Southern Fried Wild Turkey

And no, not of the boozy variety . . . an actual, wild turkey.

Earlier this month, Jared came home with this lovely specimen.  He joined a new hunting lease last fall, and for the first spring since he left Mississippi, he had his own spot to hunt. 

Now that our freezer is stuffed with two tyrannosaurus turkey breasts, Jared is delighted. I, on the other hand, am a little more concerned. The only turkeys that I have worked with have been plump little butterballs.

So, I default to the sportsman. And his cooking method of choice for tender morsels of wild turkey? Frying, of course!

Ingredients

• 1 wild turkey breast, cut into strips
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1-2 teaspoons Pete's Good Stuff seasoning mix
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• 2-3 cups peanut oil

Directions

1. Mix the buttermilk, garlic powder and onion powder in a large bowl.
2. Soak the turkey strips in the mixture for at least 3-4 hours (overnight, if possible).
3. Spread the panko bread crumbs out on the surface of a large plate and sprinkle with Pete's Good Stuff seasoning mix.
4. Dip the marinated turkey strips into the seasoned bread crumbs and coat generously.
5. In a large cast iron skillet or pot, bring the oil to 375 degrees F.
6. Fry the turkey strips until golden brown. Do not overcrowd the pot -- the temperature will drop too low and the turkey will not fry properly. Cook in several batches, if needed.
7. Allow the strips to cool on a plate lined with paper towels to soak up excess oil.

Enjoy with a nice cold beer and a side of Watermelon Slaw.