

[Lane]

Now for the dumb question.

I am more of a grill guy, so making soup is a little out of my wheel house (unless it comes from a can). How do I make the broth and then the soup?

I know someone here has a killer recipe...

[LABS4ME]

I don't measure anything so I will try to guess the amounts. I don't think it really matters. It all cooks together and always tastes good!

I boil the legs in a good quality chicken broth. Usually 2 boxes and maybe a little extra water if needed. When the meat will easily pull off the bone(s). Remove to a plate to cool. Chop a whole onion, mince a clove of garlic, 2-3 stalks of celery, 4-5 carrots sliced, 1 roma tomato diced fine, 1-2 potatoes diced and after the meat cools the meat. Add some thyme (1/2 tsp?), basil (1/2 tsp?), parsley (1/2tsp) salt to taste and pepper to taste. Heat till boiling, then reduce heat, cover and simmer on low for 1-2 hours... add frozen green peas 10-15 minutes before serving... bout a 1/2 - 3/4 cup

I've done it without potatoes and used Reames frozen egg noodles about the same time I add the peas.

Can also do dumplings... 1-2 cups of flour and 2-3 eggs. a little balck pepper and garlic salt. Stir until a very pastey dough, drop in by the tablespoon full into low rolling boiling soup. Cook till all are floating 5-10 minutes.

A simple soup recipe but works with turkey, pheasant, and chicken...

Good Luck!

Ken

[Nightcrawler]

soup sounds good if didn't have to wait 10 hrs for the meat.

[PurpleFloyd]

For those looking to try the legs but avoid the tendons there are ewe toob videos that show how to get rid of them on pheasants and other birds. You basically cut around the knee joint skin with a knife then take a pliers And break the knee joint and pull. It will pull the tendons off with it and leave the meat on the bone.