Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Wild Turkey
Wild turkey is one of my favorite wild game meats. So if you’re lucky enough to fill your tag and want to mix up your fried turkey routine, this delicious stuffed and bacon-wrapped turkey recipe is for you.
Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Wild Turkey
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Category
Dinner
Cuisine
American
Servings
5
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
9 hours
Calories
700
This recipe comes to us from Ashton Mallette, owner and manager of Black Duck Waterfowl and friend of Montana Knife Company.
To me, spring means one thing: turkey season.
Wild turkey is one of my favorite wild game meats. I usually enjoy it fried into nuggets — it’s an easy go-to.
But if you’re lucky enough to fill your tag and want to mix up your fried turkey routine, this delicious stuffed and bacon-wrapped turkey recipe is for you.
Author:Montana Knife Company
Ingredients
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Sous vide cooker and container (must be large enough to fit the turkey breast with plenty of circulation)
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Vacuum sealer
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Oven (preferably convection)
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Rimmed baking sheet with metal baking rack
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1 pack thin-sliced bacon (don’t use thick cut)
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1 wild turkey breast, tenderloin removed
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Garlic pepper seasoning (any brand will do)
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1/2 cup barbecue sauce
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1/4 cup honey
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1/2 cup praline pecans, crushed
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1/4 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
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1 cup pepper jack cheese, shredded
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1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded (off the block)
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1/2 cup cream cheese or 4 Laughing Cow cheese wedges
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2 sprigs fresh rosemary, finely chopped
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1/2 Tbsp. fresh thyme
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1 Tbsp. MKC Bighorn Basecamp Seasoning
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1/2 Tbsp. garlic powder
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1/2 Tbsp. minced onion
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1 tsp. cracked black pepper
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Sprinkle of rubbed sage
Bacon-Wrapped Turkey Equipment
Bacon-Wrapped Turkey Ingredients
Bacon
Wild Turkey and Seasonings
Finishing Sauce
Stuffing
Directions
Dry turkey breast with paper towels on a cutting board.
Using a sharp knife, slice a small slit in the thickest part of the breast’s side and work down to make a pocket within the breast. Be careful not to make the opening too wide or slice through other parts of the meat.
Combine all the ingredients to make the stuffing. If you have a food processor, mix the dry ingredients first, then add the cheeses.
Carefully stuff the turkey breast.
Generously season the breast with Holy Voodoo and garlic pepper seasonings all over.
Wrap the breast in bacon slices starting from the smallest end, overlapping slices slightly to seal in the stuffing. Sprinkle a light layer of Holy Voodoo Seasoning over the bacon.
Vacuum seal the wrapped turkey breast. Give yourself plenty of room in the bag to create 3 or 4 seals on each end, since this is a larger piece of meat and will be in the sous vide for a while.
Preheat your sous vide to 140°F. When ready, drop in the vacuum-sealed turkey and let it cook for 8 hours. Cover the container with tinfoil or a lid to limit water evaporation.
When cooking time is up, remove the bacon-wrapped turkey from the bag and dry it well with paper towels.
To finish, preheat the oven to 375°F (preferably on convection). Place the turkey breast on a baking rack insert in a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes.
Mix the barbecue sauce and honey in a bowl. After removing the turkey breast from the oven, brush it onto the bacon pieces. Sprinkle with another layer of Holy Voodoo Seasoning and return to the oven for another 5–10 minutes, or until the bacon begins to caramelize.
Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
Recipe Note
Sous vide cooking seems tricky at first, especially for wild game, but once you get the hang of it, you won’t want to go back.
Sous vide cooking is one of my favorite ways to cook lean, wild turkey without drying out the meat. It frees up your oven to cook your sides (roast greens and mashed potatoes pair well with this particular recipe), and you can set it before you leave for a hunt.
I hope this bacon-wrapped turkey recipe leaves your family and friends begging for more — that’s always the effect in my house!
