Bagged my 1st Tom...now what

[Fazzy]

I am optimistic this will be the year a gobbler is taken by someone in our hunting party, hopefully me! I have shot and cleaned most every game bird found in MN except the Woodcock and the Wild Turkey. While I have some experience preparing wild game I am clueless when it comes to the wild gobbler.

Our basecamp is a cabin and would like to prepare the bird for dinner the day it is taken. Does anyone have suggestions on the best / easiest way to prepare the bird for the BBQ? Is breasting the bird acceptable way to prepare it or does that waste too much meat?

[harvey lee]

I typically skin the bird and either bake it whole or smoke it. One of these years I'm going to also deep fry one as I have heard they are excellent.

It does waste some meat but only the wings, legs and neck. I personally like those parts of the bird also.

[SlamNFish]

Ive smoked em and it's excellent! Ive also breasted them out and made turkey strips breaded with flour and seasoning and parmeson chesse coated the strips and fried them up. Dip em in your favorite sauce and its good eatin.

Ive never tried wild bird deep fried but im sure it would be excellent also. I will try it sometime.

[Scott M]

With your experience cleaning birds you can handle a nice tom. I wouldn't breast it because there is a good bit of meat elsewhere. I would pluck it and take your pick of preparation. There are some tips in the recipe forum and in the turkey hunting forum if I remember right on many different ways to prepare it. Try out the search function.

I'm with harvey lee, I would love to try one in a deep fryer. Maybe you want to try that out. Otherwise BBQ on the grill or marinade in a bag or whatever your fancy is.

[demonjigger]

I have had them deep fried. They are the best, smoked are good too. You can just skin them, and after cooking the outside meet makes a kind of crust. Kinda like turkey jerky. It's all good, typing this is making me hungry.

[Bothun]

Each year the first bird we get we deep fry it. It is great. Throw some chunks onto a piece of bread with a little bbq sauce and a slice of cheese. Plus it makes great leftovers for camp.

[demonjigger]

doesn't hurt to inject them with the butter/garlic stuff either.

[DonBo]

I have taken the breast, cut it into chunks, marinade in Italian Dressing, wrap in bacon and put on a hot grill. When the bacon is done, take off and enjoy!

Quick and easy, and ohhhhh so good.

[Nate McVey]

I have never deep fried a wild turkey, but have done at least one for the last 6 years on Thanksgiving. IMO, it is the best way to prepare a bird. My dad got a jake 2 years ago and we just breasted it. I smoked the breast and then sliced it into lunchmeat and used that for a week of sandwichs at elk camp.

WHEN I get one this year, I plan on taking the whole bird and dropping it in the fryer. Good luck!

[Borch]

I almost always pluck mine as I really like them in the deep fryer. If the pin feathers are unmanageable then I'll skin it out.

[Hotspotter]

For those plucking their bird, do it quickly, but not too quickly !

When plucking the bird within the first 1/2 hour or so of killing it, many times the skin rips off with the feathers. Conversely, wait 2 hours or more, and the bird cools, fat further hardens, and getting all feathers, esp. pinfeathers, are that much more difficult.

Scalding works well to loosen everything out, but take care not to dunk the bird too long. Really, you're just warming up the outer fat and connective tissue which keeps the feathers in, in the first place.

I'll pluck to smoke/grill, deep-fry, or roast, and breast only if temperatures and conditions require it, and/or time demands it.

My favorite turkey recipe is a grill-smoking recipe from Alton Brown. Fabulous.

Joel

[Hoyt4]

You got it DonBo.Will not have a bird any other way now.Been doing this for last 5 years.I do also like Cajun shore lunch on turkey bites also.But the Italian dressing and bacon are the way to go.I have introduced that to friends that will not touch wild game now just love it.Smoke not bad also deep fried one both tasted good.

[SlamNFish]

After eating fish and venison and pheasent all winter i'm ready for some turkey. That last post on turkey bites that sounds good.

I better get my bow warmed up

[fishn4kids]

Try this one for smoking the bird. Pluck the bird, inject marinade of your choice then pin shaved ham around the bird to act as a fake skin. (helps keep it from drying out) this method is really good and keeps it more moist than a naked bird would be.

Duane

[LABS4ME]

I agree, plucking is the way to go! Keeps the meat from drying out. You can deep fry them, smoke them, grill them or cook in a turkey bag. Just don't dry them out!

I especially like mine smoked... MMM MMM!

A few slices of that on fresh baked ciabatta bread, with swiss cheese and honey ham, with a little hollandaise sauce drizzled on top... you'll be a hero!

Good Luck!

Ken

[Tipup101]

Skin the bird. Then cook it in a roasting bag with flour, butter, and a little water. It will not dry out. Then cure you skin so you can use it on your decoy next year. Thats me and my freinds do.

[birdswacker]

Are you guys boiling them before plucking?

[Powerstroke]

Not exactly boiling, you get water going thats almost boiling and then you dip the bird. Like Jnelson said, you're only trying to loosen up to outer skin and fat so plucking will be easier.

I don't have a way to heat that much water so I did a dry pluck last year and it went pretty well for only my first time trying.

[picksbigwagon]

I usually breast out the bird and save the legs and thighs for soup. With the breast, I will "butterfly" slice the breast the long way (I am sure there is a technical cooking term for this) so that I have a thinner, more consitant thickness and a longer breast. I fill it with some wild rice stuffing, and roll it up, tie it with cooking string, put some bacon around the outside of it and put it in the smoker.

Sliced and served with some form of potato's (my favorite is red potato's roasted with garlic and parmesan cheese) and a nice rheisling wine............

Oh, and make sure you apply for the turkey lic. before the Dec. Deadline.........DOH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[goblueM]

my favorite recipe is to saute mushrooms in butter and garlic, then combine with 3/4 cup white wine and 1/2 cup chicken broth, salt and pepper to taste, then dump it over a flattened turkey breast. Sprinkle fontina and parmesan cheese over it, bake it. delicious...

[Hammer Handle]

You only get one...so enjoy it. Wild Turkey is great!

Don't just "breast it out". It really bugs me when people just breast out birds and waste a lot of meat.

Good luck!

[fisherking01]

If you're planning on eating it the same day it is harvested, take note to cool it very well. An uncooled bird tends to be extremely tough... Next day is better. Brent

[Fazzy]

I was unaware...Thanks for that tip!