Is Wild Turkey better than farm turkey? (2023)

Can you eat a whole wild turkey?

If you want to eat the turkey whole like most people do at Thanksgiving, then just simply skin the turkey without cutting out the breast, cut off its head and feet, clean out the intestinal cavity, and it's ready for cooking. Still another way to clean a turkey is to prepare a large pot of boiling water.

Turkey – A favorite of fall dinner tables, wild turkey is significantly leaner and gamier than the overstuffed, hormone-enhanced turkeys you see at stores around Thanksgiving. For a 3-ounce serving, wild turkey has 163 calories with a whopping 26 grams of protein and only 1 gram of fat.

According to Exotic Meats USA, "Wild turkey are smaller and have darker meat, richer, more intense flavor, and firmer texture than domestic turkey. "The breast, being smaller, tends to cook faster than legs or thighs. Wild turkey must not be overcooked because it would become too dry.

Wild Turkeys have the deep, rich brown and black feathers that most people associate with turkeys. In completely opposite fashion, domestic turkeys are normally white in color, an intentional product of domestication because white pin feathers are less noticeable on the carcass.

Several species of coccidia infect both domestic and wild turkeys.

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If cooked correctly, wild turkey breast meat tastes like a firmer version of domestic turkey breast, though some would suggest that it tends to taste more like the dark meat of a domestic turkey.

If you are choosing your Thanksgiving turkey based on what would be the healthiest option, I would choose a heritage turkey or a pastured turkey. However, if you are primarily concerned with taste, then the heritage turkey will probably be your best bet.

Choosing light meat without the skin is the healthiest way to eat turkey. It's also important to choose fresh over processed turkey. One cup of light meat turkey already contains more than 18% of your daily recommended dose of sodium. Processed turkey can have more than 35% of that recommended dose.

Expert answer. Wild game such as deer, elk and antelope tend to be very lean due to their active lifestyle and natural diet. Their meat, therefore, is lower in total and saturated fat than red meat.

Wild Turkey Bourbon 101 is another top-shelf bourbon from master distillers that exactly know what they're doing down to the very last detail. Truth be told, this American liquor brand has perfected creating the premium spirit for more than 100 years.

Which type of turkey is best?

Although a wild turkey's meat will be similar to domestic “dark meat,” the taste is still delicious.

From fresh or frozen, to kosher or heirloom, find the right turkey for you.

If you've ever been to a turkey farm, you know that domesticated turkeys — the kind most of us eat — do not fly. Why? Their breasts became too strong. Farmers prize turkeys that grow large breast and thigh muscles, because those are the most valuable parts in the poultry market.

Chlamydia psittaci is a type of bacteria that often infects birds. Less commonly, these bacteria can infect people and cause a disease called psittacosis. Psittacosis in people is most commonly associated with pet birds, like parrots and cockatiels, and poultry, like turkeys and ducks.

Live poultry often carry germs. Live poultry, such as chickens, ducks, geese and turkeys, often carry germs such as Salmonella. After you touch a bird, or anything in the area where birds live and roam, wash your hands so you don't get sick!

The new strain was especially causing problems in ground turkey, where salmonella in general is found much more frequently. While USDA inspectors rarely detect salmonella in whole turkey during testing, last year they found it in 18% of ground turkey samples.

Because wild turkeys are far more active than commercially raised turkeys, their muscles are more developed, which can lead to a chewy texture. Additionally, trophy gobblers, tough to score, are also tough-tasting when cooked.

Since wild animals feed exclusively on natural vegetation, their meat contains more omega-3 fatty acids and less saturated fat than the grain-fed, factory-farmed animals. The key to wild game's health benefits, just like organic, free-range farm animals, is their all-natural vegetation diet.

Why are Butterball turkeys better?

Butterball turkeys are of the highest quality product and will be sure to impress your guests. Here's why Butterball is the right choice, especially for the holiday season: Butterball turkeys are always tender and juicy because we take the extra step of individually pre-brining them based on size.

Fresh turkeys will hold their moisture better than frozen turkeys, bringing out a meaty texture with deeper natural flavors. It is best to preorder a fresh turkey with your local butcher and arrange to pick it up a few days before the holiday.

The Bottom Line

If you're eating for a healthy heart, lean ground turkey—which is lower in saturated fat—is the better pick for you. Of course, you can still enjoy ground beef from time to time, but choosing lean ground turkey more often will help your heart in the long run.

"Generally, all processed meat products, including turkey, contribute a significant amount of sodium," she said. Higher sodium contributes to high blood pressure and risk of cardiovascular events.

Turkey is fairly comparable to chicken in nutrients, but both its dark and white meat are slightly leaner. White meat has slightly less saturated fat than dark; skinless, boneless breast is leanest.

Salmon has 58% less cholesterol than turkey. Salmon has 62% less saturated fat than turkey. Salmon is an excellent source of Vitamin D. Turkey has more riboflavin, however, salmon contains more Vitamin B12.

Liver. Liver, particularly beef liver, is one of the most nutritious meats you can eat. It's a great source of high-quality protein; vitamins A, B12, B6; folic acid; iron; zinc; and essential amino acids.

Elk is commonly considered among hunters to be one of the best wild-game meats. It's similar to venison, but is usually leaner and has little-to-no gamey flavor. You can prepare elk meat as you would beef. Pros: An elk provides a massive amount of lean, organic meat that lacks fat and wild-game taste.

Butterball

Headquartered in Garner, North Carolina, Butterball is the largest turkey company in the U.S. It slaughtered 1.304 billion pounds in 2019, a year-over-year decrease of 2.03%. The company – owned by Seaboard Corp. and Goldsboro Milling Co.

Buy frozen

Some say fresh turkeys taste better, but we can barely tell the difference (other than price). Norma Farrell, a consumer-education specialist at the National Turkey Federation, says there's no real quality difference between the two.

Is Butterball turkey a good turkey?

Butterball products are generally high in quality, but their whole turkeys are pre-brined in a saltwater solution. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but if you don't appreciate the qualities of brined poultry or want to do the brining yourself, you might want to select a store brand turkey instead.

Another name, bourbon drinkers are really familiar with is Wild Turkey. While its 101 might be the best bargain in the bourbon world, its Wild Turkey 81 is a bottom-shelf gem.

Buy a fresh turkey one to two days before the day you plan to cook. If there is a 'best-by' or 'use by' date on the manufacturer's label, then you can keep fresh poultry, unopened, in the refrigerator until that date. Do not follow the 'sell by' date on the label.

Storage tips: For immediate use, birds should be stored in the refrigerator at 40 °F or less and used within three days. For long-term storage, the whole cleaned carcass or individual parts may be frozen at 0 °F or lower.

In its October report, The USDA warns that turkey production will be lower for the rest of 2022 and the first half of 2023 due to outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI).

Choosing the Right Size Turkey

When choosing a turkey to serve on Thanksgiving, figure 1 1/2 pounds per person. If you are serving 10 people on Thanksgiving, choose a bird that is 15 to 20 pounds. Smaller birds that weigh less than 12 pounds have a smaller meat-to-bone ratio, so figure two pounds per person.

It's high rye content and the 101 proof makes it a most flavorful Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey that carries a bit of a pleasant bite to it – making it highly enjoyable neat, on the rocks, or in a cocktail.

Wild turkey meat is not the same as the store-bought variety, which is often pumped full of saltwater. Wild turkey tends to be drier and tougher. As with any wild game, care and preparation in the field enhances the meat's flavor.

In fact, there is no actual butter in or on a Butterball turkey. The fresh turkeys are injected with a basting solution made of salt water and “common household spices,” one brand representative told me. Butterball will not share the ingredients of its secret basting formula.

What size turkey do you need to feed 8 people?

For larger birds, a bit less is fine; they have a higher meat-to-bone ratio. But if your goal is to have ample leftovers, aim for 1½ pounds per person whatever the turkey's size. For 8 people, buy a 12-pound turkey.

Fascinating Turkey Facts

The natural lifespan of the turkey is up to 10 years, but on factory farms they are slaughtered when they're just 5 months old.

The great majority of domestic turkeys are bred to have white feathers because their pin feathers are less visible when the carcass is dressed, although brown or bronze-feathered varieties are also raised.

All commercial turkey varieties produce meat efficiently. Hens commonly reach a live weight of 18 to 20 pounds at 14 weeks of age, and toms weigh 24 to 36 pounds at 17 weeks.

You can eat almost every part of a wild turkey. The breast meat is the most tender part of the bird, but if you're looking for flavor, then you should opt for the thighs or legs. If you enjoy giblets, then you might want to save the liver, heart, and gizzards.

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. Cook bird until internal temperature of the thighs measures 160°F / 70°C.

It's time to butcher your turkey for its 8- to 10-plus pounds of meat. That means salvaging the legs, thighs and breast meat, which are all incredibly delicious.

Turkeys are plucked, skinned, or “breasted-out” for cooking. When a young fall turkey is to be pan fried, skin it whole and cut it up. The skin is not needed for frying. The breast of an old gobbler is tender enough for frying, but his legs and thighs contain bone slivers and his wings are tough.

When I began to remove the breast from my first tom, I was dumbfounded to find handfuls of a yellow, jellyfish-like substance in front of the crop cavity. I wasn't sure what it was at the time, so it stayed in the woods. With a little research, I learned that this gelatinous tissue is called the breast sponge.

Adding good amounts (but not too much) of things like black pepper, lemon juice, white wine, or rosemary sprigs can really help boost the flavor. Since the wild birds you shoot also won't have been influenced by any genetic tinkering or sketchy growth hormones and preservatives, they'll also make for healthier feasts.

Is wild turkey meat tough?

Wild turkey meat is not the same as the store-bought variety, which is often pumped full of saltwater. Wild turkey tends to be drier and tougher. As with any wild game, care and preparation in the field enhances the meat's flavor.

Here's Why You Should Be Brining Your Wild Turkey

Brining provides a food-safe environment for birds to come out of rigor and tenderize. Brining also transports salts deep into the meat for even seasoning and optimal moisture retention during cooking.

You'll want to plan on about 1.25 pounds of turkey per person attending. That means that if you are expecting 12 guests, plan for a 15-pound bird.

Soak the turkey meat overnight in lightly salted, cold water– Once the turkey has aged, pluck the feathers and prepare it for a whole roasting turkey, or breast it. Place either the whole turkey or the breast meat in cold water that is lightly salted for about 8 hours or overnight.

According to the Butterball Turkey Talk Line, you can keep a turkey stored in the freezer for up to two years, and it's still safe to cook.

Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the turkey cavity. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, halved lemon, quartered onion, and the garlic. Brush the outside of the turkey with the butter mixture and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

How long does it take for a wild turkey to spoil? This all comes down to temperature. You can store a turkey in the fridge for a day or two but beyond that you are going to want to put it in the freezer. Once in the freezer a turkey will last well over a year without spoiling.