Don't just breast out your bird

I know of numerous other hunters who only take the beasts off the turkey and leave the rest in the field because it's too 'tough'. You are losing**~50% of your yield** and some really good quality meat if you put it in the right dishes! So I am hoping this will help encourage others to keep more meat. Please add recipes or suggestions!

Breast Yield: 4-5lbs
Other Meat: 4-5lbs (The Lost Opportunity)
Total Yield: 8-10lbs. Usually on the lower end, unless you get a big bird.

That other 50% could be used for the following:

Leg Drumsticks:

• Soup: boil with rest of the carcass/bones, and that will be part of your meat for a large pot of soup. A wild turkey can easily make 8L of broth and 16L of soup once you add your fixings.
• Slow Braised and Smoked: Brine, then braise legs for 6-12 hours until the thin little bones/tendons pull out clean, then smoke them for some damn good smoked turkey legs. (Braise under 212 F to ensure meat stays moist). May want to wrap with butcher's trine.

Thighs:

• Ground Tukey: Perfect for grinding into burgers, tacos, or chili
• Slow cooker favorites: Stew low and slow.
• Turkey Salad Sandwiches: Made some really good turkey salad sandwiches after a long braise with these. Chopped fine.

Other offcuts:

• There are some white meat offcuts - Can be used in soup, otherwise can be fried up for some little turkey fingers. I think if you find the ones I'm talking about there's a tough seem in em you want to cut out.
• Dark Meat Offcuts - Soup

Please keep the whole bird, honor the animal the most you can and get more 'buck' for your 'bang'.