This Fall, be bold. Be daring. Be brave. Consider something new. The National Wild
Turkey Federation has put together recipe ideas that’ll add zest to routine
holiday meals and adventure to long hours of Thanksgiving prep.
“Cooking usually becomes a chore when you get caught serving the same
foods, prepared the same way,” said Matt Lindler, editor of the NWTF’s
cookbook, Wild
About Turkey and More. “Don’t be afraid to mix it up and
add new menu items to your Thanksgiving gathering to go along with foods your
friends and family love to eat and expect during the holidays.”
From a bird stuffed with crispy bacon and sautéed onions to a delicate
wild turkey dish baked in cranberries and chardonnay, there’s no doubt a
wild turkey can be wildly unorthodox if given the chance.
Stuffed Midwestern Wild Turkey
Recipe from A.M. Glombowski, Lake Forest, Ill.
14 slices of bacon, divided
1 cup of onion, chopped
1/4 cup of celery, chopped
1/2 cup of water
1 (8-ounce) package of cornmeal stuffing mix
1 chicken bouillon cube
1/2 cup of hot water
1 cup of dry red wine, divided
1 (10- to 12-pound) wild or domestic turkey
Fry eight slices of bacon until crisp. Drain bacon, crumble and set aside.
Saute onion and celery in bacon drippings. When vegetables are tender, add 1/2
cup water and simmer for five minutes. Stir in stuffing mix and crumbled bacon.
Dissolve bouillon cube in 1/2 cup hot water. Add 1/2 cup red wine to bouillon.
Add bouillon-wine liquid to stuffing mixture and stuff turkey.
Transfer turkey to roasting pan.
Lay four slices of uncooked bacon across the breast, and wrap a slice of bacon
around each leg. Cover pan with foil; then place lid on pan. Bake in 300-degree
oven for 4 1/2 hours. Remove cover and foil. Pour remaining wine over turkey.
Baste every 10 minutes while cooking an additional 40 minutes. Yield: 12 to 15
servings
Wild Turkey in Cranberries & Chardonnay over Rice
Recipe came from NWTF members Jason and Cheryl Chmielewski of
Port St. Lucie, Fla. This dish is elegant and sweet, bringing out the full flavor
of the turkey without overpowering it.
1 turkey breast
1 can whole jellied cranberries
2 cups orange juice
1 bag frozen Pearl Onions
1 cup honey
1 cup olive oil or vegetable oil
1 cup white wine
salt & pepper
Place the turkey breast in a crock pot. In a bowl, combine all
other ingredients and mix well. Pour mixture over turkey and cook on low heat
for six hours. Serve with wild rice and vegetables.
(Pork roast, chicken or domestic turkey can be substituted.)
