Plans for prepping your bird(s)?

[turkeyfeathers]

I generally breast out the bird, marinate in OJ, Italian dressing, sprinkle of dry rub, wrap in bacon and smoke it. Pretty dang good I gotta say.  Moist beyond belief. Think I'll dig some leeks and make a leek, tater and ham soup to go with it this year.  Although Taco Tim tried my venison bite recipe with turkey and said it was really good. That's the dab of jalapeno cream cheese, lil bacon wrap and oven or smoker.

I've prepped the whole bird in the oven before but plucking all those feathers just isn't worth it IMO. Legs are fair at best so now I just breast it out. Anyone ever deep fry a whole bird ?

 

[Fletch]

Since I have actually never even had a shot at a spring bird I have not thought that far ahead lol!! I like to breast out the bird and make little fillets dip in flour w/salt and pepper and fry. But I will say some smoked bits would be worth a try!

[Uncle Nicky]

Spring birds I just breast them out, I either make turkey nuggets, cutlets, or marinate them in salad dressing, wrap in bacon and cook them on the grill. I usually cook the legs & thighs in the crockpot and make enchiladas with them, I mix the leftover broth with the dogs' kibble.

In the fall I pluck them and roast them whole in turkey bag.

I've never tried deep frying one, I'd assume you'd have to pump it with a brine to keep it moist.

[turkeyfeathers]

Uncle Nicky, curious to why the different styles from spring to plucking bird and roasting whole in fall. Just habit ?

[Uncle Nicky]

26 minutes ago, turkeyfeathers said:

Uncle Nicky, curious to why the different styles from spring to plucking bird and roasting whole in fall. Just habit ?

In the spring, you are usually killing older male birds, who have been struggling to survive most of the winter, and who now aren't concentrating much on food, but mating. Not to say a spring jake might not be tender if roasted in the oven.

In the fall, it's mostly younger birds and hens, eating cut or standing corn, soybeans, and beechnuts, fattening up on the bounty before the long cold winter.

It's mostly just a rule of thumb idea, and no 2 birds are ever going to be the same.

 

[sodfather]

I took the breast out and made soup with the rest. Let the meat fall off the carcass then discard and simmer. It turned out ok but the recipe came  from my wife's uncle who is a full blown Cajun who lives deep in Louisiana so there may have been a step or two missed

[n.y.grandpa]

Back in the good old days, before cholesterol meds, I deep fried a spring tom. Injected it with garlic butter and added a dry rub to the outside. was the best deep fried bird I've ever had.

[rachunter]

I breast them out separate the tenders from the breast.I like to simmer the tenders with beans and serve over rice.The breast i like cutlets,chile,stir fry really depends. Last year was my final attempt to cook the drumsticks. Thighs go in the crockpot.

[Adkhunter1590]

I usually just breast the bird out. Wife makes great cutlet meals with it. I have deep fried one many years ago. I was young and don't remember exactly what was injected into it but I know my dad and uncle were pumping that thing full of stuff. It came out fantastic and was the best deep fried bird I've ever had to this day. I need to get a deep fryer and try it again.

[Otto]

Last year I spatchcocked my bird, marinated in fridge for two days, applied dry rub, and then grilled it.  It was pretty danged good.  I took the left over pieces and tore off all the meat and made turkey and wild rice soup.  That was pretty danged good too!  

Hoping to repeat that recipe in a couple weeks.

[Pygmy]

" Spatchcocked"....??  That's a new one for me, although it  brings to mind what MIGHT have happened that night back in 1989 when I met that semi-toothless native girl up in Naknek ,Alaska...

[mowin]

1 hour ago, Pygmy said:

" Spatchcocked"....??  That's a new one for me, although it  brings to mind what MIGHT have happened that night back in 1989 when I met that semi-toothless native girl up in Naknek ,Alaska...

Now that's funny. 

"Spatching" a bird is taking the spine out so it lays flat on the cooking surface. 

[Buckmaster7600]

Breast them out, cut in nugget size, chunks, beat with kitchen hammer, season in a buffalo dry rub over night, make a buffalo seasoned batter, deep fry, drop in Frank's buffalo sauce, dip in blue cheese and enjoy. I have tried them a bunch of ways and honestly don't think they taste very good. Covering them in buffalo and bringing to work to share is the best way I have found to eat them. In my opinion killing spring turkeys is way more enjoyable than eating them. A fall 6-8lb pullet is a different story.


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[Buckmaster7600]

" Spatchcocked"....??  That's a new one for me, although it  brings to mind what MIGHT have happened that night back in 1989 when I met that semi-toothless native girl up in Naknek ,Alaska...

She sounds perfect! This sounds like a story we all will enjoy, please tell us more!

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[wooly]

The most important step to ANY wild turkey recipe is to generously "pepper" the head and neck regardless of how you'll prepare the rest of the bird.

My mouth's watering already!

[Five Seasons]

19 hours ago, turkeyfeathers said:

I generally breast out the bird, marinate in OJ, Italian dressing, sprinkle of dry rub, wrap in bacon and smoke it. Pretty dang good I gotta say.  Moist beyond belief. Think I'll dig some leeks and make a leek, tater and ham soup to go with it this year.  Although Taco Tim tried my venison bite recipe with turkey and said it was really good. That's the dab of jalapeno cream cheese, lil bacon wrap and oven or smoker.

I've prepped the whole bird in the oven before but plucking all those feathers just isn't worth it IMO. Legs are fair at best so now I just breast it out. Anyone ever deep fry a whole bird ?

 

how long do you put it on the smoker? or is there an internal temp you're going for?

[turkeyfeathers]

how long do you put it on the smoker? or is there an internal temp you're going for?

Generally as soon as bacon is done the bird is done as well. With the bacon wrapped around and the fat from it it's tough to over smoke it. I just cut into breast and check. Yup, it's done.


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[ATbuckhunter]

I skin and cook the whole bird in an oven. I'll eat the legs like that but I'll cut the breast up and add some mayo, onions and other spices and eat the breast like that.


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