A spicy springtime take on turkey and yams

March is the start of spring turkey season and a great time to hunt and work on the lease before the dreaded Texas summer heat sets in.

This recipe is paired with a favorite family holiday side dish I enjoy with wild game. The leftover praline sauce can be served warm over vanilla ice cream or cheesecake.

Cajun Stuffed Wild Turkey Breast

INGREDIENTS

Whole turkey breast brined

1 pound of boudin

(Crawfish boudin from Leo’s Cajun Corner in Galveston was used in the recipe)

Clarified butter

Pepper jack cheese or mozzarella

Chopped jalapeños or olives

Hickory smoked bacon

Texas Select Seasonings The Juicy Pig

Texas Select Seasonings Herbal Red seasoning

Texas Select Seasonings Salted Vodka and Grapefruit BBQ Glaze

Cold brine breast overnight with this recipe:

½ cup kosher salt

¼ cup brown sugar

½ cup white sugar

3 quarts cold water

DIRECTIONS

Remove from brine and wash. Butterfly breast out and tenderize with meat mallet.

Brush outside with clarified butter and season. Flip over and repeat.

Spread thin layer of boudin across turkey, and at the top make a line of cheese and peppers or olives to taste.

Roll up the breast and cut into smaller pieces to wrap completely in bacon. Season bacon exterior with the Juicy Pig BBQ Rub and cook on an offset grill until an internal temperature of 160 F, then remove and glaze with salted Vodka and Grapefruit BBQ Glaze. Let rest 8 minutes before slicing.

Praline Pecan Yams

INGREDIENTS

4 to 5 yams

½ stick butter

1 cup raw honey

¼ cup molasses

2 tablespoons brown sugar

½ cup fresh orange juice with pulp

2 tablespoons

Kahlúa Liqueur

1 tablespoon Frangelico Liquor

2 cups pecan halves

Cinnamon to cover pecans

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

DIRECTIONS

Wash, dry and lightly butter yams. Wrap in foil and bake at 350 F until fork tender. Once cool to the touch, peel, cut in pieces and place in a shallow pan.

For the sauce, start by spreading the pecan halves on foil and applying a generous amount of cinnamon and the nutmeg. Broil until brown and remove from heat.

In a saucepan, melt ½ stick of butter, then add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and stir in pecans and all cinnamon from the foil.

Return to heat and as soon as it boils, remove and keep stirring until the foam settles. Pour over yams. Cover and let rest 20 minutes before serving.