Turkey hunting forum for turkey hunting tips

Do any of you notice a difference in the flavor or tenderness of your turkey after sitting in the fridge for a week vs. cooking right away?
Just about every season I make a wild turkey meatball and andouille gumbo. Most years I use one week aged meat. This year I cooked the gumbo the day I shot it.  Tasted good but different , maybe less flavorful ?


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I would say most likely. If you eat venison first day you shoot it its trash. Rubbery and tough. Leave it in a cooler for a week or so 10 times better.

Mine are either eaten same day, or they go into a vacuum sealed bag and froze.  I don't see much difference between the two.  However, I have noticed if you leave them in water in the fridge a day or two they start to get tough. 

I really don't notice any difference in the flavor. I chill it down for usually a week and then vac seal ...

In the fridge for three to four days for me.

How ya not gonna share a recipe Z?





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Idk guys. I've eaten lots of turkey, can't say I ever had one I thought was tough.
I don't do anything special to it. Often it goes right into freezer. Sometimes it sits. Never seems to matter.
My buddy seems sensitive to the "toughness". He says soaking it in 7up or ginger ale overnight tenderizes. I tried that and couldn't decipher a difference either but it may be something you want to experiment with,
The one thing I will say regarding the deer comment. I do notice a difference in deer if cut right away. A guy told me one time it needs to get full rigor mortis than relax before cut off bone. If warm I cut off quarters and put that in refrigerator a few days before cutting further. It's def better. The tenderloin,backstrap and neck pieces can go right into freezer. I don't notice any difference

Aging works similar in poultry as beef to an extent, allowing it to go through rigor is beneficial for flavor and texture.

I haven't done a side by side but do notice some are better than others when eating, had a few birds in the cooler for several days this year so they should be great!


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That looks freaking amazing.

LOL, I had fried wild turkey and homemade Mac and cheese for supper tonight ... Just awesome

Quote from: ruination on May 18, 2025, 10:23:38 PMHow ya not gonna share a recipe Z?





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lol, sorry bout that!
I don't really use a recipe but I'll try to give the basic idea:
I make a roux cooking slowly until dark brown close to black. Add the normal trinity, browned andouille, turkey stock (or chicken) and Cajun seasoning. Then I make small Swedish style meatballs using ground turkey instead of beef. Brown the meatballs and add to the gumbo and simmer 20 minutes. Serve with white rice, cornbread and honey butter.

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I added some sautéed wild mushrooms (Stropharia) I found to my bowl.


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Had turkey breast tonight, marinated in some Hawaiian BBQ sauce, then just baked it. GOOD!

Quote from: Zobo on May 19, 2025, 09:51:29 PM

Quote from: ruination on May 18, 2025, 10:23:38 PMHow ya not gonna share a recipe Z?





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lol, sorry bout that!
I don't really use a recipe but I'll try to give the basic idea:
I make a roux cooking slowly until dark brown close to black. Add the normal trinity, browned andouille, turkey stock (or chicken) and Cajun seasoning. Then I make small Swedish style meatballs using ground turkey instead of beef. Brown the meatballs and add to the gumbo and simmer 20 minutes. Serve with white rice, cornbread and honey butter.

(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250520/8b24d10ec5522dab4b8204eab3cb0935.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250520/5716787284744eec5b58a1e294290332.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250520/6771c5a69e2278fb95e93deb56a49cb0.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250520/6f6e5445a5263ca82efb766f402afa71.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250520/3baa37f12a4df7d58614cc60c785c63e.jpg)
I added some sautéed wild mushrooms (Stropharia) I found to my bowl.


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That looks great but; no potato salad   :toothy12:

Quote from: 10th Legionaire on May 20, 2025, 11:55:36 AMSent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That looks great but; no potato salad   :toothy12:
[/quote]


Yes! But only on the side for me, I don't even put the rice in it.  🤣

Quote from: Zobo on May 20, 2025, 07:56:56 PM

Quote from: 10th Legionaire on May 20, 2025, 11:55:36 AMSent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That looks great but; no potato salad   :toothy12:

Yes! But only on the side for me, I don't even put the rice in it.  🤣
[/quote]

Just poking fun man. I enjoy gumbo and find all the rice vs potato salad disagreements funny. I like both, and both at the same time.

I think I'll try your recipe  :you_rock:

I never thought about aging turkey.
  I almost always bring mine straight home and it'll be in the freezer, vacuum packed right away.
Maybe ill give it a try next year but I haven't had a toughness issue.

I believe it is more of a taste issue than a tough/tender issue.

Does anyone brine their turkey?  For a couple of years now with upland birds, my hunting buddies have put all of the day's birds in a cooler with water and salt overnight before putting them in bags.  It gets the blood/bruising out of the bird.  Not that I felt they needed it, but it also makes them more tender.