When to butcher for a fresh thanksgiving bird

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CDennis

CDennis

Songster
10 Years
Apr 1, 2009
636
3
151
Idaho
This is my first year to butcher turkeys, they will be 6 month old Heritage hens and I was wondering how long they will need to age and such to be ready for thanksgiving. I would hate to butcher too early or too late and ruin the bird. Any pointers.
 
We have a bunch of folks come over for it and due to work/church schedules we have always done them the Saturday before. So I agree, 4 or 5 days earlier should do it.
 
For those who do your birds a week before Thanksgiving I assume you just keep it in the fridge and everything is fine? What if you had to process your bird two weeks before Thanksgiving? Would you need to freeze it? And do you freeze immediately after the processing? Thanks for your help.
 
I always age the birds for one week at 40 degrees. I brine, inject, marinade or rub after the 7 days are up. Depending on the recipe can add a additional day before cooking.

If I freeze my bird it is after I age it.
 
7 days at 40 degrees? Gosh I thought that would be too long to keep them w/ out cooking or freezing. Great to know. Thanks!
 
Yeah, we did a week in the fridge at about 40F. A week is fine. Those chickens you buy at safeway have a use or freeze by date that is about 7 days out. Add an extra day of processing, an extra day of shipping, and if you cook on that 7th day of use by, you have a 10 day old bird that has sat in the fridge. However, Storage of those are closer to freezing in the meat case, but that meat case is open to the air.
 
Quote:
I'm just chiming in to reiterate the need to brine. I think for heritage breeds, especially those who have been able to move around and develop tougher muscle than factory-farmed birds , a good soak in the brine is essential. Most grocery store birds are pre-brined. I'm always experimenting with the brine. This year, I think we are going to dry age for a few days, and then brine for 24hrs.

ETA: Adding this link, called "brining basics."

http://www.cooksillustrated.com/images/document/howto/ND01_ISBriningbasics.pdf
 
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