Say what?! Yup – wild turkey, stuffed with ham, wrapped in a blanket o’ bacon… doesn’t get much better than that! Cooking wild game takes a bit of finesse to keep the meat from getting too dry since it usually doesn’t have much fat. The ham and bacon used here provide the moisture needed to keep this bird on the tender side, instead of super tough. And besides, what's not good with bacon?! Any wild turkey leftovers would be great in some wild chili!
Ingredients:
Wild turkey, whole (my turkey was skinned – skin-on is fine to use also)
Boneless ¼ ham (I used Beeler’s brand, fully cooked)
Two packages of bacon (I think maple bacon would be extra yummy but I couldn’t find it, so I just used plain thick-cut bacon)
Turkey seasoning/rub (I used this one from our local Savory Spice Shop!)
Step 1: Move turkey from freezer to fridge three days before roasting.
Step 2: At least four hours before your meal, preheat the oven to 325 degrees, and dress the turkey: remove any giblets inside the cavity, and into the cavity stuff the ¼ ham - it should fit perfectly! Rub the turkey seasoning all over the outside of the bird.
Step 3: Weave the strips of bacon into a “blanket.”
Step 4: Cover the bird with the bacon blanket and tuck it in the oven in a covered roasting pan for 3.5 hours, or until the internal temp reads 180 degrees.
My turkey was on the small size (12-16 lb. range) so I checked it at 3 hours. It was hot enough, so I uncovered it for the last half hour of cooking just to crisp up the bacon.
My husband used the bacon/ham grease and turkey juices in the bottom of the pan to make a very delish gravy. And then we ate!
Do have a favorite way to cook wild game? Comment below!