Grilled Hawaiian-Style Turkey Heart Skewers

Save the hearts from your wild turkeys for the perfect appetizer to serve your friends and family

By author of Timber 2 Table Wild Game Recipes Print Recipe
prep time
cook time
3-6
serves
16
ingredients
Easy
difficulty

Not many hunters save their wild turkey hearts, but if everyone knew how good they are, more would. This recipe skewers the hearts along with pineapple, red onions, cherry tomatoes, and mushrooms. The skewers get glazed with a sweet and salty mixture as they grill on the Traeger.

These Hawaiian-style skewers are a great way to introduce wild turkey hearts to hunters who don’t usually save them.

We normally serve them as appetizers, and they make a great way to introduce hunters to this often overlooked turkey part. You can also serve two or three of these skewers over a bed of rice for a quick and easy dinner.

Either metal or bamboo skewers will work. If you use bamboo, soak them in water for a half hour to an hour before grilling. We use a fresh pineapple that we peel, core, and cut into roughly 1-inch cubes. Since a full pineapple yields more cubes than you really need, I like to slice a few rounds from one end to grill with the kabobs.

Mix and match ingredients to match your dinner guests’ personal tastes.

Ingredients

 

Skewers

5 wild turkey hearts, quartered

2 bell peppers, seeded and cut into chunks

1 fresh pineapple, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

1 red onion, quartered

16 ounces cherry tomatoes

16 ounces small portobello mushrooms

Salt and pepper

Glaze

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 lime, juice and zest

2 medium garlic cloves, diced

1 Thai chile pepper, finely diced (optional)

 

Cooking Instructions

Trim any connective tissue and fat from the hearts. Halve the heart vertically, the slice again so that each heart yields 4 pieces.

Trim any fat and connective tissue from the hearts, then quarter into bite-size pieces.

Build the skewers by alternating the ingredients until the skewer is full. Brush on a thin layer of glaze, then season well with salt and pepper and place on your Traeger Grill at 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Grill for 15 to 20 minutes, rotating often and brushing on more glaze every few minutes.

Baste the skewers often as they grill.

Serve over rice for a main course or individually as an appetizer.

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