First Bird and Italian Kabobs

Story and recipe by: Cody Voermans

Photos by: Robin Blankenship

Robin Blankenship wrote to us with news of her first Montana Long Beard. This was Robin's first hunt and from the smile on her face, it appears she is hooked on turkey hunting. With the help of quality guide/boyfriend, Justin Wiseman, manager of MONTANICA! Extreme Hunting, Fishing and Trapping, Robin worked this bird for over two hours before the gobbler and his small group of hens made their way toward the calls.

As Robin described it, she and Justin were hunting broken country and had positioned themselves near the top of a steep wash as the turkeys passed along the ridge-line above them. The birds were in range of her side-by-side 20 gauge, but she couldn’t see enough of the old tom for a clear shot. Soon the hens noticed something out of place, but the tom kept pushing them along and Robin got her shot.

Robin told us as the birds approached, she was so excited she forgot to breath. We are certain the turkey hunters here at Kryptek and around our country can relate. No other bird - and few animals for that matter - can elevate a hunter’s excitement level like a gobbling Turkey at close range.

Congratulations on a fine bird Robin, and in honor of the spring turkey season, here is another of our favorite wild turkey recipes.

Italian Turkey Kabobs Recipe

Ingredients

• 16 ounces pineapple, large dice (about 2 cups)
• 1 large red bell pepper, cut into large chunks
• 1 boneless skinless turkey breast and tenderloins, cut into large chunks (2-inch)
• 1 red onion, large chunks
• For marinade – 1 bottle of Zesty Italian Dressing

Instructions

1. Prepare marinade by pouring all ingredients and Zesty Italian Dressing into a plastic bag or mixing in a large bowl. Reserve ¼ cup marinade and set aside. Add chunked turkey breast to plastic bag or bowl with marinade and allow to soak in refrigerator for at least 1 hour. 2-4 hours is even better.
2. On 8 metal grill skewers or presoaked wooden skewers, alternate pineapple, bell pepper, marinated turkey breast, and red onion.
3. Preheat grill over medium-high heat and cook skewers for 8-10 minutes or until turkey is fully cooked and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Rotate skewers halfway through cooking and baste with reserved marinade every 3 minutes until fully cooked.
4. Serve warm, if possible. Though in our home, Italian Turkey Kabobs are a favorite and family gatherings and BBQs. Very few of these kabobs actually make it to the serving table.