Field to Table: Eat the Bird
This Thanksgiving, be bold. Be daring. Be brave. You, Holiday Host, are the boss of the kitchen, so why not consider something new? The National Wild Turkey Federation has put together recipe ideas that’ll add zest to routine holiday meals and adventure to long hours of Thanksgiving prep.

“Cooking usually becomes a chore when you get caught serving the same foods, prepared the same way,” said Matt Lindler, editor of the NWTF’s cookbook, Wild About Turkey and More. “Don’t be afraid to mix it up and add new menu items to your Thanksgiving gathering to go along with foods your friends and family love to eat and expect during the holidays.”

From a bird stuffed with crispy bacon and sautéed onions to a delicate wild turkey dish baked in cranberries and chardonnay, there’s no doubt a traditional Thanksgiving bird can be wildly unorthodox if given the chance.

Stuffed Midwestern Wild Turkey

Recipe from A.M. Glombowski, Lake Forest, Ill.

14 slices of bacon, divided
1 cup of onion, chopped
1/4 cup of celery, chopped
1/2 cup of water
1 (8-ounce) package of cornmeal stuffing mix
1 chicken bouillon cube
1/2 cup of hot water
1 cup of dry red wine, divided
1 (10- to 12-pound) wild or domestic turkey

Fry eight slices of bacon until crisp. Drain bacon, crumble and set aside. Saute onion and celery in bacon drippings. When vegetables are tender, add 1/2 cup water and simmer for five minutes. Stir in stuffing mix and crumbled bacon. Dissolve bouillon cube in 1/2 cup hot water. Add 1/2 cup red wine to bouillon. Add bouillon-wine liquid to stuffing mixture and stuff turkey.

Transfer turkey to roasting pan. Lay four slices of uncooked bacon across the breast, and wrap a slice of bacon around each leg. Cover pan with foil; then place lid on pan. Bake in 300-degree oven for 4 1/2 hours. Remove cover and foil. Pour remaining wine over turkey. Baste every 10 minutes while cooking an additional 40 minutes. Yield: 12 to 15 servings Wild Turkey in Cranberries & Chardonnay over Rice Recipe came from NWTF members Jason and Cheryl Chmielewski of Port St. Lucie, Fla. This dish is elegant and sweet, bringing out the full flavor of the turkey without overpowering it.

1 turkey breast 1 can whole jellied cranberries 2 cups orange juice 1 bag frozen Pearl Onions 1 cup honey 1 cup olive oil or vegetable oil 1 cup white wine salt & pepper Place the turkey breast in a crock pot. In a bowl, combine all other ingredients and mix well. Pour mixture over turkey and cook on low heat for six hours. Serve with wild rice and vegetables. (Pork roast, chicken or domestic turkey can be substituted.)

Sweet Smoked Turkey

NWTF member Chris Pfeil of Pierce, Neb., contributed this recipe. Though smoking your wild turkey takes time, the wait is worth the reward.

1 whole turkey
For each gallon of water, add the following:
1 cup Tenderquick or other liquid meat tenderizer
2 cups apple juice
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp Liquid Smoke (just in case)
1 Tbsp black pepper
1/4 Tbsp garlic powder
1/4 cup soy sauce

Use hot water to dissolve the ingredients. Make one gallon to start with and omit the pepper (it clogs the syringe). Inject the bird all over. Next, add the pepper and submerge the bird in the mixture. A five-gallon bucket works well. Make enough to cover the turkey and soak in a refrigerated area for three to four days. Before smoking, air dry for one hour and rub with brown sugar. Smoking time will vary depending on temperature and the size of bird. Expect to smoke your bird between five to eight hours.

Turkey Burn
8 Weight Control Tips For The Holiday Season

“Going on a diet” — Instead of "going on a diet," try changing the proportions of the foods you eat -- both at home and at holiday parties. Divide your plate into three sections and fill half of it with fresh fruit and/or steamed vegetables, one-fourth with starch and one-fourth with protein.

Do a "trade-off" — Eating more during the holidays can be offset, at least to a degree, by a moderate and daily increase in physical exercise. Don't have an hour to spare? Try 10-15 minute brisk walks at intervals throughout the day.

The healthy snack sneak — Before a huge holiday meal or get-together, try eating a small portion of something healthy at home first. For example, you could munch on some vegetable sticks or wedges of fruit. This will help curb your appetite and you'll be less tempted to over-indulge on calorie rich foods at dinner.

Phat Phiz — Skip high calorie beverages such as sodas, juices, smoothies and blended coffee drinks. There are nearly 150 calories in one 12 oz. can of soda or juice. Smoothies and coffee drinks are often 250-500 calories, excluding the whipped cream.

Don’t be a skipper — Avoid skipping meals. Starving yourself before Thanksgiving increases the odds that you'll overeat once you get there.

More turkey, less gravy — At holiday meals, try eating more of the smoked or roasted turkey and less of the stuffing, gravy and pie. Turkey is naturally lower in fat and calories.

Nibble — Eating more slowly helps you eat less and still feel satisfied.

Be positive — Remember that you control your weight; it doesn't control you.

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California

Wild Game Nutrition

Species	Protein (percent)	Fat (percent)	Cholesterol (mg/100g*)	Calories (Kcal/100g*)
Beef (USDA choice)	22	6.5	72	180
Beef (USDA standard)	22.7	2.0	69	152
Wild boar**	28.3	4.38	109	160
Buffalo	21.7	1.9	62	138
White-tailed deer	23.6	1.4	116	149
Mule deer	23.7	1.3	107	145
Elk	22.8	0.9	67	137
Moose	22.1	0.5	71	130
Antelope	22.5	0.9	112	144
Squirrel	21.4	3.2	83	149
Cottontail	21.8	2.4	77	144
Jackrabbit	21.9	2.4	131	153
Wild turkey	25.7	1.1	55	163
Wild pheasant	25.7	0.6	52	148
Sharp-tailed grouse	23.8	0.7	105	142
Sage grouse	23.7	1.1	101	140
Dove	22.9	1.8	94	145
Snow goose	22.7	3.6	142	121
Mallard	23.1	2.0	140	152
Source: North Dakota State University *100g equals about 3.5 ounces ** Not trimmed of fat before analysis; all other meat was
Domestic animals have 25 to 30 percent fat while the average fat content of wild game is only 4.3. Also, fat from wild game contains a much higher proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids—good fat—and is lower in saturated (bad) fat.

Waste Not, Want Not

All great Thanksgiving feasts begin with a great plan: The guest list The menu When to decorate When to shop for supplies Block time to cook (Be sure not to cook everything the day of your dinner.) About.com

“The breast meat is the most tender so always use it in a recipe that allows the turkey to stand alone,” said Abernethy. “But often, especially on an old bird, the legs can be tough. Use the drumsticks, wings, backbone and carcass to make a gumbo starter. Cook until the meat falls off the bone, find your favorite gumbo recipe and go from there.”