How is everyone cooking their Heritage Turkey this year?

[CDennis]

This is my first year growing my own bird and I am really excited but I also don't want to mess it up. In the past we have fried the birds, but depending on the weight after butcher he may be too big to fry and I was not sure if Heritage birds would be good fried since they tend to have less fat. He goes to freezer camp on Thursday so I have a week, do I just age him till early next week then brine? I know Turkey isn't complicated to cook, and I cook a ton, but there is something about this being our first bird that makes me what to do it perfect. Thanks for the help.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

The biggest thing I think with any heritage bird is don't overcook it. I like to go easier on the spices so as not to cover the taste of the bird, and we don't brine ours. We don't eat much salt at all and the brine is to much for our taste.

Steve

 

[dustponds10]

steve of sands poultry, What is the recipe that you use to cook your birds? I am also cooking my home grown Eastern wild turkey for the first time. I believe that I am going to skin it because I dont have anything large enough to scald the bird. If you could post a recipe that would be awesome. Dustin

 

[greyartist]

I tried using a recipe I found online for a large heritage turkey but it was way too long. It called for 1 1/2 hrs @ 350 then 2 hrs @ 275 then 1 hr more @ 400! I took it out before the 2 hrs @ 275 was over and it was way done! and dry. : (

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

I don't have any specific recipe, black pepper, dash of salt, paprika. A cup of a fruity type wine in the roaster pan (like a Sangria) and cut up an apple or two and put in the body cavity. It gives it just a hint of apple flavor.

Steve

 

[Keara]

Quote:
Put that wine right in the body cavity, so it can boil under the skin! Than wrap the bird in bacon!!!!! Make sure to peal the crispy bacon off for the last 45min - 1hr of cooking, so the turkey skin can crisp up and brown! Eat that bacon as an appetizer, and the gravy from the drippings will be the best you ever had. You may need to skim off some of the bacon fat, depending on the fattiness of your bacon, before making gravy.

 

[PatS]

Uh, how much bacon? When I tied that for my first ever turkey, 30 years ago, I used too much and the result was terrible.

I like brining it overnight, then washing it out, stuffing it with a bread, butter, onion, and sage dressing, and then roasting it at 325.