Why not wild turkey for Thanksgiving?

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Viewing an Iron County wild Tom turkey in full strut is a wonder. (Kevin Zini photo)

LANSING — Holiday gatherings may look a bit different this year, but there is still delicious food to eat and memories to be made. And what is Thanksgiving dinner without a juicy turkey on the table?
“There’s nothing more rewarding than to serve a wild turkey that you harvested for Thanksgiving dinner,” said Al Stewart, DNR upland game bird specialist. “Wild turkey meat is very flavorful and can be used in a wide variety of recipes.”
Maybe you were lucky enough to take a wild turkey this fall, or perhaps you still have a bird in the freezer from the spring season that could be part of your family’s feast. The most traditional way to cook turkey, whether store-bought or wild, is to roast it in the oven. If you’re looking to switch things up, though, consider deep-frying or grilling.
Deep-frying has become a popular trend for tasty turkey; just be sure your turkey is fresh or has been completely thawed. While heating your deep-fryer’s oil to 375 degrees, pat the turkey dry with paper towels to reduce any excess moisture and then season the turkey as you like. Always carefully read the fryer instructions to prevent fire or injury.
For a unique and robust-flavored turkey, consider smoking or grilling your turkey. The National Wild Turkey Federation offers step-by-step instructions for a variety of methods, including charcoal grilling, gas grilling, smoking or rotisserie cooking, plus an added bonus on how to grill gravy. If you want to try something a little less traditional, the NWTF After the Hunt webpage offers many other turkey dishes among its wild game recipes.
We’ll share a Thanksgiving throwback Wednesday with a 2018 roundup of DNR staff recipes. Watch for that and other Showcasing the DNR stories at Michigan.gov/DNRStories.
From the DNR family to yours, we hope you have an enjoyable holiday and that everyone can take time to experience the outdoors this beautiful time of year.