Memorial Day Turkey

Once again I was lucky enough to be presented with a wild turkey, ready for roasting. Truly, honestly, it is wonderful.  Ignore anyone who says wild turkey is tough or tasteless.  Look at that photo, come on, and don’t tell me that it doesn’t make your mouth water just a little.
Cooking a wild turkey takes a little finesse and experience with game. Because game has so little fat, and actually runs around, the meat will be firmer than what you are used to. Wild turkey legs are not ‘drumsticks’; they are lean, mean running machines that are best left in the stockpot.  I always brine the bird and add some fat either in the form of pancetta or bacon or even olive oil, all of which helps to make for moist, tender turkey. Gravy isn’t necessary because of the wonderful natural flavor, although a little whiskey gravy tasted pretty good the other night.
I highly recommend befriending and sucking up to a hunter to get some turkey!
Thank you Jay, and thank you to Dinah, the Goddess of the Hunt who has guided Jay’s hand this season.  What Jay, you didn’t know it was a woman who was guiding your hand???