Outdoors
The BDN outdoors section brings readers into the woods, waters and wild places of Maine. It features stories on hunting, fishing, wildlife, conservation and recreation, told by people who live these experiences. This section emphasizes hands-on knowledge, field reports, issues, trends and the traditions that define life outside in Maine. Read more Outdoors stories here.
Springtime is a welcoming time of year in New England.
Here in Maine, we recognize a fifth season called “mud season.” It’s when we experience snow and ice melting off, and seasonal rain that makes streams flow to capacity.
Maine’s turkey season begins Monday, but you still have time to prepare for a successful season.
With the arrival of ticks, you can take steps to prevent them and increase the enjoyment of your spring hunting activity.
A common practice is to visit your outdoor store and purchase a spray bottle of Sawyer’s permethrin repellent. Spray your hunting camo and equipment bags with this insect repellent to repel ticks that you will encounter in the field. The key is to spray everything and let it dry outdoors. Once this is accomplished, I like to place everything in a construction bag and pull it out when I am ready to use it.
If you choose to venture out without using this method, you are sure to come home with numerous ticks that will spoil your day.
There are never any guarantees to a successful turkey hunt, but having a plan for what you will do with that bird from field to table is just as important as your hunting plan.
Wild turkey hunting here in Maine presents a tremendous opportunity to fill your freezer with fresh protein. Our abundance of birds, generous season and harvest limits allow us to have options for pursuing these exciting birds.
A common practice for many bird hunters is to breast out birds and discard the legs and thighs. I want to encourage you to think twice about wasting any potential meat. Not only does this show respect for what you harvest, but there are ways you can cook these parts where you will never discard them again.
Wild turkey meat is like eating poultry that has a very clean taste to it. Like most varieties of game, there are numerous ways it can be utilized.
When you consider wild turkey options, the average bird harvested is 15 to 20 pounds. Things to consider first are how you want to enjoy your bird. Do you want to cook the whole bird, or segment it so it can be enjoyed for a variety of meals?
If you want to be nostalgic and cook a full bird, I highly suggest that you brine your bird for 24 to 48 hours. Due to the lean nature of wild turkeys, brining will break down the complex proteins in the meat and plump the bird with moisture. You can then season and bake the bird or carefully deep-fry it. It will take less time to cook a bird that is brined.
The breast meat is the treasured part of these birds, and rightfully so. When butchering a turkey, separate the two breasts. One breast can be ground into burger and packaged into one-pound portions. The burger can be used for wild turkey burgers, stuffed peppers or cabbage rolls, chili, meatballs or a wild turkey version of Salisbury steak.
The other breast can be used for sliced cutlets that are enjoyed as chicken-fried turkey, turkey piccata or marsala, or a German schnitzel.
Breasts can also be sliced into cubes, drizzled with olive oil, seasoned and grilled to be enjoyed as wild turkey tips, or, if seasoned with Mediterranean herbs, you can make a wild turkey gyro salad or sandwich with tzatziki sauce.
How about those legs and thighs I mentioned?
Keep in mind that wild turkeys get a lot of exercise, so those legs and thighs require braising so the meat becomes tender and can be shredded.
For the legs, trim some of the length of the leg bone. For the thighs, remove the bone.
Think of braising the meat in apple cider, Riesling wine or chicken broth.
Coat the meat with olive oil and seasoning. Sear the meat in a Dutch oven. After the meat is browned, remove it from the pot and set the pieces on a large plate. Add some diced onions and fresh chopped garlic to the pan, and after the onions are translucent and the garlic perfumes, add the meat back to the pot, including any juices. Add braising liquid, cover the meat and then simmer for 90 to 120 minutes until the meat is fork-tender.
Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and place it on a large cutting board. Shred the meat so it can be used in any number of recipes.
Taking the braising liquid while it is hot and adding a cornstarch slurry will thicken that liquid into a gravy. Add your shredded meat back into it and you have the makings for a pot pie, wild turkey and dumplings or a simple braised wild turkey served over mashed potatoes or a dense bread like ciabatta for an open-faced wild turkey dinner.
Other options for that shredded meat are to combine it with other ingredients and include recipe ideas like egg rolls, enchiladas, flatbread or empanadas.
May is a great time for chasing thunder chickens, when fields and forests erupt with the echoes of gobbling.
Get out there and enjoy the adventure.