Wild Turkey Recipes

Come Christmas and turkey is the hot favorite at every table. No Christmas lunch is complete without a turkey spread on the table. Here is a recipe that would leave you and your family smacking your lips even when you’re done with your meal.

This is one of the easiest turkey dishes that you could prepare without spending too much time on the actual preparation. Gathering up the ingredients for the glaze and the herb butter will take whatever time and effort is involved. Once that is done the cooking itself will not take too much of your time, though it will need your attention. Turkey ought to be cooked on low heat and for a longer time, for it to reach a succulent stage. The turkey is meant to simmer in its juices for that extra taste that makes it so rich and delicious.  

Turkey Glazed with Apricot and Herb Butter

Ingredients required for-

Glazed Apricot:

1 cup nectar of apricot

1 cup preserves of apricot

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons freshly peeled and finely minced ginger-root

How to prepare the apricot glaze-

Combine in a small heavy saucepan apricot nectar with the preserves, honey and ginger and bring to boil.

Reduce the heat to a medium-low and simmer the combined ingredients until it is reduced to 1 1/4 cups.

This will take about 15 minutes.

Ingredients required for-

Herb Butter:

3/4 cup of softened unsalted butter brought to room temperature

3 tablespoons fresh sage chopped

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of black pepper freshly ground

How to prepare:

Blend the butter, sage, pepper and salt in a bowl and set it aside

Ingredients required for-

Roast Turkey:

A (21-pound) whole turkey, fresh or thawed

32 ounces of turkey broth

1 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped

1/2 teaspoon of fresh sage chopped

Salt as needed and black pepper freshly ground

Preparation of Roast Turkey

Heat the oven to temperature 400º F

Pat the turkey dry using paper towels and season the cavity of the turkey with pepper and salt

Place the turkey on oven rack, and place the rack in a large but shallow roasting pan

Slide fingers under the skin of the breast of the turkey to loosen the skin

Spread half of the herb butter on breast portion under the skin

The remaining herb butter can be placed in a saucepan

Stir the herb butter over low heat till melted

Brush this herb butter over the outer side of the turkey

Loosely tie the legs together to maintain the shape of the turkey

The turkey should be roasted for ½ hour

Reduce temperature of oven to 325ºF while continuing to roast the turkey for yet another 1-½ hours, basting the turkey occasionally with the pan drippings. (In case of pan drippings evaporating, add more broth to the pan)

Bring the apricot glaze to a gentle simmer

Now brush the turkey with ½-cup of glaze; using a heavy-duty foil tent the turkey and roast for one more hour

Remove tented foil and brush the remaining glaze over turkey before roasting for another ½ hour,

The oven timer will go off when the turkey is done.  The temperature at the breast will measure 170 degrees F

Placing the turkey on a platter loosely tent it with foil. Allow it to stand another half hour before you attempt to carve the turkey.

A reasonably large sized turkey makes at least 30 servings.

Check out this video on wild turkey field care. You need to properly clean, pluck, and prepare the turkey before bringing it in the kitchen.