# Which is better eating?



## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

As I stated earlier in this thread. Wild turkeys, the way I fix them, are not dry as I pick them leaving the ski on and roast them in a bag keeping the moisture in the meat. The one I roasted for Thanksgiving last year you could squeeze the juice out of the meat. They are not as tender as a farm raised birds but a lot of the reason they are tough is from being overcooked. The legs are real tough but they go into the turkey soup I make from boiling the meat off the carcass.

To me tame turkeys are tasteless compared to the flavor of a wild turkey.


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## sureshot006 (Sep 8, 2010)

I've only personally harvested one turkey but the hunt is a heck of a lot of fun. I scalded and plucked him, then brined in apple juice and spices for 24 hrs in a large, clean cooler with bottles of ice. Cooked him over apple wood on a charcoal smoker for about 14 hrs (22 lb bird)...

I really never eat turkey even at thanksgiving. Not that its bad... Its just... Store bought turkey that needs a ton of gravey to have flavor. The wild home smoked turkey my brother called in for me was by FAR the best I had eaten. Drumsticks were a bit overdone of course but everything else was extremely moist.

Smoking a bird is quite a bit of work but a great way to spend a Saturday with a lawn chair and a cooler of beer.


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## yooper Bob (Jul 11, 2016)

I manage to harvest wild turkey a lot. A really good meal is simple. Skin the bird , get a foil roasting g pan,put bird in the pan,stuff bird with whole onion add carrot pieces, put small potatoes around bird with cabbage,carrots,whole small onions, put several bacon strips across the breast, add several large cups of water to pan,about 1 to 2 inches deep. Cover with foil compleatly and cook on grill for 3 hours, or until meat is falling off legs by touch. This is really good, beats store bought hands down. We always cook one at deer camp.


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## Lamarsh (Aug 19, 2014)

yooper Bob said:


> I manage to harvest wild turkey a lot. A really good meal is simple. Skin the bird , get a foil roasting g pan,put bird in the pan,stuff bird with whole onion add carrot pieces, put small potatoes around bird with cabbage,carrots,whole small onions, put several bacon strips across the breast, add several large cups of water to pan,about 1 to 2 inches deep. Cover with foil compleatly and cook on grill for 3 hours, or until meat is falling off legs by touch. This is really good, beats store bought hands down. We always cook one at deer camp.


That's a great one. Never tried it exactly, but I do something similar for game hens and love it. Keyword for this recipe is bacon--bacon on that wild turkey meat so it doesn't dry out!


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## yooper Bob (Jul 11, 2016)

Lamarsh said:


> That's a great one. Never tried it exactly, but I do something similar for game hens and love it. Keyword for this recipe is bacon--bacon on that wild turkey meat so it doesn't dry out!


 AMEN, it keeps it juicey and goooooooood!


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## Birddoggem (Jul 25, 2016)

A Jake breast lightly seasoned cooked over seasoned apple wood was the best piece of meat I have ever eaten. I wonder if there is a difference in flavor or tenderness from spring to fall?


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