Snapping Turtle Recipes?

[Horney Toad]

Anyone have any good recipes for cooking snapping turtle? Once I cooked one and it didn't turn out very good. I always set some trotlines for catfish around Labor day, and hook a snapper occasionally. What about turtle soup? I heard it was good.

[4 point]

We always put them in a stock a tank with clean water and some corn for food for about a week. Then fry the pieces it just like chicken.

[Brian Krebs]

I cut them up into small pieces; put them on sticks and barbecue them with a slathering of barbecue sauce. I once made some at a gathering including anti-hunters; and they wanted more !
 Seems like every muscle on a snapping turtle tastes like a different type of meat. One like beef; one like chicken; one like fish...
 Quite a treat!

[Johnny Reb]

When I was a kid we had a nieghbor that would keep his tutles in a 55 gal drum,I dont know if he was cleanin them out or waitin till he had enuff for a mess but it tasted purty good, second time someone else fixed it in a soup, nasy stuff, tasted like mud.

[Horney Toad]

I saw a big one the other day when going bowhunting. I stepped in a flooded area and that turtle started coming after my foot! LOL He's lucky I was hunting or he might have made the fry pan.

[americanhunter7]

I agree with 4 point... Put em' in a small tank or barrel and clean em out first, then butcher and prepare however you like. My Dad always used to make a really great stew, similar to beef stew but replace beef with turtle.

[Roughrider]

If taken from muddy or "strong" water, cleaning out in a tank of clean water seems to help a lot.  

I don't remember the exact recipe for the chowder we used to make, but I think any fish/seafood chowder recipe would work fine.  

I know we first browned the meat in a skillet, added a little chopped onion when it was near done - perhaps garlic, Old Bay, and salt and pepper would be good here too.  Then put it in a stock pot with tomato juice, chopped celery, carrots, diced potatoes, salt and pepper.  I think a little parsley and chopped anaheim or jalapeno would add greatly to it.  If you like you can add corn, though the starch of the potato be too much.

[ksbowman]

I've ate several over the years.All were fried,some were good and some were not.I shot a 15 pounder a couple years ago while shooting carp. I'm not sure if I cooked him or an old boot as tough as it was.LOL  Ben

[JMartin]

Cut 'em  apart at the joints, if a big one, par boil, or pressure cook, then fry. If a young (little) one, fry slow, or smoke on grill, low heat for 6-10 hours. Good, good eating.
They're all very good in a stew/soup, you can cook them as long as you need to, to make them fall off the bone. Spices are left to your personal preference. Jim

[blazelefty7]

ttt