Is it necessary to age wild turkeys

[Eric M]

So a couple years ago I got my first turkey and he was a nice big tom. I soaked the breasts in salted water for a few days, same as I do with wild rabbits. When I cooked it, I cut it into pieces, rolled it in flour, and seasoned it. That meat was tender! Soaking in salted water seems to help with certain wild game in my experience. Also I've never heard of anyone having a good experience trying to cook them like a Thanksgiving dinner. They come out too dry.

[Rainier10]

Cooked my daughters in a crock pot with cream of mushroom soup. Tender moist and delicious.

[cem3434]

My best recipe is to find some unsuspecting sucker at work and give the meat away. I have tried to cook it every way possible and there is just nothing that can make them edible to me personally and I hate stringy meat.

[Big game archer]

I honestly don't get the turkey hate. I've never eaten a wild turkey that tasted bad and iv'e eaten a lot of them. You just gotta cook them the right way and in my experience they are even more tender and tasty than a store bought turkey.

Iv'e found that braising the drums and thighs is a necessity in order to get them tender (sometimes it takes up to 5-6 hours)

[Jonathan_S]

I've definitely had a couple that I didn't enjoy eating

[300rum]

I like grinding mine.  I partially freeze it in strips big enough to get it through the grinder and then put it through, one pass only.

[quadrafire]

For me Breast is done on the grill with only Olive oil, Salt, Pepper. Medium Rare. Thighs/legs into the crock pot for turkey and dumplings.

[kevinlisa06]

Deep fry it maybe?
Moisture is the key I'd say.
@merkaba93  ?

Not a bad idea. I’ll try it.


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Deep fried is great!


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[lokidog]

Quarter and crockpot or brine and smoke, both delicious! I've done the deep fried turkey and the breast turns out good, very tasty, but the legs tend to overcook, and then you have gallons of oil to deal with....

If you crockpot, you can just skin it, no plucking necessary, a plus. 

[chrissmith002]

I pounded out the breasts in small chunks, dipped in egg batter, coated with panko, johnnys, pepper, and fried it for a minute or two on each side. Had no leftovers.

[KNOPHISH]

I pounded out the breasts in small chunks, dipped in egg batter, coated with panko, johnnys, pepper, and fried it for a minute or two on each side. Had no leftovers.

This is what I do but fillet the breasts into thin slabs, pound, batter & fry. Just like chicken fried steak, delish. I slow cook the legs then shred for sammichs, tacos. They are too stringy for much else.

[northwesthunter84]

I parted out my bird this year.  The breasts were brined in apple cider, sea salt and spices for 24 hrs and then I wrapped one with prosciutto and one without.  I smoked them with mesquite and alder.  They turned out awesome, very tender.  I am going to grind the leg meat for sausages (thinking apple and cheese).

[Dhoey07]

I grind mine with bacon and make turkey burgers, but reading through here and hearing people say tough and stringy....I may have just had a revelation 

Has anybody corned and/or pastrami-ed a full turkey breast???

[Karl Blanchard]

I pounded out the breasts in small chunks, dipped in egg batter, coated with panko, johnnys, pepper, and fried it for a minute or two on each side. Had no leftovers.

This is what I do but fillet the breasts into thin slabs, pound, batter & fry. Just like chicken fried steak, delish. I slow cook the legs then shred for sammichs, tacos. They are too stringy for much else.

  same.  Cut the breast into 1" thick steaks then pound flat.  HOT grease! As for the rest of the bird. ..I bone it out and grind it into sausage.  I've tried a bunch of different ways and never found one that I'm a huge fan of.  Edible but not amazing.  Definitely stringy

[Karl Blanchard]

I've definitely had a couple that I didn't enjoy eating