Finally...A tastey turkey recipe

[RadSav]

The past few years I've been tagging a good number of turkey.  But, I was still left with a distaste of wild turkey dishes.  Dozens upon dozens of recipes downloaded, passed along to me and thought up in my head.  Only one of which I made more than once and that was "Leak and Barley" soup from a Better Homes & Garden cookbook.  I was beginning to think I might give up turkey hunting altogether if I couldn't find a recipe that made them palatable.   Worst yet was the wife hated them even more than I did.

Well, last night I made a breakthrough.  The wife liked this so much she not only ate it for dinner, but had it fried for breakfast and nuked for lunch.  Looks like it is going to be a winner!  Wish I had taken better pictures before she wiped it out.  Maybe I will make it again in the next few weeks and post some better pictures then.

The idea started when Chase Fulcher sent me a gift package of Meacham peppered bacon.  I took two whole turkeys and ground all legs, breast and 1# of Chase's bacon together with a course grind.  Then I switched to a fine grind disk and ran it through the grinder again making sure to really mix the bacon, light and dark meat together evenly.  Kitchen Aide did a great job!

I then took half an onion that had been in the fridge for a week, chopped it fine and cooked it is some butter for about 10 minutes until it started to look translucent.  Next time I'll probably use a purple onion...just because I like them better with fowl.  Then it was all about mixing all the ingredients well and cooking in a 350 oven for 50 minutes.  The glaze went on after that and cooked for another ten minutes.  Probed internal temp was about 150-160F

1.5# of ground turkey (w/bacon)
1/2 cup half & half
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 onion (chopped fine and cooked to translucent in butter)
2 Tablespoons chopped Parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried Thyme (I would probably use more if I'd had fresh)
1-1/8 teaspoon Himalayan Pink salt (just because I hate white table salt)
1/8 + teaspoon freshly ground Tellicherry pepper (more flavor)
1/2 cup plain Progresso bread crumbs

I suppose if you wanted to you could add an egg or two.  However, I do not usually use egg in my meatloaf if I have added applesauce and half & half.  It was plenty firm last night and firm enough to make sandwiches after five hours in the fridge.  I was worried about the turkey maybe being too dry and not holding firm without the egg but I shouldn't have been.  IMO it was absolutely perfect without it!

I used the same glaze I use for all my meat loaves.  I found it almost 30 years ago in the same Better Homes & Garden cookbook as the Leak and Barley soup.

GLAZE:
1/4 cup catsup
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon Colman's dry mustard (the only dry mustard I will use)

The only other thing I did is the same as I do with all meat loaf.  I like to have a small dish of Mayo on the side.  I dip just enough to add a little creaminess to the texture.  I did eat some without the Mayo and it was still outstanding.

Hoping this might help someone else who, like me, has never found a wild turkey worth eating.  For myself, this changed everything.  Turkey around here won't be lasting very long at all anymore! 

[RadSav]

This meatloaf gave me an idea for a purple onion meatball recipe with cranberry gravy.  I might try making that tomorrow.  Maybe we will have two recipes worth eating soon

[Jester052]

 :drool:hi

[Gobble Doc]

Great idea.  Thanks for sharing. 

[Wea300mag]

Man, that sounds/looks good!

[lokidog]

Looks good, but then I haven't met a wild turkey I didn't like, deepfried, smoked, slow cooked, etc.     I fileted mine this year for a change but have not cooked any yet.  I'm thinking of marinating the breast in soy with brown sugar and then grilling it, love chicken that way.

[RadSav]

Looks good, but then I haven't met a wild turkey I didn't like, deepfried, smoked, slow cooked, etc.    

Well, they are a good step up from raccoon!

[lokidog]

Looks good, but then I haven't met a wild turkey I didn't like, deepfried, smoked, slow cooked, etc.    

Well, they are a good step up from raccoon!

Hey!!!!!   

[MuleySniper]

So 10% wild turkey to 90% bacon right?

[lokidog]

Coyote might be good in a meatloaf too....    

[RadSav]

Coyote might be good in a meatloaf too....   

That is actually pretty good.  Though I did mix it 50/50 with Catalina Goat.  Now our vet says coyote is a No-No...too high of risk.  So I won't do that any longer.

[WAcoyotehunter]

I tried a new recipe this year too.  I pounded the breast flat and made a pinwheel with mozzarella, spinach, and seasoning, then baked it until cooked (NOT OVERCOOKED!) It was fantastic!

The other one got cranberry and shaved almond added and was also great, but I don't really care for cranberry flavor....

[lokidog]

I tried a new recipe this year too.  I pounded the breast flat and made a pinwheel with mozzarella, spinach, and seasoning, then baked it until cooked (NOT OVERCOOKED!) It was fantastic!

The other one got cranberry and shaved almond added and was also great, but I don't really care for cranberry flavor....

Try dried cherries next time, I like the sweeter flavor and they add about the same texture as cranberries.

[WAcoyotehunter]

awesome- thanks! I'm hunting again tomorrow and will hopefully get the chance!

[quadrafire]

Dang Rad that looks good, But I like mine simple. EVOO, salt/pepper on the breast, grilled medium. Legs/thighs into the crock pot for turkey and dumplings.