Turkey hunting forum for turkey hunting tips

I usually can one whole deer every year and I was canning one the other week when I decided I'd try some wild turkey. I cut up three breasts and canned them and I'm here to tell you that's a fine, fine way to use them. Perfect for pot pies, soups, tacos, whatever. Tender as can be. Making a pot of soup as I type this. I'll definitely be doing that every year with at least one bird from here on out.
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Soup looks good, that will hit the spot at the end of today, that would be a good way to tenderize legs and thighs.

We can a deer or 2 each year, good stuff

Wow, nice job!

Cool idea, soups looks good   :drool:

I also can a lot of venison. Looks like I have something new to try.

Quote from: EZ on January 03, 2022, 04:32:34 PM
I also can a lot of venison. Looks like I have something new to try.

Don't know why in the world I never thought of it, Tony. Always canned about anything and just never thought turkey. Come out real good.


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Great idea!  I just canned a bunch of venison, will do that this spring with some legs and thighs

When I was a kid we canned venison, turkey, pheasant and most all game. It all was very tasty .

ChesterCopperpot.   The soup looks great.

My grandmother used to can everything. I don't ever remember her canning turkey but do remember her canning rabbit.

Good idea and that soup looks great. Good luck this spring

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So this year I changed it up a little. Still canned the breast, but I also canned the legs. I cooked them down and took them off the bone then added mushrooms and onions before covering with broth and canning. Come out really good. First can I just cut me a big hoagie roll in half dumped the meat and melted some cheese over it on the grill (https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220529/e86438d30f98a40961dead19ead8fca3.jpg)


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Chester C The soup looks good! What time you want me there to eat?
Good idea thanks for sharing.

I always like making turkey Jerky ... that's another good idea .. looks yummy

Quote from: ChesterCopperpot on May 29, 2022, 12:57:40 PM
So this year I changed it up a little. Still canned the breast, but I also canned the legs. I cooked them down and took them off the bone then added mushrooms and onions before covering with broth and canning. Come out really good. First can I just cut me a big hoagie roll in half dumped the meat and melted some cheese over it on the grill (https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220529/e86438d30f98a40961dead19ead8fca3.jpg)


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I was just going to ask if you could do that, thanks.

Soup looks great.

Quote from: Sir-diealot on May 29, 2022, 05:18:23 PM
I was just going to ask if you could do that, thanks.

If you can the legs like I'm saying, it's the same as dry packing raw meat as far as time (90mins at pressure for quarts), but I'd suggest leaving the meat a little lower in the jar and filling with broth a good inch to inch and a half above it. Turkeys legs have a tendency to be so dry they kind of soak it up and reconstitute when you can it.


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Quote from: ChesterCopperpot on May 29, 2022, 06:06:16 PM

Quote from: Sir-diealot on May 29, 2022, 05:18:23 PM
I was just going to ask if you could do that, thanks.

If you can the legs like I'm saying, it's the same as dry packing raw meat as far as time (90mins at pressure for quarts), but I'd suggest leaving the meat a little lower in the jar and filling with broth a good inch to inch and a half above it. Turkeys legs have a tendency to be so dry they kind of soak it up and reconstitute when you can it.


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Thank you much for the advice, I think I would try the same with the wings as well. Now I just have to get one.

Quote from: Sir-diealot on May 29, 2022, 06:22:52 PM
Thank you much for the advice, I think I would try the same with the wings as well. Now I just have to get one.

The wings would can great. And honestly if you left out the troublesome drumstick and just worked with the thighs, you could debone the wings and debone the thighs and dry pack them raw just like the breasts.


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I got to looking when I put them legs up and there ain't much I hunt that I ain't got canned. From left to right it goes wild turkey breast, wild hog, whitetail deer, black bear, squirrel canned with chiles and onion, and wild turkey legs canned with mushrooms and onion. Going to can some trout this week for patties.(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220530/9abf232b6e9312346997ae04d774b6cb.jpg)


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Quote from: ChesterCopperpot on May 30, 2022, 09:14:21 AM
I got to looking when I put them legs up and there ain't much I hunt that I ain't got canned. From left to right it goes wild turkey breast, wild hog, whitetail deer, black bear, squirrel canned with chiles and onion, and wild turkey legs canned with mushrooms and onion. Going to can some trout this week for patties.(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220530/9abf232b6e9312346997ae04d774b6cb.jpg)


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I do not have a lot of experience with canning but know I could borrow a pressure cooker from my Deacon to do meats, he and his now deceased wife used to can all their deer so I am sure I could get some advise from him on how to do it. Used to help can jams, tomatoes and so on when I was young. Oh and zucchini relish, loved it!

Quote from: Sir-diealot on May 30, 2022, 10:41:30 AM
I do not have a lot of experience with canning but know I could borrow a pressure cooker from my Deacon to do meats, he and his now deceased wife used to can all their deer so I am sure I could get some advise from him on how to do it. Used to help can jams, tomatoes and so on when I was young. Oh and zucchini relish, loved it!

Bet he'd enjoy sharing that knowledge with you, especially if his wife's no longer around. Two places canning really shines is with meats that have the potential to carry trich (bears and hogs, but especially bears), and meats that are tough to begin with (i.e. turkeys). You do it all exactly the same so once you've done it once you'll have it down. Just always leave a good amount of head space, especially if it something that's already cooked and being covered with broth.


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Our canners recipe book actually had bear listed in it, thought that was cool with the way things are

Quote from: ChesterCopperpot on May 30, 2022, 11:36:52 AM

Quote from: Sir-diealot on May 30, 2022, 10:41:30 AM
I do not have a lot of experience with canning but know I could borrow a pressure cooker from my Deacon to do meats, he and his now deceased wife used to can all their deer so I am sure I could get some advise from him on how to do it. Used to help can jams, tomatoes and so on when I was young. Oh and zucchini relish, loved it!

Bet he'd enjoy sharing that knowledge with you, especially if his wife's no longer around. Two places canning really shines is with meats that have the potential to carry trich (bears and hogs, but especially bears), and meats that are tough to begin with (i.e. turkeys). You do it all exactly the same so once you've done it once you'll have it down. Just always leave a good amount of head space, especially if it something that's already cooked and being covered with broth.


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Thank you much, I am sure he would, he is a good guy, miss his wife a lot, some of the truest examples of real Christians that I have ever met, would give you the shirts off their backs if you needed it. I miss her quite a bit, one of the few people I truly enjoyed being around, loved God, her husband, her kids and grand kids dearly. Nothing but respect for both of them.

In my part of the world jar canning of meat just wasn't passed down or done... Most everything in my area was mostly salted or freshly killed ... We had fried chicken just about every Sunday after church.

Quote from: Greg Massey on June 01, 2022, 06:47:51 PM
In my part of the world jar canning of meat just wasn't passed down or done... Most everything in my area was mostly salted or freshly killed ... We had fried chicken just about every Sunday after church.

I had never heard of it till I moved here myself, but it is pretty good.

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Those filled jars are awesome! The sight of your pantry would give a vegan cardiac arrest! But seriously I like that you're using a lot of what is generally considered the less desirable cuts too. It's  such a great way to show full respect for the animals we kill. Thanks for sharing it. It's definitely on my radar to try it at some point, I just want to make sure I don't blow up the kitchen!

PS: I'm relieved that this post is about canning turkey for food and not a canned hunt for turkeys which is what I originally thought!!!

Quote from: Zobo on June 01, 2022, 10:14:20 PM

PS: I'm relieved that this post is about canning turkey for food and not a canned hunt for turkeys which is what I originally thought!!!

I thought the same thing when I first read the title.