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Wild turkey

Would you remember that turkey can be wild game? It is in the United States.

When Thanksgiving is just around the corner, it is a good time to talk about the wild Turkey, and no, not the liquor.

Hunting and preparing a wild turkey

We have all heard the story about Benjamin Franklin wanting the turkey to be our national bird because it provided essential food for early settlers. Before the pilgrims, in North America, tribes like the Navajo first encountered turkeys after they had problems keeping them away from their meager dessert crops. They lost the battle but discovered that if they feed and contained the birds they had a controlled source of protein and ornamental feather. Instead of being the pests they had started becoming, they became symbols of friendship. When the Pilgrims came and saw the birds that looked similar to their own turkeys, it was a natural occurrence that they too would hunt and domesticate the birds.

Wild Turkeys are the largest birds in the United States. They are strong birds that can fly at a speed of 35- 45 miles per hour, yet they can not sustain a long distance. By the time a wild tom is 10 months old (jakes), he will weigh between 14 to pounds, and grow into adults that reach 17 to 22 lbs. The hens are noticeably smaller. Last year my own homestead raised a turkey. At 8 months he weighed 38 pounds, we did not give him a specialty diet. You will see an increase of weight if you buy your tom from a local raiser rather than hunting them wild. This is due to them not needing a fight or flight response. We call them lazy and spoiled.

If hunting is your method of acquire your turkey bird, remember to field dress it, essentially gutting the bird and leaving on the feathers. This will help the bird stay moist, and keep from spoiling the meat. Traditionally you pluck before gutting, but if you are a ways from home, field dressing is preferred. Keeping the skin intact, when plucking, though time consuming, will result in a moister bird when you cook it. Save the giblets to make gravy, sauces or soups. If you do not want to take all that time to slowly pluck, (either dry or scalding the bird) you can fillet the breast and removed the legs and thighs. You can do this without opening the body cavity. You will need to compensate for the lack of skin, however, when cooking.

Wild turkey has 25.7% protein, 1.1% fat and 163 calories in 3 ½ ounces of meat. The lack of fat means it tends to dry out. There is little reason to have a dried out bird sitting at your table for your guests to nibble and lie to you about how delicious it is. Once your bird is thawed (if you are being it that way) or 12 hours after being dressed out, submerge your bird in a brine of apple cider. This will help break down some of that toughness, resulting in a tender and succulent bird. Don’t worry about what types of seasoning you use after brining, you will not taste the apple.

I discourage the use of stuffing inside of your turkey. It comes out dry, and there is a risk of bacteria. Instead make a stuffing on the side. When baking the whole bird, weight will be a factor. When roasting an unstuffed turkey at 325°F:

8 to 12 pounds 2-3/4 to 3 hours
12 to 14 pounds 3 to 3-3/4 hours
14 to 18 pounds 3-3/4 to 4-1/4 hours
18 to 20 pounds 4-1/4 to 4-1/2 hours
20 to 24 pounds  4-1/2 to 5 hoursUse a turkey baster to pick up the natural juices that will puddle inside of the cavity, baste the bird every 30 minutes, or whenever you remember it. Wild Turkey is much drier than your local grocers turkey. If you should happen to have leftovers, the meat should be removed from the bone and placed into a shallow (or several shallow) container(s), then refrigerator or freezer within 2 hours of removing from the oven. Un-stuffed cooked turkey can last in the fridge for 3-4 days, while lasting 3-4 months in the freezer. Gravy should be used within 1-2 days max.

Turkeys are great all year long. No need to wait until Thanksgiving. Hunting or buying a bird not intended for the holidays can make many different meals. So no complaining about the initial cost. There are recipes that do not need an entire bird, turkey soup and Ground Turkey meatballs are an example. If you do cook an entire bird, use an apricot sauce to send your taste buds on an adventure, and don’t forget those giblets!

Turkey is the meat with the least cholesterol. Turkey meat is also rich in tryptophan, the essential aminoacid our bodies need to make serotonin.