How to rid ground turkey of game flavor

hiyomi
hiyomi Posts: 906 Member
Hi everyone, I've always refrained from buying ground turkey since I had bought it one time and used it to make meat balls and it had a very, I guess all I can describe it as is a game/strong flavory taste. My parents did not like it either. I wanted to know if there are any ways to kill this flavor with certain spices or marinating etc. The way I did it for meatballs was using egg, breadcrumbs, spices, and onion, but the flavor did not appeal to me at all! I would love to incorporate ground turkey into some of my meals if I can just get rid of that flavor! Thanks in advance! The ground turkey I had used was just some brand I found at my local Walmart, so it wasn't fresh ground turkey or anything.
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Replies

  • rickyll
    rickyll Posts: 188 Member
    i'm bumping this cuz I would also like to know!
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    I use ground beef because of this. I cannot stand ground turkey.
  • MelaniaTrump
    MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
    Would you consider just buying ground beef instead?
    I buy 90% lean or better.
    Worth the money.
    I don't like ground turkey either.
  • HuskyGent
    HuskyGent Posts: 32 Member
    edited May 2016
  • 85Cardinals
    85Cardinals Posts: 733 Member
    edited May 2016
    cumin and cilantro, ez game. And yeah, I always go ground beef for my ground game.
  • carolecrews920
    carolecrews920 Posts: 1 Member
    edited May 2016
    1st day eating clean Ground turkey for dinner cooked wth s&p and garlic powder added 2tbs Prego spaghetti sauce. OMG it was so gamey and texture horrible. I'm not a picky eater and this about did me in !!! Looking forward to answers here
  • cecsav1
    cecsav1 Posts: 714 Member
    Lean ground beef has a very similar calorie/macro makeup. If you don't like ground turkey, don't eat it :)
  • JJordon
    JJordon Posts: 857 Member
    As it has, sometimes, ever so often, worked for me, I may, rarely, mix ground turkey and ground beef (> 90% lean). That is if I need some filler meat, other than that, I will use pure (> 90% lean) ground beef the entire time. And it tastes good, too.
  • AMKnight92
    AMKnight92 Posts: 3 Member
    Instead of using 100% ground turkey, try 50% ground turkey and 50% lean ground beef. Over time, adjust to 70% ground turkey, 30% lean ground beef, then maybe 100% ground turkey in recipes.

    It depends on what you are using the ground turkey in, but spices and sauces can help greatly when cutting the "gamey" taste of turkey. Don't be shy about using them; just add more incrementally as you cook to adjust flavor.

    On that note, a generous amount of cumin goes a long way towards adding a "beefy" flavor to turkey (and beans, if you are using them in a dish).
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
    I find ground chicken tastes better and has the "leaner" meat nutritional value that you might be looking for.
  • hiyomi
    hiyomi Posts: 906 Member
    edited May 2016
    I'm glad to see that many people also feel the same way as I do lol I would prefer ground beef but usually the leanest ground beefs can be pretty pricey >.< This is an issue for me since I only work part time a few days a week lol I've tried out ground pork and my family cooks it pretty often. When it comes down to it, healthiest ground meat/lowest calories, would you guys say lean ground beef or pork? I've never tried ground chicken before! I'm wondering how that tastes now!
  • hiyomi
    hiyomi Posts: 906 Member
    edited May 2016
    Would you consider just buying ground beef instead?
    I buy 90% lean or better.
    Worth the money.
    I don't like ground turkey either.

    I love ground beef, but the leanest ones can be pretty pricey, so I usually avoid them ~_~ lol Most of my home cooked meals involve chicken and fish, which are some of the cheaper meats. I can afford ground beef, but usually I buy the less lean ones because of the high prices of lean meats >.< I only work part time a few days a week, rest of the time I'm in university :) My parents opt for ground pork most of the time, and when they buy ground beef, its usually like 73/27 ~_~
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
    hiyomi wrote: »
    I'm glad to see that many people also feel the same way as I do lol I would prefer ground beef but usually the leanest ground beefs can be pretty pricey >.< This is an issue for me since I only work part time a few days a week lol I've tried out ground pork and my family cooks it pretty often. When it comes down to it, healthiest ground meat/lowest calories, would you guys say lean ground beef or pork? I've never tried ground chicken before! I'm wondering how that tastes now!

    Ground chocked tastes really good to me. I make ground chicken meat loaf, chicken tacos, chicken meat balls etc. I really reccomend trying it. I find it is also fairly inexpensive (my local meat market it is cheaper than ground beef).
  • mlindeman0002
    mlindeman0002 Posts: 7 Member
    I love getting 99% lean ground turkey, and making meal prep zucchini lasagna with it! Or I will mix it with multigrain medley, peppers, and mix a little marina in with it. I could eat it all day!
  • 85Cardinals
    85Cardinals Posts: 733 Member
    edited May 2016
    Lot of y'all sound like you're scared of fat.
  • ummijaaz560
    ummijaaz560 Posts: 228 Member
    I made turkey burgers for dinner. I used garlic powder, Italian seasoning, goya adobo, diced green peppers, dried onion flakes and black pepper.

    The trick is to season your ground turkey and let the seasonings set into the meat in the refrigerator. I have been also know to use lipton onion soup mix in my turkey burgers and have converted the masses.

    With ground turkey you must let your seasonings marinate.
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
    Lot of y'all sound like you're scared of fat.

    Honestly, I just hate the taste of beef haha. Once in a while, it's okay, but in general, I prefer the taste of ground chicken over ground beef.
  • mathiseasy
    mathiseasy Posts: 165 Member
    hiyomi wrote: »
    I'm glad to see that many people also feel the same way as I do lol I would prefer ground beef but usually the leanest ground beefs can be pretty pricey >.< This is an issue for me since I only work part time a few days a week lol I've tried out ground pork and my family cooks it pretty often. When it comes down to it, healthiest ground meat/lowest calories, would you guys say lean ground beef or pork? I've never tried ground chicken before! I'm wondering how that tastes now!

    Let me +1 ground chicken, I think it tastes good. But between beef and pork I prefer beef. I don't really like pork all that much!
    You are missing an ingredient-always put in Parmesan cheese!! Did you try baking the meatballs halfway to done in the oven and then simmering in tomato sauce? I find that the tomato and herbs flavor meatballs very well, although I'm not a fan of ground turkey and haven't made them in a long time! I do make my own sauce and season it myself, my nonna would tan my hide if she knew I used jarred sauce ;)
  • urbansweetheart
    urbansweetheart Posts: 21 Member
    1 lb ground turkey
    1 onions and 1 green pepper finely chopped in food processor
    1 Tablespoon olive oil
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    ½ heaping Tablespoon parsley
    ½ teaspoon oregano
    1 heaping teaspoon chili powder
    ½ teaspoon seasoning salt, plus more if desired
    couple shakes red pepper flakes
    3-4 dashes smoke paprika
    5-6 dashes black pepper
    1 egg
    1-2 slices wheat toast
    ½ -1 Tablespoon olive oil, for frying meatballs
    I got this recipe off Divascancook website and just tweaked it a little...hope this helps.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    I find my turkey meat balls to be tough. I prefer my black bean and turkey chilli. Maybe the strong spices are enough to distract.
  • DonM46
    DonM46 Posts: 771 Member
    My son is an avid hunter -- turkey, pheasant, deer, wild boar, quail, duck -- just about anything. His first step is to soak the meat in milk at least overnight in the refrigerator. After that, season the meat as you would "normal" beef, pork, or chicken. He smokes most of the meats. [His chicken-fried venison is to die for!]

    To smoke a turkey, he drapes raw bacon over the entire carcass. Then peel an apple, and lay strips of the peeling on top of the bacon. (The legs are heavily composed of sinew, so he gives those to the dogs and saves only the breast.) He sets the carcass in an old pan (dedicated to smoking meats) to collect the juices and will periodically open the smoker and spoon these juices back over the top of the apple-bacon covered turkey.

    Bear in mind that a wild turkey will generally be drier (less fat) than your average store-bought Butterball hen, so you can't let it get too dry while being smoked. Avoid using chicken broth as a baste unless it's heavily diluted -- 3 or 4 parts water to one part broth, and a little UNSALTED butter -- or it will make the turkey too salty.

    He has provided the turkey for Thanksgiving and Christmas family dinners for years. Yum, yum.
  • oocdc2
    oocdc2 Posts: 1,361 Member
    The only time that happened to me was when the meat went bad--it tasted gamey, too, we ended up pitching it. Fresh turkey doesn't smell like anything.
  • kirstinethornburg
    kirstinethornburg Posts: 300 Member
    I make Turkey Herb cheese burgers every once in a while. I use basil, garlic, parsley and dill in the ground turkey as I am forming them into burgers and while cooking top each burger with a slice of cheese and leetuce on top of burger
  • markrgeary1
    markrgeary1 Posts: 853 Member
    oocdc2 wrote: »
    The only time that happened to me was when the meat went bad--it tasted gamey, too, we ended up pitching it. Fresh turkey doesn't smell like anything.

    Winner!

    I've eaten a fair amount of ground turkey, no gamey taste or funky smells. You know know how fast turkey goes bad? Real fast, that's why there's a date on the package.
  • KateTii
    KateTii Posts: 886 Member
    I've never had a gamey flavour in turkey, but I also make sure I buy the ground turkey breast. Tastes very similar to chicken.
  • rabblescum
    rabblescum Posts: 78 Member
    Lean ground beef is pricy but my fella hates turkey. So I will either mix them half and half, actually kneeding them together. Or save turkey for things that require sauce or high seasoning like tacos. In a pinch cook it in with a little water and a low sodium beef bullion.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,237 Member
    Weird, I find ground turkey to be basically tasteless. I've never noticed a gamey flavour. I wonder if it makes a difference where it comes from.

    Ground kangaroo is very gamey, but lean, so I usually only use it in chilli or something heavily spiced.