Turkey Cleaners

[DrJ]

Does any one know of someplace to have a turkey cleaned so it could be roasted with the skin on? I've had no luck trying to pluck them in the past. I'll be hunting area #349 but live in the north metro. Thanks for any help. DrJ.

[Borch]

I usually dry pluck mine without any issues. But if you dip the bird in hot water 170-190 degrees it will make the plucking job much easier. Personally I'm not aware of anyone who does turkey processing as a business here in MN.

[Muskycrazy]

You pluck em' , really ?

[Hotspotter]

When I pluck, I usually take care to make sure it's as quickly after the kill as possible. Then, dry plucking works like a charm. If the skin feels cooler, or it's been awhile, you'll have to scald the bird like Borch mentioned. Get the turkey fryer out, boil some water, put in 5 gallon bucket, dip, and proceed to rip out feathers.

If dry plucking, do a small test patch on the bird to determine whether or not to pull feathers against or with the grain that they grow. Depending on how long after the kill you're plucking, sometimes pulling against the grain will rip skin with it, esp. if grabbing a big pile of feathers.

Plucking is the only way to go if you're going to be roasting the bird whole or deep frying!

Joel

[Muskycrazy]

Thanks Joel . For some reason I thought they might be something that a guy would skin .

[Tippman]

I think the vast majority of people do skin them. I've always done it this way and cover them with bacon, prosciutto, or anything to keep them from drying out. Wait till you see what a wild turkey looks like dressed, nothing like a Gold n Plump or Jennio!

[harvey lee]

I pick mine also. If you scald the bird first. many feathers will alsmost wipe right off the bird. The trick is to get the water just right and not hold the bird in the water too long. I have a bigger tub that I pour heated water in and also set on top of my deep fat fryer . When I dipped the bird into the water, I will slowly raise and lower the bird in the water so the water can get to the skin under the feathers. You can end up with a picked bird that looks as good as a store bought. Sometimes I will dip the bird and pick and then dip again and I continue this until I have it cleaned.

[LABS4ME]

I pluck the breast (easiest part to pluck anyways), and cut it off along the rib cage /shoulders, so I have a skin on bone in breast. We then have a nice turkey breast for a meal. I t matters not if I deep fry, grill or smoke, with the skin on and bone in, it lessens the chance it will dry out. I just skin the thighs and drumsticks. The thighs I use for soup and the drumsticks go in booya. I can clean a bird in about 1/3rd the time it used to take. No gutting and very little waste.

Now to get a bird....

Good Luck!

Ken

[Borch]

Quote:

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You pluck em' , really ?

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Yep. I like to deep fry my wild birds. I only get a few of my own during the spring plus those the kids get. At most is 3-5 birds a spring. Takes me about 30 minutes to complete the whole process per bird. Not that big of a deal.

Ironicly the easiest birds I ever pluck were those that had been frozen solid after being gutted out in the Black Hills and plucked once I got home when still partially frozen. Those plucked like a charm even dry without scaulding them with hot water.

Go Figure.

[DCF]

When cleaning the bird after plucking, do you cut open the breast to remove the flabby portion, or do you leave that in when cooking????

[Hotspotter]

DCF:

Thanks for catching that.

You must remove at least the crop (food-filled sack in b/w the "V" on the top front part of the breast). Most times I pull the fat off with the crop, but I don't know the pros/cons of leaving it?

Also need to remember to make a slice near the vent and clean out the guts and butts.

Joel