Cleaning a Turkey?

[GMAN12]

How many differant ways to clean a turkey? All of you turkey hunters out there, how do you clean your turkey? TIA

[Autumnlovr]

You really wanna hear this, huh?
Well, start plucking some feathers below the breastbone down towards the anus. After the area is clean, slit the skin from breastbone down, reach in and start pulling "stuff" out. (I use latex gloves, call me a wimp.) If you like the heart, liver or gizzard, pick them out & clean them up, refrigerate or freeze them til you're ready to cook the bird. If weather will permit, I like to hang the bird (head down) for a day or two at the most...but only if it can cool down quickly. Hanging it makes it MUCH easier to pluck the rest of the bird. Once, it's aged & you're ready to prep it to cook or freeze, start plucking!
If you want to save the fan & beard, cut it off now & lay it out to dry (I try to leave as little meaty part as possible on the fan and salt it pretty heavily.) Make sure you arrange it the way you want it to look cause there's no changing it after it's dry.
Cut off those ugly feet, if you can....pull the tendons out of the legs. It's fun to tease the kids with. Hold the leg, pull the tendons & the feet open & close, it's hilarious (if you don't mind playing with your food).
I cut the last section of the wings right off...not much in them and they're a pain to pluck. Also, I don't use the neck so I cut the skin about 3-4 inches above the body. I crack the neck itself down low to the body and cut it out. Then, you've got to clean out the craw (is that how you spell it?), the part between the neck and breast. You usually find interesting "things" in there like corn or seeds or dead bugs. Wash down the whole bird, dry it and you're ready to cook or freeze.
Good luck finding a zip lock bag big enough. :wink:
Oh...good luck getting a bird. I assume you're going fall season hunting?

[Ken P]

Cut off those ugly feet, if you can....pull the tendons out of the legs. It's fun to tease the kids with. Hold the leg, pull the tendons & the feet open & close, it's hilarious (if you don't mind playing with your food).

your children are destined for counseling :rofl:

[Autumnlovr]

Cut off those ugly feet, if you can....pull the tendons out of the legs. It's fun to tease the kids with. Hold the leg, pull the tendons & the feet open & close, it's hilarious (if you don't mind playing with your food).

your children are destined for counseling :rofl:

I don't have any kids of my own, good thing, huh?

[mkls0]

Cut off those ugly feet, if you can....pull the tendons out of the legs. It's fun to tease the kids with. Hold the leg, pull the tendons & the feet open & close, it's hilarious (if you don't mind playing with your food).

your children are destined for counseling :rofl:

I don't have any kids of my own, good thing, huh?


I GOT TWO YOU HAVE !!!!!!!!!!!! :hick:

[ANIMAL]

My wife chased our kids around the house with a cows tongue.

[Autumnlovr]

My wife chased our kids around the house with a cows tongue.
Something tells me your wife and I would get along. Ask her if she wants another sister!

[ANIMAL]

I'll introduce you at the picnic