Turkey butchering

[14mpg]

@Rolltidehunter posted a video earlier about upcoming turkey season. It got me thinking... Who takes the time to pluck these tasty critters with the reward of the skin versus those who don't want to wait and skin the thing.

Me, I just skin 'em

[tracker12]

Pretty overwhelming results.

[KAZ]

I usually breast them and skin out the legs as a rule. However, if I'm gonna deep fry one I go through the pain of plucking....

[dhaverstick]

I can't imagine wanting to spend any more time cleaning one of those stinking things than I had to!

I did have a friend who plucked one for some special recipe he had. He laid his plucked bird in the sink and went back outside to clean up the mess. When he came back in, his wife told him she had cleaned his bird the rest of the way and put it in the freezer. Yep, that's right, she went ahead and skinned it! He was not happy.

Darren

[chall]

dhaverstick, now that's funny.

[zipper bowss]

Originally posted by dhaverstick:
I can't imagine wanting to spend any more time cleaning one of those stinking things than I had to!

I did have a friend who plucked one for some special recipe he had. He laid his plucked bird in the sink and went back outside to clean up the mess. When he came back in, his wife told him she had cleaned his bird the rest of the way and put it in the freezer. Yep, that's right, she went ahead and skinned it! He was not happy.

Darren

[RAU]

I have plucked a few and its a job. If i ever do it again I will scald it first. The only reason to pluck one in my opinion is for the presentation at thanksgiving or some other gathering. The breast cooks completly different from the rest of the bird. Unless I want a whole bird to serve I skin and cook the breast seperate from the rest. The rest of the bird is delicious but needs loow slow braising to break it down. If I try to chew on a leg of an old gobbler thats only been roasted til breast meat is cooked I'd prob lose teeth.  This past thanksgiving i tried something new with a little hen. I saw pics of it online so cant take credit for it but let me tell you it was a beautifull thing! I skinned the bird, brined it, then wrapped the bird in a lattice bacon weave. By far the best whole roasted wild turkey i ever did!

 

[Sockrsblur]

I tried to pluck my first bird and not one since!

Small bird last fall. She made a few nice meals at camp.
 

[rwbowman]

Rau, brings a new meaning to Turkey Bacon!!

[Orion]

I've plucked one or two, but usually skin them.  Nice, clean job Sockrs.  

[Yellow Dog]

I do the bacon thing too, just not as pretty as Rau. Pork sausage stuffing and cover it with bacon and pop it in a cooking bag. Tried plucking one once, never seen so many feathers on a bird. To make a long story short I was in the garage plucking. As I was 3/4 done and armpit deep in feathers and my wife rolled into the driveway and hit the garage door opener. It was pretty windy that day and before I knew it I had feathers everywhere. That one got skinned too!

   

[rolltidehunter]

I plucked one... Only one. It was the last time I did that. I filet the breast and I will boil the thighs for soup stock

[colav]

I plucked my first bird...pin feathers were a pain in the rear.  Now I just breast 'em out, and use the legs/thighs for soups and stews.

[Ray Lyon]

Originally posted by Yellow Dog:
. To make a long story short I was in the garage plucking. As I was 3/4 done and armpit deep in feathers and my wife rolled into the driveway and hit the garage door opener. It was pretty windy that day and before I knew it I had feathers everywhere. That one got skinned too!

     

Does 'that one' refer to you or the bird?  

I skin my birds.

[meathead]

We skin all of the toms but the little fall hens get plucked and put on the smoker.  Plucking those hens just takes a few minutes.

[acolobowhunter]

I bone all the meat, except the legs and thighs.  They go in a pot to boil and make "Turkey Soup" add veg, etc.  This year, I am going to boil the bones and make a broth.  

Now try this - bone the breast and cut into small pieces (golf ball size).  Marinate in Roasted Garlic sauce.  This sauce us usually used to inject into a bird. I get it at any Pro Bass shop.  Marinate overnight - wrap each piece with 1/2 slice of bacon and put a slice of jalipino on each end - poke a tooth pick through the entire thing to hold together.  Cook on grill or wrap a bunch in foil and put in oven for at least 1 hr. at 350 degrees.  Wow, they are really good.  Cooking on the outdoor grill is a lot quicker, just keep turning - cook for about 10 minutes till done.

[riverrat 2]

I don't mind plucking them. BUT I do get a big washtub,and pour/soak the bird in very hot water for a few minutes first. Some say this is not good for the meat. I've never had an issue with any ill effects myself. Just water hot enough you can barely keep your hands in it. Them feathers come off better then. Oven bag here as well. I like the bacon idea. Been a bad,bad winter here. Hopeful them turkeys didn't get hit to bad. I've only seen a few so far.       rat'

[bigbadjon]

I like the skin so if I have time to get ice and a big enough cooler I take them home to pluck them. If I field clean them I skin it, debone it, and make fryer chunks. I also always feel bad about discarding the liver... I may try to make patte next time.

[mjh]

Well the one tom I have gotten I plucked, but I ended up skinning it then anyways, had four great meals with that bird, most likely skin the next, don't mind plucking,  done it plenty with other birds, as I think how I will use the bird for food I will decide how to process....

[Mamba]

i normally skin mine, but we wanted to deep fry one so i plucked it.  It was very fast.  I  heated a vey big pot of water outside on a propane grill.  When the water was boiling I dipped the bird 3 times.  After that I rubbed the bird with my palm and the feathers came off like nothing.  Very fast and easy.