Prime Cuts: Michael Waddell’s Jalapeño-Dill Wild-Turkey Nuggets Recipe

In a recent Prime Cuts Wild Game Edition episode, award-winning chef and host David Bancroft teamed up with Michael Waddell to prepare the Bone Collector star’s deep-fried, jalapeño-dill turkey nuggets recipe. 

Michael starts by cutting bite-size nuggets from the turkey his wife harvested on their Georgia farm last fall. When cutting the nuggets, Michael suggests doing so across the grain of the meat, and to your desired thickness. 

Naturally, wild bird meat is leaner and more muscular than the store-bought variety (which is often pumped full of saltwater). Brining your meat before cooking will help keep it moist and tender as it cooks. Michael marinades his nuggets overnight in a jalapeño and dill pickle juice brine mixture. He then coats his nuggets in a batter made from flour and spices, then deep fries them in peanut oil at 350 degrees. The nuggets are done once they’re golden brown and floating in the oil.

As a bonus to this delicious recipe for wild turkey, chef David Bancroft mixes up his and her dipping sauces. One sweet and one creamy, the honey mustard and fire-roasted poblano ranch sauces provide a perfect complement to the tangy spice of the jalapeño-dill turkey nuggets.

Who better to teach you how to cook wild turkey than the Bone Collector himself, right? So, what are you waiting for? Try preparing it yourself with the help of Waddell’s recipe for wild turkey, below.

Jalapeño-Dill Turkey Nuggets and Dipping Sauce Recipes

Cuisine: AmericanDifficulty: easy

Servings

0

servings

Total time

0

minutes

Michael Waddell’s wild turkey nuggets are marinated in a spicy jalapeno-dill brine overnight before deep frying in peanut oil and serving with his and her dipping sauces.

WILD-TURKEY NUGGETS

• TURKEY NUGGET MARINADE INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup Dill pickle juice

• 1 cup Jalapeño pickle juice

• let marinade sit overnight

• TURKEY NUGGET BATTER INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups All-purpose flour

• 1 tsp. Kosher salt

• 1 tsp. Ground black pepper

• 1⁄2 tsp. Garlic powder

• Cayenne pepper (dash) and mix together

• SPICY HONEY MUSTARD “HERS” SAUCE INGREDIENTS

• Duke’s mayonnaise (to taste)

• Dijon mustard (to taste)

• Honey (to taste)

• Salt (pinch)

• Cayenne pepper (dash) and mix together

• POBLANO RANCH “HIS” SAUCE INGREDIENTS

• Poblano peppers (charred on hot grill and outer skins removed)

• 1 cup buttermilk (pureed with Poblano peppers until smooth)

• 1 cup Duke’s mayonnaise (pureed with Poblano peppers until smooth)

• Buttermilk Ranch dressing seasoning packet (to taste)

TURKEY NUGGET COOKING Directions

• Heat peanut oil to 350 degrees
• Cut turkey breast length-wise, across the grain, then opposite the grain into smaller nuggets, and, finally, trim any extra fat
• Place nuggets in marinade (see ingredients above)
• Place marinated nuggets (as dry as you can) in a bowl containing the flour mixture (batter recipe above). The fewer nuggets placed in the mixture at a time, the better
• Put nuggets in marinade (see ingredients above)
• Take marinated nuggets (as dry as you can) can place them into the flour mixture (batter recipe above) mix up in the bowl. Few nugget pieces at a time the better.
• Shake excess flour off nuggets, then place them into your hot peanut oil and cook until they’re golden brown and begin to float to the top of your fry pan
• Serve with the “his” and “hers” dipping sauces you like (recipes above)

For more field-to-table recipes like this, check out Prime Cuts: Wild Game Edition.