18 Nebraskaland • June 2019
IN THE FIELD
TURKEY AND CHIPOTLE FRIED TACOS
By Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley
This recipe is an homage to all the
cheap Burger King and Jack-in-the-Box
fried tacos I ate as a teenager, except my
version will actually taste good. You'll
get all the crunchy, greasy goodness
your heart desires, along with a spicy,
real-meat turkey filling hunted by you
– nothing like the gray "meat" paste
the King and Jack used in theirs. These
tacos will be so tasty your family and
friends will gobble them up as fast as
you can make them.
I've said it before and I'll say it
again: Turkey legs and thighs are not
"dog food." Although tough, they are
flavorful and nothing a bit of heat,
moisture and time can't tenderize.
Much like hunting, patience is also key
to cooking wild turkey successfully.
Servings: 20-25 small tacos
Prep Time: 6-8 hours
Cooking Time: 1 hour and 30
minutes
Ingredients:
•
2 turkey legs and 2 turkey thighs
•
8 cloves of garlic, minced
•
1 tablespoon of salt, plus extra
•
¼ teaspoon of cracked black
pepper
•
1 teaspoon of chili powder
•
½ teaspoon of cumin
•
2 cans of beer
•
1 small onion, peeled and halved
•
1 tablespoon of olive oil
•
Half a grated onion
•
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
•
1 to 2 chipotle peppers in adobo
sauce, chopped
•
2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro,
leaves and stems
•
Shredded romaine lettuce
•
Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
•
20-25 corn tortillas
•
Corn or vegetable oil for frying
•
Hot sauce/taco sauce
1. Remove thick areas of silver skin
from turkey legs and thighs. Combine
minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of salt,
cracked pepper, chili powder and
cumin, and then rub it all over turkey.
Place turkey in a slow cooker and pour
in enough beer to submerge the meat
completely. Add a halved onion and
cover the slow cooker with foil. Place
the lid on top of the foil – foil will
prevent steam escaping. Cook on low