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How to cook a wild turkey

Let me show you how to cook a wild turkey, step by step. Wild turkey is more flavorful than domestic turkey but you need to know how to cook them!

Prep Time
12 hrs
Cook Time
3 hrs
Total Time
15 hrs
Servings: 30 servings
Calories: 156 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

For brining
  • 10 pound turkey - cleaned, dressed and plucked. weight for dressed bird
  • 2 gallons water
  • 2 cups kosher salt
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 fresh lemons
  • 2 oranges
  • 1 onion
  • 2 tablespoons cracked black pepper
  • 4 sprigs dried thyme
  • 2 sprigs rosemary
  • 10 leaves sage leaves
  • 4 sprigs dried parsley
For roasting the bird. Brined or not brined bird
  • 10 pound turkey – cleaned, dressed and plucked.
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 fresh lemons
  • 1 oranges
  • 1 onion quartered
  • 1 large carrot
  • 1 stalk celery
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
  • 2 sprigs thyme, fresh
  • 1 sprig rosemary, fresh
  • 5 leaves sage leaves
  • 2 sprigs fresh parsley

Instructions

For brined
    Cup of Yum
  1. Dress and pluck bird. Rinse well.
  2. Add salt and sugar to water in a large saucepan and heat until salt and sugar melt.
  3. Let cool to room temperature. Then refrigerate until cold. Once cold, add oranges, lemons, pepper and herbs.
  4. Add turkey to a large bucket, cooler or any container that it will fit in. Pour in brine.
  5. Place turkey in the refrigerator and brine for 24 to 72 hours.
For roasting brined or not brined birds
  1. Dry bird both inside and out with paper towels. Preheat oven to medium heat. 325°F /165°C
  2. Rub the inside of the cavity and the outside of the skin with oil or melted butter. Then generously rub in salt and pepper to both inside and outside. (use only a little salt for a brined bird.)
  3. Poke holes in lemon or orange with a metal skewer or long tined fork. Place in cavity.
  4. Add rough chopped onion, carrot and celery to cavity. Then add sprigs of herbs.
  5. Place turkey in a roasting pan with a rack. or if you don’t have a rack, place sliced onion pieces on the bottom of the pan to hold the turkey straight.
  6. Roast turkey in the oven, basting every hour or so with butter, oil, or the pan juices, once they have formed. If the breast skin looks like it is getting too brown, tent the top with foil.
  7. Roast bird until internal temperature of the thighs measures 160°F / 70°C. See notes section below for approximate times to roast.
  8. Tent the bird with aluminum foil. Let turkey rest about 30 minutes. In the first 10 minutes the temperature will rise to 165°F / 75°C.

Notes

  • Wild birds generally take about 15 minutes per pound to roast at 325°F/165°C.
  • - you can use white sugar, brown sugar or turbinado sugar
  • - you can use white sugar, brown sugar or turbinado sugar
  • You can use a large, food safe bag to brine turkey in. Don't use a garbage bag! They are treated with deodorizer spray and chemicals.
  • Weigh your dressed bird before proceeding with recipe.
  • If you are brining the bird, make sure you turn it every day so that you get even brining.
  • Dry off the inside and outside very well with paper towels to achieve a crispy skin!
  • Do not overcook the meat! Remove it from the oven at 160°F/ 70°C.
  • Important Note: Wild turkeys are tall and slender compared to domestically raised birds, which have been bred to be short and squat. You must use the bottom rack in your oven to place the bird on. Carefully watch the breast which will be close to the top of your oven. Tent it with aluminum foil after it is sufficiently browned and baste the top well!
  • Use an instant read or a wireless meat thermometer. I used this Meatstick Mini that I was gifted and it worked like a charm. (affiliate link) We tested this thermometer and it performed well alongside another wireless meat thermometer that we have used for a while. It's small size and the lack of additional hardware to make it work was much easier to set up than our other brand.
  • Tent the bird with aluminum foil and let rest for at least 30 minutes.
  • Don't stuff a wild turkey because it takes longer for the bird to cook through, so you're in danger of overcooking the meat. Cook your stuffing in a casserole dish and fill the cavity with aromatics.
  • Carve your breasts against the grain of the meat.
  • Breast meat and leg meat are usually done in approximately the same amount of time. legs and thighs may take a few minutes more to cook but not very long.) Since wild turkeys work much harder for survival from predators and to locate food sources, the legs can be tough. We like to finish to thigh and leg meat in the crockpot on low for a few hours and then pull the meat for tacos, enchiladas, sandwiches, soups and stews.

Nutrition Information

Calories 156kcal (8%) Carbohydrates 1g (0%) Protein 23g (46%) Fat 6g (9%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g Monounsaturated Fat 2g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 77mg (26%) Sodium 288mg (12%) Potassium 261mg (7%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 1g (2%) Vitamin A 80IU (2%) Vitamin C 5mg (6%) Calcium 24mg (2%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 30servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 156

% Daily Value*

Calories 156kcal 8%
Carbohydrates 1g 0%
Protein 23g 46%
Fat 6g 9%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g 12%
Monounsaturated Fat 2g 10%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 77mg 26%
Sodium 288mg 12%
Potassium 261mg 6%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 1g 2%
Vitamin A 80IU 2%
Vitamin C 5mg 6%
Calcium 24mg 2%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.