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Wild Game Cuisine

Wild Turkey Kebabs with Chokecherry Chipotle Ranch

At the 2025 Wyoming Outdoor Weekend in Lander, the National Wild Turkey Federation’s Wyoming WITO Chapter brought home the win at the Wyoming Wildlife Federation’s annual Wild Game Cookoff.

June 3, 20251 min read

Their secret? A mouthwatering kebab dish that showcased the rich flavor of wild turkey. 

Cooked and served by a team that included veteran hunter Craig Johnson, NWTF Wyoming State Chapter President Joan Eisemann and WITO members Olivia Maxwell and a’Lisa Hoffmann, the kebabs weren’t just delicious — they told a story of community and the transformative power of the outdoors. 

“This isn’t a precise recipe — it’s more shake and bake, with a dollop of this and a pinch of that,” Eisemann said with a laugh. “You taste as you go.” 

The recipe below is flexible and made to scale depending on how many kebabs you want to prepare. 

Ingredients

For the Kebabs: 

  • Turkey breast 
  • Elk backstrap (optional, but adds a rich contrast) 
  • Sweet onion 
  • Cherry tomatoes 
  • Mushrooms 
  • Olive Garden Italian dressing (for marinade) 
  • Woodfire garlic seasoning 
  • Butter 

Chokecherry Chipotle Ranch:

A dollop of: 

  • Greek yogurt 
  • Sour cream 
  • Mayo 
  • Chokecherry juice 

A pinch of: 

  • Chipotle pepper 
  • Smoked paprika  
  • Cumin
Wild turkey kebabs
Photo credit: Joan Eisemann
Photo credit: Joan Eisemann

Instructions

  1. The day before you plan to cook, soak your wild game meat in salt water for 20 minutes. Then dice into bite-sized pieces and marinate in Olive Garden Italian dressing for 24 hours.
  2. After marinating, alternate turkey, elk (if using), sweet onion, cherry tomatoes and mushrooms onto skewers.
  3. In a bowl, mix together Greek yogurt, sour cream, mayo and chokecherry juice until smooth. Add chipotle pepper, smoked paprika and cumin to taste. Adjust seasoning as needed and refrigerate until serving.
  4. Melt butter and stir in Kinder’s woodfire garlic seasoning. Set aside for basting during smoking.
  5. Preheat your smoker to 450°F. Smoke the kebabs for approximately 12 minutes, turning halfway through and brushing with the seasoned butter mixture.
  6. Serve the kebabs hot off the smoker with a generous drizzle — or dip — of chokecherry chipotle ranch.
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