Cleaning my turkey

[giddyhitch]

Ok, since I plan on getting some turkeys. Let's hear about your favorite way to clean and butcher him.

[tlbradford]

Gut right after photos, open them up and let them cool as quickly as possible, Skin out and cut off wings and legs below the knee.  Soak in saltwater overnight, Slow roast with lots of garlic, salt, pepper, onions, potatoes, and butter.

[turkeydancer]

Remove fan, beard, lower legs and wings ... pluck (easy while still warm), remove guts, cut neck and head off and remove the gullet sack, wash with cool water, triple wrap, put on ice.

I pluck because I like to inject, season and deep fry ... if you're going to cut it up for turkey fingers, soup, etc you can breast and thigh them out.

[LITTLEBUCK]

If Turkeydancer is around just act like you dont know what you are duing and before you know it, it's all cleaned a ready to go.

[Wacenturion]

If Turkeydancer is around just act like you dont know what you are duing and before you know it, it's all cleaned a ready to go.

 

[yelp]

Remember transporting your kill leaving evidence of sex..Not that kind of evidence..   Nothing like going through a check station with a baggy full of drumsticks..Most game wardens probably wouldn't care but if you can leave beard  or spurs on till you get home you should be alright.. not sure how the folling WAC applies..leave headOn?  And I guess official definition of processed is??
 
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=232-12-267

[Wacenturion]

Yelp.....you said..

   "Remember transporting your kill leaving evidence of sex..Not that kind of evidence..  "

Your baby picture came in handy........

[yelp]

Wacenturian...wrong thread that was from.."cleaning my butt" thread..LOL  Damn baby photo! 

[Wacenturion]

No ...borrowed from other thread to give you a visual of my reaction to you evidence of sex remark.....

     hey............want to see it again........lol

[turkeydancer]

Thanks Yelp, I usually leave one lower leg (with spur) ... could have got someone in trouble ... I bad ...

Lil'D ... Thanks a lot , now when I go say hi to Yelp and WaCent, I'll find a pile of turkeys I have to clean.   I guess I can start charging you guys  ... and remember, I know where you're hunting and can always sneak between you and the birds to save you the trouble of having to pack them out too.     Of course when I leave to help one of you, the other guys flock right to my spots and scare the birds away. 

[Gutpile]

Pluck and deep fry. 

[General Disarray]

We plucked my son's bird the same day he shot it and got the guts out asap.  I cleaned it up at home and brined it overnight with 1 cup of Sea salt and 1/2 cup of sugar dissolved in 1 gallon of water.  I then cut up a couple of granny smiths, an onion and some celery along with fresh sage, thyme and rosemary.  I stuffed the bird with most of those items and put it on the Traeger for about 4 hours on a low setting.  I took the rest of the apples, onions, celery and herbs and added it to about a cup of chicken stock, cube of butter and cup of white wine and simmered to make a basting juice. 

It came out moist and tender with absolutely som of the best flavor I've ever tasted in wild game.  I'm looking forward to smoked turkey sandwiches next wednesday after a morning hunt!

[yelp]

I also like to take crop out ..it can get rancid smelling and taint the breast meat..   I usually dissect mine to see what kind fauna the old bird was eating...I had a crop full of dandilions..it was kinda funny told the guys back at camp to look for dandilions thats what the turkeys are eating.,..I then imagined everyone out there looking down at the ground..LOL  that's funny right there..

[Tom Tamer]

If Turkeydancer is around just act like you dont know what you are duing and before you know it, it's all cleaned a ready to go.

And when finished if you leave it in TD's trailer he'll even burn off the pin feathers for you

[fc2038]

Man you guys are making me hungery