Stepping up with Cheesy Wild Turkey Leg Tostadas |

Not being a fan of refried beans, I subbed out that brown mash with queso blanco nacho dip for my Cheesy Wild Turkey Leg Tostadas. To boost the cheese game even more, I grated queso fresco and sprinkled sharp cheddar over the steaming hot heap of shredded turkey running gear.

So let’s get to it.

• Four Wild Turkey Drumsticks and Thighs
• Two Large Cans of Red Enchilada Sauce
• Pre-made Tostada Shells
• Red Cactus White Cheese Sauce
• Wheel of Queso Fresco
• Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• Yellow Rice
• Cilantro
• Canola Oil
• Sour Cream with Lime Juice
• Various Hot Sauces.

Prep the turkey meat by removing any feathers and shot from the legs and thighs, taking care to remove the translucent membrane as you go, too. Marinate overnight in the enchilada sauce. The next morning, place the turkey and sauce in a crockpot and cook slowly for 8-10 hours.

And here’s the laborious part – transfer the turkey meat to a colander, reserving a half cup or so of the remaining liquid. Shred the meat, which should be falling apart anyway, and discard all of the bones and tendons, being careful to pick through the meat for any remaining splinters.

Once satisfied the meat is free of debris, set aside for a moment and prep the rest of the meal. Cook the yellow rice, heat the tostada shells in the oven for 5-6 minutes at 300-degrees, and grate the queso fresco. When the rice is close to being finished, heat the canola oil in a large skillet. Once it is near smoking, add the shredded turkey meat. This will firm it up a bit and add some crisp. Add that reserved broth and turn off the heat.

Now, there’s really no wrong or right way of assembling a tostada. And feel free to sub in and out various toppings and sauces. For my Leaning Tower of Tex Mex, I spread a spoonful of white cheese sauce on the bottom of the shell to serve as a glue for this project. To that, a couple spoonfuls of yellow rice, then a pile of shredded turkey, followed by healthy dousings of queso fresco and shredded cheddar. Finally, I whipped a glob of sour cream mixed with a bit of lime juice on top and garnished with the cilantro. From there, just a matter of jazzing it all up with hot sauces.

This recipe should feed several grateful folks, with the probability of leftovers as these are super filling. Frankly, it’s almost better as leftovers with the meat sitting again overnight in that enchilada sauce. Good stuff, though, and a reminder not to toss out those wild turkey legs and thighs.

Enjoy!

(Ledger hunting correspondent Ian Nance can be reached at inance880@aol.com. Follow on Facebook @PolkOutdoors; Twitter @Good_Hunt; and Instagram @inance880)