EASY MEXICAN WILD TURKEY TINGA
Updated: Mar 4
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This Mexican Wild Turkey Tinga recipe is one of my favorite preparations using the dark meat from wild turkeys. Not only is this a top dish for wild birds, but one of my Mexican dishes in general. It's a one-pot deal that's smoky, spicy, sweet (if you add sugar) and versatile. Tinga is a great filling for tacos, tortas, burritos, quesadillas and nachos. It's also perfect served simply with a side of rice, beans and topped with a little queso fresco. Although this staple dish hailing from Pueblo, Mexico was originally made with pork, you can find it in poultry form in street vendor stalls throughout the region.
COOKS NOTES:
Can this Dish be Cooked in a Slow Cooker? Yes, this recipe can be cooked in your crockpot. Follow the cooking directions listed below and use your slow cooker in place of a pot. Cook covered on the high setting for around 6 to 8 hours or until the meat is fork tender. For step 4 in the cooking directions, you can leave the lid to your slow cooker cracked and cook on high until you reach your desired consistency, or serve right away. And don't forget to adjust the seasoning if needed with salt, sugar or more adobo sauce.
Can you Freeze Leftovers? You can definitely freeze the leftovers. If stored properly, this will keep well frozen for a couple of months.
Serving Suggestions: I like to serve the turkey tinga as a filling or on top of a bed of rice with cilantro, avocado and queso fresco.
Serves: 6
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1.5 - 3 hours (varies depending on how tough your bird is)
INGREDIENTS
2 each - wild turkey thighs, legs and drums
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium white onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
two 14 ounce cans fire roasted tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (Mexican oregano if you have it)
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 chipotle chiles in adobo (chopped), plus 2 tablespoons adobo sauce
4 cups chicken stock or turkey stock
salt and sugar to taste
1 1/2 cups reserved cooking liquid from turkey (to be used at the end of the recipe)
DIRECTIONS
In a pot, add the wild turkey meat, bay leaves, marjoram, thyme and enough stock to cover the turkey by a few inches. Bring to a slow simmer and season the liquid with salt to taste. Cover the pot partially with a lid and simmer until tender. This can take anywhere from 1.5 to 3 hours.
Once the turkey is tender, reserve 1.5 cups of the cooking liquid and place to the side for later. Remove the turkey from the pot, shred the meat and reserve while you make the sauce.
While the turkey is cooking, make your sauce. Heat a medium sized pot over medium heat. Add the onions, season with a pinch of salt and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Pour the tomatoes, chipotles and adobo sauce into the pot. Partially cover the pot and simmer for 5-8 minutes or until the mixture has slightly thickened. You may need to stir a few times to ensure that it doesn't burn or stick to the bottom of the pot.
Pour in the reserved 1.5 cups of cooking liquid. Add the shredded turkey meat and cook uncovered stirring often, until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Season with salt, sugar and more adobo sauce to taste.
Looking for other Wild Turkey Recipes? These are a few my favorites:
Lastly, if you make this Slow cooked Wild Turkey Tinga Recipe, be sure to leave a comment or tag me on Instagram! I thoroughly enjoy hearing feedback and checking out the photos of recipes that you've made.
