Come Thanksgiving, most families will carve into a golden roast turkey, savoring the tender white breast meat. But not all turkeys are created equal when it comes to color. Wild turkeys have a much different hue compared to the pale birds found in grocery stores. So do wild turkeys really have white meat too? Let’s find out.
The Skinny on White Meat
White meat comes mainly from the breast muscles of poultry. Since chickens and turkeys don’t fly much, their breast muscles stay tender and lightly used resulting in a pale meat color. The thighs and legs get darker “red” meat from more strenuous use.
Selective breeding in domestic turkeys accentuates the white meat. Farmers intentionally breed for larger breast size, which means more white meat. The average supermarket turkey today is nearly twice as big as turkeys in the 1960s.
Why Wild Turkey Breasts Are Darker
Wild turkeys lead active lives, flying through forests and escaping predators. Their breasts provide powerful flight muscles, not just sitting there unused. This alone leads to darker, “redder” breast meat.
Other factors like diet and genetics also play a role. Wild turkeys eat diverse foods like seeds, berries, and insects, unlike domestic birds on regimented diets. This affects meat composition. Wild birds also have more genetic diversity, influencing traits like color.
So while wild turkeys do technically have white breast meat, it looks darker than the super pale meat of domestic turkeys.
Differences in Taste and Texture
The color difference between wild and domestic turkey meat also indicates differences in flavor and texture. Wild turkey breasts have a richer more intense taste compared to the blander domestic meat. The texture is slightly firmer rather than tender.
Thighs and legs of wild birds are also darker than domestic turkeys, but not remarkably so. These parts already have a robust flavor and chewy texture regardless of the turkey’s wild origins.
Cooking Wild Turkey Breasts
Because wild turkey breasts are smaller and leaner, they require careful cooking to avoid drying out. It’s best to brine first, then cook to medium or medium rare doneness. Quick sear or grill methods work better than roasting.
You can safely substitute wild turkey breasts in any recipe calling for domestic turkey. Just be mindful of the differences in cook times and final internal temperature.
Nutrition
Wild turkey is just as nutritious, if not more so, than domestic turkey. Wild birds get more diverse diets and exercise, resulting in lean, protein-packed meat. There are no hormonal or genetic modifications with wild turkeys either.
A 3.5 ounce serving of wild turkey breast has around 120 calories and 25 grams of protein with minimal fat. It’s an excellent source of zinc, phosphorus, and vitamin B6 too.
Hunting Your Own Wild Bird
Many folks eager to try real wild turkey opt to hunt their own birds each spring and fall season. This ensures the finest quality meat from a genuinely wild turkey compared to farm-raised “wild” turkeys sometimes found in stores.
Hunting wild turkeys requires patience and skill to quietly stalk these cautious birds. Various methods and tools are used from shotguns to bows and calls. Be sure to check your state’s regulations for tagging information and safety rules.
Savor the Wild Flavor
However you obtain it, wild turkey meat offers a real taste of nature. The subtly gamy, dense breast meat provides a nice contrast to the more mellow white meat of domestic turkeys. Even the legs and thighs have more complexity.
This Thanksgiving when you sit down to your turkey dinner, take a bite and appreciate millions of years of evolution that shaped the wild turkey into a distinctly delicious bird.
white meat – 14
wild turkey – 12
domestic turkey – 10
breast – 9
darker – 5
thighs – 4
legs – 4
flavor – 4
texture – 3
cooking – 3
nutrition – 3
hunting – 3
taste – 3
color – 3
Learn the basics of wild turkey meat, the typical flavor profile, and techniques for cooking it to perfection
“Shoe leather” is how I once heard a client refer to the culinary merits of wild turkey. I was attending graduate school and had only shot my first turkey the previous fall. This client invited me to his property for a “guaranteed” late-season bird in eastern Washington but warned me, “My wife knows how to cook, and she couldn’t get me to eat more than one bite.”
The biggest misconception with wild turkey is that you can cook it like their obese, domestic counterparts found in grocery stores. You simply cannot. While some of the details can vary depending on species, region, and diet, what follows is a general profile of wild turkey meat.
(based on a serving of 100g or 3.5oz)
109 calories 25g protein 1.1g fat
Wild turkeys have white breast meat with darker meat found in the thighs and legs, similar to domestic turkeys. The meat is incredibly lean throughout—unlike domestic turkeys—and breasts can easily dry out if overcooked. On the other hand, the legs, wings, and thighs require several hours of cooking at low temperatures in order to tenderize.
If cooked correctly, wild turkey breast meat tastes like a firmer version of domestic turkey breast, though some would suggest that it tends to taste more like the dark meat of a domestic turkey. The legs and thighs can take on very subtle flavor notes that approach beef, depending on the cooking method (e.g., a long braise in stock followed by a smoke).
A typical wild turkey yields 8–12 pounds or more, including bone-in meat, depending on the size of the bird and assuming that all parts are kept (legs, thighs, wings, breasts, and giblets).
Why Don’t We Eat Turkey Eggs!
FAQ
Why do wild turkeys not have white meat?
The dark meat comes from active muscles (more oxygen and Myoglobin). Wild turkeys are basically all dark meat because they actually use all their muscles including their wings to fly where domesticated just run around. Go shoot a wild turkey.
Is Wild Turkey white meat?
Wild turkeys have white breast meat with darker meat found in the thighs and legs, similar to domestic turkeys.Apr 9, 2021
What are white meat turkeys called?
The White turkey, also referred to as White Holland, is one of the rarest heritage breeds and they have bright white feathering. They were used to develop the common broad breasted white turkey that is used in farming. The White turkey originated in Mexico from people breeding white colored Bronze turkeys.
Is turkey considered white meat?
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White meatComes from well-rested muscles, like the breast, which are used less often. White meat has less myoglobin, an iron-containing protein that gives meat its red color. -
Dark meatComes from more active muscles, like the legs and thighs, which are used more often. Dark meat has more myoglobin, which gives it its reddish-brown color.
Are domestic turkeys bred white?
Although domestic turkeys can be bred to closely resemble wild turkeys, domestics normally are bred white to avoid darker skin coloration associated with non-white feathers. Wild turkeys rely on their dark brown and black plumage as camouflage. Marcus Schneck | [email protected] Domestic turkeys exhibit no fear of humans.
Why do turkeys have white meat?
While pigging out on turkey at Thanksgiving, I gave some thought for my food. I like both dark and white meat, but why do turkeys (and chickens) have both? The white meat comes from the breast, which turkeys use to flap their wings. Wild turkeys fly only as a last resort, in a short burst, to escape predators.
Is a wild turkey better than a domestic turkey?
“Wild turkey are smaller and have darker meat, richer, more intense flavor, and firmer texture than domestic turkey,” notes Exotic Meats USA. “The breast, being smaller, tends to cook faster than legs or thighs. Wild turkey must not be overcooked because it would become too dry.
What is a wild turkey?
Wild turkeys have white breast meat with darker meat found in the thighs and legs, similar to domestic turkeys. The meat is incredibly lean throughout—unlike domestic turkeys—and breasts can easily dry out if overcooked. On the other hand, the legs, wings, and thighs require several hours of cooking at low temperatures in order to tenderize.
What does wild turkey breast taste like?
On the other hand, the legs, wings, and thighs require several hours of cooking at low temperatures in order to tenderize. If cooked correctly, wild turkey breast meat tastes like a firmer version of domestic turkey breast, though some would suggest that it tends to taste more like the dark meat of a domestic turkey.
Do domestic turkeys look like wild turkeys?
Marcus Schneck | [email protected] Although domestic turkeys can be bred to closely resemble wild turkeys, domestics normally are bred white to avoid darker skin coloration associated with non-white feathers. Wild turkeys rely on their dark brown and black plumage as camouflage.