Wild Game Recipes: Thanksgiving Wild Turkey

Hunters look forward to turkey season for several reasons, not the least of which is the delicious bird they'll be able to serve for Thanksgiving if the hunt is successful. 

There are many wild game recipes for preparing a turkey for Thanksgiving, and we've pulled a favorite recipe from SeriousEats.com and The Wild Chef Cookbook to share with you today. 

However, before you can eat your bird, make sure you've taken a hunter safety course so you return home safely with that tom! Now, let's talk about cooking up that wild turkey. 

Wild Game Recipes: Thanksgiving Wild Turkey

Sitting down for a traditional family meal with a bird you brought home is one of the biggest reasons hunters hunt wild game. Thanksgiving is one of the best times of year to enjoy the fruits of your hunting labors with a delicious recipe to show off your bird. 

This year, consider upgrading your feast with bacon. Here's a recipe your whole family will enjoy.

Prep: 30 minutes
Cook time: 2 hrs 30 mins
Serves: 6 to 10

Ingredients:

• 1 wild turkey, 11-13 lbs.
• 3/4 lb. salted pork, fatback, salted pork, or bacon (mince 1/2 lb. minced, slice 1/4 lb.)
• Black pepper (freshly ground)
• Coarse salt
• 4 cloves garlic, (minced)
• 1 yellow onion (minced)
• 3 celery ribs (minced)
• 4 c. toasted bread (diced)
• 2 sprigs rosemary (minced)
• 1 c. chicken stock
• 6 sprigs of sage (minced)
• 8 sprigs of Italian parsley (minced)

How to Cook

Preheat your oven to 350℉. Then, in a heavy saute pan, slowly cook half the minced bacon. Set this aside and keep it warm.

Next, dry the turkey thoroughly with paper towels. Use a brush to coat the outside with some of the warmed bacon. Season well with salt and pepper (inside and out).

On medium heat, warm up the rest of the minced bacon. Add the onion. Season with pepper and salt. Cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Next, add the celery and cook for five more minutes. Add garlic and cook for one minute. Then, remove it from the heat and add the toasted bread cubes. Moisten with the chicken stock and add minced herbs. 

Taste the bread cubes. Add more broth and herbs to make the cubes moist and delicious. Then, gently fill the turkey's cavity with the bread cube mixture. 

Cover the breast with the remaining slices of bacon and place the turkey – breast side up – in a heavy roasting pan. Roast in the oven for one hour. 

After that hour, remove the bacon pieces and raise the oven temperature to 375℉. Continue roasting for another hour to brown the breast.

As soon as the bird shows 160℉ on an instant-read thermometer (inserted into the thickest part of the thigh and away from the bone), remove the turkey from the oven. Let the turkey rest for at least 20-30 minutes before carving with a sharp knife. Be sure to cut across the grain!

Serve for your family and enjoy the holiday!

Hunt Safely for Your Thanksgiving Turkey

Before you can enjoy this recipe and the tom you brought home from a day in the field, you need to understand how to hunt safely. Without the knowledge you need to be a responsible hunter, you could miss out on that bird – or worse – get hurt or cause an injury to someone else while on your hunt. 

Hunter-Ed wants your family to enjoy wild game recipes like this every Thanksgiving! So, we offer state-approved, online hunting safety courses to prepare hunters to be in the field (and return home with the game they pursued). 

You'll learn firearm safety best practices, bowhunting safety and shooting techniques, how to hunt safely with hunters (if your turkey hunts are a family affair), and how to care for your bird in the field after a successful shot. 

Additionally, most states require hunters to be safety certified before purchasing a license. So, as you think ahead to your spring or fall turkey hunt, make sure you have the certification you need to get in the field! Find the course for your state and start learning with our free study guide. 

Originally published November 20, 2015. Content updated November 2, 2023.