So, you went out and got yourself a spring gobbler! Well, congratulations. Most experienced turkey hunters would agree that Pennsylvania spring gobblers are just about the toughest bird to get. Mostly due to the extreme hunting pressure that they are subjected to, these birds are usually the wariest you will pursue. It truly is no small feat to bag a Pennsylvania spring gobbler, so let’s show the bird some respect by presenting it to the family in the form of some delicious and nutritious meals. Here are a few of my favorites.

First, it should be mentioned that how a wild turkey, or any game bird or animal for that matter, is handled in the field immediately after being taken is very important to the outcome of its flavor on the plate. If you are not going to take it to a taxidermist for mounting, then remove the entrails immediately after tagging the bird. This will expedite the cooling of the meat and help prevent any possible spoilage. If you have a long drive home, keep a cooler with ice in your vehicle and place a Ziploc bag of ice in the body cavity to further cool the meat.

Secondly, waste not, want not. I am always amazed and disappointed when someone tells me they always “breast out” a wild turkey and discard the legs and thighs because they are too tough. That is both wasteful and disrespectful of the bird! I use both leg and thigh meat, and gladly accept any my fellow hunters want to give me! Most often, I will place the accumulated legs and thighs in a large soup pot, cover the meat with water, bring it to a hard boil, then reduce the heat to a slow simmer and let it do its magic for an hour or more. After a long simmer, the meat will be “fall-off-the-bone” tender and can be used in soups, casseroles, salads, cold sandwiches, or served hot with gravy over toast or waffles.

And then there is the breast meat. The entire breast, or one side, will take on a wonderful flavor when slow-cooked in a smoker. Be sure to have a bowl or tray of water in the cooker to help keep the meat moist. The occasional basting with butter (everything tastes better with butter!) will help, too.

Cooking in a cast-iron fry pan or on the grill is best when the breast meat is sliced, usually a quarter- to half-inch thick, but thinner works well in the fry pan. A thin layer of butter or a film of your favorite cooking oil will help the cooking process and enhance the flavor.

Cubing the breast, leg, or thigh meat into 1/2- to 1-inch cubes will allow it to be used in soups, chili, or casseroles. Once the meat is cubed, it can also be ground into burger meat. Ground meat is excellent for turkey burgers, for use in chili, or for making great sausage, either as loose sausage or stuffed into casing material and twisted into links.

There is also always the option of roasting the entire bird in the oven and presenting it at the dinner table as a roast turkey, served with gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and a side or two of your favorite vegetables. Wild turkey meat is much leaner than that of commercially raised birds, so you should consider using an oven roasting bag to retain moisture when roasting a wild turkey. Don’t forget the cranberry sauce!

However you decide to use the meat, it is great to know it’s “free-range” meat so many folks long for and pay a high price for at the grocery store. Further, it is not pumped full of all those government-approved chemicals that make domestic turkeys so plump and juicy!

If you haven’t done so before, I urge you to try using the leg and thigh meat as I mentioned – I think you will be pleasantly surprised.