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.

[washingtonmuley]

Turkey nuggets! ! My kids ask for turkey nuggets that are made from the breast meat and deep fried. They are delicious.

[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.

Well tried the grilled breast, fantastic.  Half day soak in 2 cups soy, one cup water, and about 2/3 cup of brown sugar.  Plus I put in a big squirt of garlic.  Before grilling on medium heat for about 20 minutes, I sprinkled them with onion powder thyme, basil, and black pepper.

 

[RadSav]

Turkey nuggets! ! My kids ask for turkey nuggets that are made from the breast meat and deep fried. They are delicious.

I've tried about 20 different types of nuggets.  Nasty...every one of them.

Grilled has been mildly edible.  Enough not to let the bird go to waste.  But, nothing I would ever want to eat if I had much of a choice.  Have not soaked in soy and brown sugar.  That might go a long way to covering up the taste of the turkey   I have soaked it is a Dark Rum and brown sugar brine and smoked it.  Works better on skanky chums than it does turkey, but again it is mildly edible enough to make sure the bird does not go to waste.

I tries the red onion turkey balls tonight.  No where near as good as the meat loaf.  But, I think I learned enough to make it better next time.  Firmness was excellent and meatball flavor was pretty good.  I tried to make a cranberry gravy from scratch.  Need a bit of work to make that come out better.    Cayenne pepper gave the cranberries a little kick, but it needed something a bit more.  I'll think about it a little more and try again soon.  Showing great promise though.

I've got about 20# of turkey burger and another 30# of potential burger in the freezer.  So there is plenty to keep working out the bugs.  Quite confident I can get this one to work before it's all gone.

[Jonathan_S]

I have a hard time enjoying wild turkey.

[carpsniperg2]

Turkey nuggets! ! My kids ask for turkey nuggets that are made from the breast meat and deep fried. They are delicious.

Every year I look forward to turkey nuggets

[Cascade]

Dang, I think I need to branch out a bit.  I always deep fry the bird in peanut oil.


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[RadSav]

Turkey nuggets! ! My kids ask for turkey nuggets that are made from the breast meat and deep fried. They are delicious.

Every year I look forward to turkey nuggets

You are shooting those grain fed birds, aren't you?  Maybe I should try shooting a few of those    As is I just can not get myself to swallow another turkey nugget.  Starting to create a gag just thinking about them.

[carpsniperg2]

  the only grain I think the turkeys I shoot have a ever ate is out of a cow pie 

[lokidog]

Anyone want to trade their turkey meat for a Foster Farms fryer, I'm in... I'll provide the fryer BTW.   

Dang, I think I need to branch out a bit.  I always deep fry the bird in peanut oil.


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I like deep fried but can never get the legs to not be overcooked.

[RadSav]

I like deep fried but can never get the legs to not be overcooked.

Me too.  Odd since the legs seem the last part to get dry on a store bought bird.

BTW - The dogs think home made wild turkey dog food is the greatest stuff EVER!!!  Vet gave me a recipe when one of the dogs was sick.  If it wasn't so much work most of my turkeys would end up dog food.  Sure wish I liked them as much as the dogs do.

Dog food is boiled bird then ground. Cabbage, broccoli, sweet potato, carrots, non-fat yogurt, non-fat cottage cheese, brown rice.  Because of the sick dog the only sodium in the whole thing is the cottage cheese.  I tried it and it was horrible.  But my goodness do the dogs love the stuff!  Made the little girl so darn happy she was better in no time at all.  Vet said it was miraculous!!  If only it would cure old age.

[Magnum_Willys]

Gotta shoot the Jakes?   Hens and Jakes taste great at least the ones we've gotten.  Now those 10" Toms you gotta get creative.  Maybe birds from different areas taste different?

[RadSav]

Gotta shoot the Jakes?   Hens and Jakes taste great at least the ones we've gotten.  Now those 10" Toms you gotta get creative.  Maybe birds from different areas taste different?

I had heard that too.  The past few years I've taken two hens and two jakes.  Actually one of the jakes and both hens were taken on the edge of wheat fields.  The deer there were incredible eating.  And though the hens were definitely more tender I didn't see much of a difference in taste.  Still tasted a lot like cow patties smell

So far the best tasting wild turkey have been the Easterns I've killed here on the westside.  They even taste better than the Easterns I've killed in PA.  Perhaps worms, ants and salal berries make for good eating   Maybe that's why I love those westside Ruffs so much.  Now those are good eating birds

[Jonathan_S]

Maybe that's why I love those westside Ruffs so much.  Now those are good eating birds

Oh my gosh.  Don't get me started.  September is too far away to start talking about grouse meat 

[Pinetar]

Ok RadSav,

I have always liked wild turkey and so has my family. However, with all the turkey meat we have this year, I decided we needed a change and tried your recipe tonight.

The only thing I did different was add garlic and Yoshidas Original Sweet Teriyaki. WOW! Good stuff!! Thanks for another way to cook wild turkey. This is now my favorite turkey recipe.

[jrebel]

tag

[swift]

Rad try red onion/ red wine/ peppercorns reduced to a gravy !
And I can them with a chunk of onion and salt pepper garlic celery seed  warm up and put over egg noodles or sticky rice

[RadSav]

The only thing I did different was add garlic and Yoshidas Original Sweet Teriyaki. WOW! Good stuff!! Thanks for another way to cook wild turkey. This is now my favorite turkey recipe.

Did you glaze with the Teriyaki or mix it into the loaf?