Turkey Recipes

[Gellar]

I was lucky enough to get a turkey on opening morning. Yesterday I plucked the bird, this morning I quartered him up and packaged some of the meat for freezing and some of it to eat right away. I plan on using the legs, thighs and wings in wild turkey carnitas which I will braise tomorrow. 1 breast will be turkey schnitzel for lunch today while the other I will freeze and smoke later. Today I am making turkey broth. It’s the first time I’ve made turkey broth. Hopefully it turns out!

 

[MThuntr]

Congrats I've never done schnitzel and stock but those seem to be better than my deep fried bird. The last one I fried was almost inedible even though it was a young bird. Always looking for a better option especially with the carcass.

@Kaitum made Steven Rinella's turkey sausage and I really liked it. He followed the recipe but we all agreed it was a bit salty so I'd recommend backing off on the salt otherwise I really like it.

 

[Gellar]

Congrats I've never done schnitzel and stock but those seem to be better than my deep fried bird. The last one I fried was almost inedible even though it was a young bird. Always looking for a better option especially with the carcass.

@Kaitum made Steven Rinella's turkey sausage and I really liked it. He followed the recipe but we all agreed it was a bit salty so I'd recommend backing off on the salt otherwise I really like it.

I am using Rinellas recipe for blonde turkey stock from his cookbook. I didn’t have all the fresh herbs so I am using dried.

 

[shannerdrake]

I really like making my turkeys into sausage. It really stretches the bird out and I think gets better the more dark meat you add. I get all of my buddies who don't eat the legs/thighs to save them for me and I add them to the batch.

I've tried Rinella's apple onion sausage and didn't care for it too much. However, his Fresh Turkey Breakfast Sausage with Sage is one of my all time favorite wild game recipes. https://www.themeateater.com/cook/recipes/fresh-turkey-breakfast-sausage-with-sage-recipe

I made three birds into over 20lbs of sausage last spring and literally have my last pound defrosting now. It really allows you to enjoy your bird(s) many times.

 

[Jmnhunter]

I really like making my turkeys into sausage. It really stretches the bird out and I think gets better the more dark meat you add. I get all of my buddies who don't eat the legs/thighs to save them for me and I add them to the batch.

However, his Fresh Turkey Breakfast Sausage with Sage is one of my all time favorite wild game recipes. https://www.themeateater.com/cook/recipes/fresh-turkey-breakfast-sausage-with-sage-recipe

I made three birds into over 20lbs of sausage last spring and literally have my last pound defrosting now. It really allows you to enjoy your bird(s) many times.

^^^^THIS! I did this with some pheasants this past winter and it was delicious, can only imagine turkey being similar. I plan on doing this with pheasants and maybe a turkey if I get lucky. The only downfall is your burps get nasty

 

[fachries]

I really like making my turkeys into sausage. It really stretches the bird out and I think gets better the more dark meat you add. I get all of my buddies who don't eat the legs/thighs to save them for me and I add them to the batch.

I've tried Rinella's apple onion sausage and didn't care for it too much. However, his Fresh Turkey Breakfast Sausage with Sage is one of my all time favorite wild game recipes. https://www.themeateater.com/cook/recipes/fresh-turkey-breakfast-sausage-with-sage-recipe

I made three birds into over 20lbs of sausage last spring and literally have my last pound defrosting now. It really allows you to enjoy your bird(s) many times.

+1

 

[JoltnJoe]

Brine the breast (individual lobes) and do a quick smoke. I have some non meat eating friends who typically only eat fish that pray I harvest a bird for this. Thighs are great cooked down into carnitas or tacos!

 

[Gellar]

Brine the breast (individual lobes) and do a quick smoke. I have some non meat eating friends who typically only eat fish that pray I harvest a bird for this. Thighs are great cooked down into carnitas or tacos!

I like to brine the breast, smoke at about 200 for 3 hours and glaze it in honey every hour or so. It usually doesn’t make it to left overs!

 

[Matt Dworak]

I've gotten into the habbit of turning them into four meals. Each lobe of the breast gets set aside (1 full breast = 2 meals), wings and legs = 1 meal, and the carcass gets turned into soup.

If I'm feeling frisky I do like to smoke them whole.

This is a BIG batch of brine - I usually only make a quarter of it for a single bird and brine in a 5-gal. bucket. Also, load him up with the marinade injector as well.

12 gallons water
3 pounds sugar cure
1 tablespoon garlic
3 tablespoons MSG
2 tablespoons pepper
15 oz Worchesteschierrerr sause
5 oz liquid smoke
2 pounds sugar
1/2 pound salt

soak 6 days and then smoke

 

[AggieHunter]

I like to brine the breast, smoke at about 200 for 3 hours and glaze it in honey every hour or so. It usually doesn’t make it to left overs!

How long do you brine it for and can it be over brined?

 

[Gellar]

How long do you brine it for and can it be over brined?

I go 12 -24 hours.i usually start after dinner the night before while we are cleaning up that mess. the longer you go the saltier it will be.

 

[RG_Adult_Onset_Hunter]

Turkeys are a versatile bird as far as ingredients go. Like Matt said above I also part my birds out to stretch them out over several meals. A quick tip on your stock if you happen to kill a big tom in the future. Retain the sponge and the feet to go into the stock pot. The feet take an extra step or two of work, but I promise that after you taste the silky smooth broth you make with them (from the gelatin you add to the mix) you will never go back.

To prep the feet: rinse off any dirt and debris, blanch the feet in boiling water for 1-2 minutes, cool the feet in cold water, peel and discard the first layer of skin from the feet, this will include the outer skin from the spurs and nails, chop the toes off at the knuckle joins and slice into the padded areas of the foot to help release the gelatin, simmer this with the rest of your stock (I don't add the feet to the browning pan since I am just trying to extract gelatin).