Many people have different ideas about which sides go best with turkey on Thanksgiving, but there is no doubt that the turkey is the main dish. If you want to serve a wild bird instead of a butterball this year, here are some things to think about.
Cooking a delicious wild turkey takes some skill and know-how to get it just right. With wild turkeys being leaner and less fat than farm-raised birds, it’s important to understand how long they need to cook properly. Follow these tips and you’ll have a juicy, flavorful turkey on your table this holiday season.
Brining is Key
Brining is one of the most important steps to ensuring your wild turkey turns out juicy tender and packed with flavor. Brining involves soaking the turkey in a saltwater solution before cooking. This helps break down proteins resulting in a more tender piece of meat. Brining also helps the turkey retain moisture.
When brining a whole wild turkey plan on letting it soak for 24-72 hours. Use a ratio of 1/4 cup of salt per quart of water. You can add other flavorings like oranges lemons, onions, garlic, peppercorns or herbs. Make enough brine to fully submerge the turkey. If needed, weigh down the bird to keep it under the brine.
For best results, brine turkey right before cooking instead of brining and freezing. Freezing can make the meat dry and tasteless.
Low and Slow Roasting
Roasting low and slow is key to getting the most juicy tender wild turkey possible. Wild turkeys are leaner than farmed turkeys so high heat can quickly dry them out.
Preheat your oven to 325°F. Place the brined and patted dry turkey on a rack in a roasting pan. Baste frequently with melted butter or olive oil to help keep it moist. Roast until the thigh meat reaches an internal temperature of 160-165°F.
Figure roasting a whole, unstuffed wild turkey will take approximately 15 minutes per pound. So a 15 lb turkey will need to roast for about 3.75-4 hours. Check the temperature periodically with a meat thermometer to monitor doneness.
Let the turkey rest for at least 30 minutes before carving. This allows juices to redistribute through the meat.
Grilling Wild Turkey
Grilling imparts delicious smoky flavor to wild turkey. Use indirect heat on a gas or charcoal grill. This involves heating only one side of the grill, while keeping the other side cooler.
Place turkey on the cooler side of the grill, away from direct flames. Close the lid to trap heat and smoke. Rotate the turkey every 30-45 minutes for even cooking.
Wild turkey takes around 15 minutes per pound on an indirect grill. Monitor temperature using a grill-safe meat thermometer. Remove from grill once thigh meat hits 165°F.
Deep Frying for Crispy Skin
Deep frying results in an ultra crispy skin that many people love. Purchase a deep fryer thermometer and fill the fryer with peanut oil. Heat oil to 350°F.
Carefully lower turkey into hot oil using a fryer basket. Follow approximate cooking times of 3-4 minutes per pound. Fry turkey until meat reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Frying locks in moisture while crisping up the skin beautifully. Be extremely careful when using hot oil. Monitor temperature closely.
Parts vs. Whole Turkey
If cooking a whole wild turkey seems intimidating, break it down into more manageable parts. Removing the legs and breast lets them cook more quickly and evenly.
The breast meat especially tends to cook faster than legs and thighs. Separating them lets you remove the breast sooner while leaving the legs in longer.
Roast turkey parts at 350°F until done, checking temperature periodically. Breasts will be done around 150-155°F and legs/thighs at 165°F.
Doneness Tips
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Investing in a good instant-read thermometer takes the guesswork out of determining doneness. Thermometers remove the risk of under or overcooking.
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When poking temperature, aim for the innermost section of meat, away from any bones. Check multiple areas to ensure even cooking.
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If roasting a stuffed turkey, check inside stuffing temperature. It should reach 165°F as well.
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Letting the turkey rest after cooking allows carryover cooking to finish, with the temperature rising another 5-10 degrees.
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Juices should run clear when turkey is pierced, not pink or red. Meat near bones may be slightly pinker.
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Overcooked, dried out turkey will have an internal temp over 170°F. Undercooked turkey stops short of 160°F.
Making Use of Leftovers
A wild turkey provides ample leftovers after the main meal. Avoid wasting food by using leftovers creatively:
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Make turkey noodle soup with leftover turkey, veggies and broth. Add egg noodles or rice.
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Use diced turkey in casseroles, pot pies or turkey tetrazzini.
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Make turkey salad sandwiches with mayo, celery, cranberries or apples.
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Dice or shred turkey to make BBQ pulled turkey, tacos, enchiladas or nachos.
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Slice or chop turkey to add to omelets, frittatas or breakfast scrambles.
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Freeze turkey pieces and broth for later use in soups, stews and chilis.
Mastering the Wild Turkey
Cooking wild turkey requires a bit more skill and attention than a store-bought bird. Take time to brine, use gentle heat and monitor temperature closely. With a little practice, you can master creating a tender, juicy holiday centerpiece. Let friends and family know how you beautifully prepared the impressive wild turkey.
Whole Bird versus Breaking it Down
Nothing is more iconic than a whole roasted turkey on a carving platter. But that’s not the best way to cook a wild turkey (or any turkey, unless it’s very small).
Turkeys are large birds, and because of their size, roasting them whole results in a lot of issues. Breasts, thighs, and legs vary in density and require different cook times and temperatures. By the time the legs and thighs are done, the breast meat is usually overcooked. This issue is common with domestic birds and even more pronounced with a lean, wild one.
The turkey you killed had been avoiding danger, fighting other turkeys, and generally making turkey hunters look stupid for years. Because of this, he will be leaner and tougher than any domestic counterpart. An overcooked butterball is pretty bad, but an overcooked wild bird is almost impossible to choke down.
By breaking down your turkey, you’ll be able to cook each piece at its optimal temperature and time. You can also mix and match how you cook each of the pieces. The broken-down bird will take up less space in your freezer, fridge, oven, and table. And it’ll taste better than any whole-roasted bird.
Break down your turkey into breasts, thighs, and legs. Save all the bones for stock or gravy. The legs will take longer to cook than the thighs, but you can mix the two together.
I brine almost all the wild turkey I cook. They’re so lean you want to retain as much moisture as you can while cooking them. It’s possible to use either a wet or a dry brine. I personally like one over the other depending on how I’m going to cook it, but either will do in a pinch.
My preferred cooking methods for turkey are sous vide and confit. After brining, I sous vide the breasts at 147°F for 90 to 120 minutes. The sous vide method cooks the breasts perfectly with maximum moisture retention. It’s the best way to cook turkey breasts, wild or domestic. When cooked to 147°F, the turkey breast is opaque but has a more springy texture and is much more juicy than when cooked to the traditional 165°F.
The legs and thighs get a dry brine, then are braised in duck fat for a few hours. The low and slow confit method will be deeply savory and ultra-rich from the duck fat. The meat will be dark, dense, and unctuous. Putting sous vide and confit-cooked meats together will create a nice contrast in taste, texture, and new and old ways of cooking.
Additionally, both these methods are great for cooking ahead of time. The chicken breasts won’t dry out if you cook them sous vide, let them cool, and then heat them back up before serving. For the confit, you should make it days ahead of time, let it cool down in the fat, and then bake the legs and thighs right before you serve them.
Sous Vide Turkey Breasts
- Dry brine the turkey breasts for 16 to 36 hours.
- Preheat sous vide to 147°F.
- Take the meat out of the brine and throw away the liquids. Then, put each turkey breast in its own vacuum bag. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of neutral oil. You can also add a bay leaf and herbs to the bag and seal it.
- Put turkey breasts that have been sealed in a water bath and cook for 90 to 120 minutes, or about 60 minutes for every inch of thickness.
- Once cooked, remove from the sous vide. After putting the breasts in an ice bath to cool them down, put them in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. If you want to serve it right away, take it out of the bag, pat the skin side dry, and sear or broil it.
Wild Turkey 2 Ways | Cooking Wild Game | Timber 2 Table
FAQ
What temperature should wild turkey be cooked at?
Is it better to cook a turkey at 325 or 350?
How long does it take to cook a raw turkey?
Weight
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Cook Time (Unstuffed)
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Cook Time (Stuffed)
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7-10 lbs.
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2½-3 hrs.
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2¾-3½ hrs.
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10-18 lbs.
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3-3½ hrs.
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3¾-4½ hrs.
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18-22 lbs.
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3½-4 hrs.
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4½-5 hrs.
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22-24 lbs.
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4-4½ hrs.
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5-5½ hrs.
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Should you soak wild turkey before cooking?