Wild Gourmet - Hickory Cider Glazed Wild Turkey

The bark of a shagbark hickory tree is very distinctive and once shown it is easily recognizable, they like to live in the flood plains of the Midwest. The nut of a shagbark hickory is sweet and delicious, but very hard to harvest from the tough shells. It is however, very easy to collect the bark from these trees and it can often be found on the ground under the canopy, simply wiggle loose-looking pieces until you find ones that are ready to fall off.

Hickory cider syrup is best made using a clean percolator, a percolator is important because it runs the cider through the bark at hot but not boiling temperatures. If you boil shagbark hickory bark the tannins will release from the wood fibers and turn the juice bitter. I use a 90-cup percolator for a double batch of this recipe. If shagbark hickory trees are not available in your region, you can crush whole hickory nuts or even acorns and use this nut/shell meal in the drip tray of the percolator.

Hickory Cider Glaze: 

YIELD 4 QUARTS

1. Add the cold cider to the percolator and the bark pieces to the filter.

2. Turn on percolator and run a complete cycle. Remove the liquids and remove the filter chamber of bark, keep separate and cool in refrigerator.

3. Once cooled, set the percolator back up and run the liquids through again. Repeat this process 5 to 10 times.

4. After the last run you will need to strain the liquids; the finer the strain the clearer the resulting syrup. I will often put a layer of coffee filters between two china cups and filter the liquid through.

5. Once strained, mix the 2 quarts of sugar into the hickory cider and bring to a near boil. Cool hickory cider syrup and store in refrigerator. If air tight the syrup can be stored for several months. The syrup can re-crystallize but a quick heat through in the microwave will dissolve any crystals.

For the Hickory Cider Glazed Wild Turkey

1. Turkey breast has very long grains of muscle fiber, running in three distinct manners. Trim and divide the breast following these long running grains, removing the inner silverskin as well. I typically cut my turkey breasts into 3 to 5 smaller portions for grilling.

2. Season the raw, trimmed turkey breast with salt and pepper and add to a heavy plastic bag, cover with 4 cups hickory cider syrup, remove all air and set in refrigerator to marinate for 12 to 48 hours, turning every 12 hours.

3. Remove turkey breast sections from marinade and drain.

4. Preheat grill to 500°F being sure to create a cool zone for slower grilling. Have a basting brush with 2 cups of the hickory cider syrup available for basting. Grill for 3 to 4 minutes on all sides, basting between sides, if turkey breast hasn’t reached 145°F, move it to a cooler section of the grill to finish slowly. Once the breast has reached 145°F in the center of the mass, remove it from direct heat to rest.

5. Rest for 20 minutes. To serve tender pieces of turkey it is important to thinly cut these sections, across the long grain of the muscle fiber. The shorter the fiber pieces of each slice cut from the loin, the more tender the meat will be to the palate.

To Serve

Serve in a variety of ways such as on a toasted hickory nut and apple spinach salad; with roasted sweet potatoes and sautéed fiddleheads; or on toasted baguette with sliced apple and Brie cheese.

Attention Wild Game Chefs

As you know, sharing wild game recipes with the public helps deepen appreciation for wild-sourced foods and the benefits of responsible hunting. By showcasing how wild game can be both delicious and sustainable, we remind people of the value hunters bring to conservation and the sustainable food movement.

Your recipes can inspire others to view wild game as an incredible, natural food source, bridging the gap between field and table and building public support for our way of life. We’re crowdsourcing recipes for a new project and would love your contributions.

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PREP TIME: The several percolation cycles will take several days. Marinate 12–48 hours.

GLAZE COOK TIME: 20 minutes

HICKORY CIDER SYRUP

1 Gallon apple cider

2 Quarts Shagbark Hickory bark broken into small pieces

2 Quarts sugar

GLAZED TURKEY

1 Wild turkey breast

Salt and blended pepper

6 Cups hickory cider syrup, divided 

 

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