Don't Waste Those Gobbler Thighs!!

[Uncle Nicky]

I know a lot of guys just breast out their spring gobblers, but I just had leftover turkey cacciatore for lunch, man was it delicious!! Thought I'd share the recipe:

4 boneless, skinless turkey thighs

1/2 onion sliced

1 bell pepper sliced

10 mushrooms (or more)

1 jar tomato sauce (or homemade, if you make your own)

1/2 cup red wine

1 beef bouillon cube

2T chopped garlic

1 cup water

1t chopped rosemary leaves

Cut the thighs into cubes, and brown in a heavy skillet in olive oil. Remove from pan. Saute the onions, peppers, and mushrooms in the same skillet until softened, remove set aside from the turkey cubes. Now add the garlic to the skillet, just cook for about 20 seconds, add the red wine, water, bouillon cube, and tomato sauce, bring to a boil, add the browned turkey cubes, cover well with sauce, add the rosemary, and place in a casserole dish. Cover with foil, and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 2 hours.

After 2 hours, add the sauteed onions, peppers & mushrooms, cover back up with tinfoil, and place back in the oven for 1/2 hour, adding a little water to thin the sauce out if needed.

Serve over rice, spaghetti, or noodles.

Edited May 17, 2012 by Uncle Nicky

[landtracdeerhunter]

That does sound good. Rest of the red wine would go good with the dinner too. Does the tomato sauce take the gamey taste away?

[Uncle Nicky]

That does sound good. Rest of the red wine would go good with the dinner too. Does the tomato sauce take the gamey taste away?

Thanks.

I never really thought of wild turkey as being particularly gamey, just a little chewier than store-bought, all the peppers, onions, and mushrooms gives it a unique taste for sure. This is pretty much the same recipe I would use for veal cacciatore. Not good to have leftover wine, might as well drink it.

Edited May 17, 2012 by Uncle Nicky

[deerpassion]

that sounds like it would be pretty good with venison or even duck too!

[nyantler]

Although you could drive nails with a roasted wild turkey thigh... the thighs are great for turkey soup... few hours in the crock pot and the meat is very tender.

[Early]

We always use the thighs for appetizers for our annual fish fry. Simply cut the thighs into bite-size pieces...pound well with a meat mallet to tenderize...submerge in a good beer batter overnight...fry while they are still cold the next day...Delicious! (Guests who claim they do not like wild game meat stand in line at the fryer for these treats!) On a good year, when the boys and I score on multiple turkeys, we might also grind a couple of thighs to mix with Italian sausage for a great burger.

[ants]

I always save the legs and thighs for stew, soup or anything that cooks for a long time. What ever you want to do just slow cook them for a long time and they tender right out....dont throw them out!!!!! trust me !!!!

[Pygmy]

I always save the legs and thighs ...I crockpot them, often with red wine and onions, and then use the meat for sandwiches,casseroles or soups..

One of my favorite casseroles is turkey tetrazzinni....Good stuff...The cacciatorri sounds good too...

[sits in trees]

I have been cooking wild turk legs for years, basically stew them in beef stock for 3 or more hours till really tender and flake the meat off the bone. then add carrots onions garlic and diced bell red or green pepper, thicken alittle with corn starch and pour over a fluffy bed of spanish rice.

[growalot]

Although you could drive nails with a roasted wild turkey thigh... the thighs are great for turkey soup... few hours in the crock pot and the meat is very tender.

very taste when slow simmered and makes great stock.....

[Early]

I do not share the taste for slow-cooked turkey thighs (wild turkey, that is), and I find the drumsticks cooked anyway inedible...simply not worth messing with. I will continue to deep fry and enjoy wild turkey thighs...and occasionally grind some for burger...with fat (pork Italian sausage) added, of course. None of that slow-cooking for me!