How to Cook Wild Turkey Breast in the Oven: A Step-by-Step Guide

Wild turkey is a tasty and lean meat that’s perfect for roasting in the oven. With just a few simple steps you can cook moist juicy and flavorful wild turkey breast right in your own kitchen.

In this complete guide, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know to roast wild turkey breast to perfection, from preparation to cooking times. Let’s get started!

Benefits of Cooking Wild Turkey Breast

Before we dive into the how-to, let’s look at why you should cook wild turkey breast in the first place:

Lean and nutritious – Wild turkey is much lower in fat and calories compared to domestic turkey. It’s an excellent source of protein, vitamins and minerals.
Bold, savory flavor – The rich taste of wild turkey is more intense than store-bought turkey. The flavor really shines when roasted in the oven.
Impress your dinner guests – Serving oven-roasted wild turkey breast makes for an elegant, gourmet meal.
Save money – If you hunted or were gifted wild turkey, you get delicious meat for free!

Ingredients Needed

Roasting wild turkey breast in the oven only requires a few simple ingredients

1-2 lbs wild turkey breast
2-3 Tbsp olive oil or melted butter
Kosher salt and black pepper
Fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, sage (optional)
Onions, celery, carrots (optional for roasting alongside)

That’s it! Now let’s get to the step-by-step method.

Step 1: Prepare the Turkey Breast

First, remove the wild turkey breasts from the refrigerator and pat them dry with paper towels. Make sure they are at room temperature before cooking.

If there are any feathers still attached, carefully pluck them. Use a sharp knife to carefully trim off any excess skin or fat.

Step 2: Brine the Turkey Breast (Optional)

For the juiciest results, I recommend brining the wild turkey breasts before roasting. Here’s an easy brine recipe:

1 gallon water
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1/2 Tbsp dried thyme

Combine the brine ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Place the turkey breasts in a gallon size ziploc bag or container and pour over the cooled brine. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.

Once brined, remove the turkey breasts from the liquid and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Discard the brine.

Step 3: Prepare Aromatics and Vegetables

For extra flavor, chop up any aromatic veggies and herbs you want to roast with the turkey. Good options are:

Onion, carrot, celery chunks
Sprigs of thyme, rosemary, sage
Garlic cloves, halved
Lemon wedges

Toss the veggies and aromatics with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper.

Step 4: Season the Turkey Breasts

Rub the turkey breasts all over with olive oil or melted butter. This helps prevent them from drying out.

Generously season the breasts with:

Kosher salt
Black pepper
Any other dry herbs or spices

You can also stuff fresh herb sprigs under the skin for even more flavor.

Step 5: Roast in the Oven

Place the seasoned turkey breasts in a roasting pan or baking dish, skin side up. Scatter the vegetables around the pan.

Roast at 350°F for approximately 15-20 minutes per pound, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

Baste the breasts with the pan juices every 30 minutes to keep them moist. Tent with foil if the skin browns too quickly.

Once done, remove from oven and let rest 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Troubleshooting Oven-Roasted Wild Turkey Breast

Follow these tips if you run into any issues while roasting wild turkey breast:

Turkey breast is dry – Brine the meat before cooking, baste more frequently, and don’t overcook. Remove from oven when it reaches 165°F.
Skin is burnt – Use lower heat (325°F), tent with foil if skin browns too fast, and baste turkey as it cooks.
Turkey breast is undercooked – Use a meat thermometer to accurately gauge doneness. Cook for the full recommended time based on weight.
Flavor is bland – Brine turkey and season generously with salt, pepper and herbs. Stuff fresh herbs under the skin.

Serving Suggestions

Oven-roasted wild turkey breast makes a fantastic entrée for holiday meals or any special occasion. Serve it with:

Roast vegetables like potatoes, carrots, parsnips
Stuffing or mushroom-herb dressing
Cranberry sauce
Mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes
Gravy or turkey jus
Biscuits, rolls or cornbread
Fresh herbs

Leftover turkey is amazing in salads, sandwiches, soups and casseroles too. Get creative with how you use it!

Final Tips for Roasting Wild Turkey Breast

Here’s a quick recap of tips for oven-roasting wild turkey breast:

Always brine the meat for extra moisture and flavor
Pat turkey dry and bring to room temp before roasting
Roast at 350°F until the internal temperature reaches 165°F
Baste frequently with pan juices to prevent drying out
Let turkey rest before slicing for juicier meat

With this simple method, you’ll get perfectly roasted wild turkey breast every time. Enjoy this tasty game meat!

how to cook wild turkey breast in the oven

This simple recipe for oven-roasted wild turkey will leave you strutting

April is a special time of year across the Southeast. There is something for all outdoor enthusiasts to do. If you like fishing, there are opportunities of all kinds, freshwater and saltwater, and hunters can get back into the woods for encounters of the gobble, gobble, gobble kind.

If you consider yourself a sportsman and don’t look forward to April, you might want to reevaluate your opinion of yourself.

One thing I try to provide in April is an excellent recipe for wild turkey and many of them come from my friend, Robert Cardwell, of Rockingham County, N.C. You won’t be disappointed with this one. I can’t say he is the only one who influences my gastronomical experiences with thunder chickens, but he has shown me a lot. For several years running I have featured one of his recipes in April, and there have been others going back more than 10 years. If you tried any, you won’t need to ask why. He knows turkeys and knows how to prepare them.

If you still have a turkey breast in your freezer from last year, go ahead and try this. If you don’t, you’ll need to slip into the woods and send one an invitation to dinner that begins with sweet purrs and encouraging yelps, but is followed by a loud bang pushing a magnum load of No. 5 shot.

Baking Wild Turkey Breast In The Oven

FAQ

What temp should wild turkey be cooked?

The thicker the breast fillet, the lower the cooking temperature. If the skillet or grill is too hot, the meat can be dry on the outside and undercooked at the center. Use a medium heat to lightly brown both sides until the internal temperature is 150 to 160 degrees.

Should a turkey breast be cooked covered or uncovered?

Cover the turkey to prevent over-browning. If the skin over the breast meat begins to brown too darkly toward the end of cooking, cover it with aluminum foil to prevent scorching.

How do you keep wild turkey moist?

When cooking an entire turkey breast I prefer to brine and bard, especially when smoking. Barding means to wrap in fat to help retain moisture by basting the meat as the fat renders while cooking. These two techniques can make one hundred percent difference when preparing the whole breast.

Do you soak wild turkey breast?

Soak the turkey meat overnight in lightly salted, cold water– Once the turkey has aged, pluck the feathers and prepare it for a whole roasting turkey, or breast it. Place either the whole turkey or the breast meat in cold water that is lightly salted for about 8 hours or overnight.