Roasted Wild Turkey
So you’ve got that bird thawing from your last hunt, but you’re not sure about the best way to prepare it. Here’s a tried and true recipe for roasted wild turkey.
Ingredients
- 1 wild turkey, skin intact
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 strips smoked bacon, diced
- 1 lemon, sliced and diced
- 1/2 cup finely diced onion
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup fresh herbs, your choice – minced (or substitute 2 T dried Italian seasoning)
- 3 carrots, whole
- 3 celery stalks, whole
- 2 medium potatoes, cut into 4 wedges
- 1 medium onion, cut into 4 wedges
- 2 cups dry white wine or chicken broth
- large piece heavy-duty aluminum foil
Instructions
- First, you have to carefully separate the skin from the body without tearing the skin. If you do poke through the skin once or twice, you’re still fine. Start at the neck and put a hand inside, working towards the top of the breast. Feel where the skin connects to the breast and begin working your fingers in between, separating skin from breast. Continue working your hands down the breast towards the back of the bird. Season the turkey inside and out with salt and pepper.
- Combine 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper with the bacon, lemon, onion, garlic and herbs. Spread mixture in the area you’ve created between the skin and the breast.
- Place turkey, breast side down, in a roasting pan. Arrange carrots, celery, potato and onion under each side of the breast to keep it from falling over. If it still won’t stay up, it’s no big deal. Just flip it over to the other side after about 45 minutes of cooking time.
- Pour wine or broth into pan and cover pan with foil. Place into a 350 degree preheated oven
- Depending on the size of your turkey, cooking time will average between 1 and 1 1/2 hours. Remove when breasts are 155 degrees. Allow to rest for 5 – 10 minutes before carving. Legs will not be tender! Remove them and use for soups and stocks.
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