Butchered my turkeys today...

[emptynesterMom]

My BIL is going to build me a turkey size cone so we can do them like we did the chickens. We are going to cook and eat the largest one (20# dressed weight) tomorrow for an early family Christmas ( my in laws leave for Arizona on Monday). I butchered on Wednesday and it has been in the fridge since then. I didn't soak it in brine, though... How do you make a brine and would 1 day be enough?

Hello
This is the brine recipe that I use, but there are many out there.

1 gallon vegetable broth, 1 cup sea salt, 1 TBSP crushed rosemary, 1TBSP dried sage, 1TBSP thyme, 1 TBSP dried savory. Combine and bring to a boil, stir frequently to make sure salt dissolves. Cool to room temperature. Pour into a bucket or cooler, add turkey and add ice until covered. Soak turkey overnight in refirgerator or cooler, add ice as needed. Drain and pat dry. Cook as desired. This is pretty basic but we like it. Hope this is helpful.

 

[TMNfarm]

Well, we didn't soak it, just took it out of the fridge and cooked her... She was DELICIOUS!!!! Can't hardly wait for Thanksgiving to eat the other one...

 

[Arielle]

My BIL is going to build me a turkey size cone so we can do them like we did the chickens. We are going to cook and eat the largest one (20# dressed weight) tomorrow for an early family Christmas ( my in laws leave for Arizona on Monday). I butchered on Wednesday and it has been in the fridge since then. I didn't soak it in brine, though... How do you make a brine and would 1 day be enough?

I don't brine and never have, either commercial or home grown, I find them salty enough. IMO.

I do better if I don't make pets of the animals I eat. I can't, can't kill a pet. ANd I can't eat it either. I prefer to throw them their food and not play with them. Works better for me. Cocoa the lamb sat on my plate, I couldn't eat Cocoa. After that experience, I don't name my food animals, only pets.


Good luck with your next try--and enjoy your early Christmas!

 

[Celie]

My BIL is going to build me a turkey size cone so we can do them like we did the chickens. We are going to cook and eat the largest one (20# dressed weight) tomorrow for an early family Christmas ( my in laws leave for Arizona on Monday). I butchered on Wednesday and it has been in the fridge since then. I didn't soak it in brine, though... How do you make a brine and would 1 day be enough?

Hope you have a Very, Very Merry Early Christmas. December 25th is the anniversary of Jesus's conception and the day God started dwelling with man in the flesh! Hope you all the Peace and Merriment possible.

,
Celie

 

[TMNfarm]

I don't brine and never have, either commercial or home grown, I find them salty enough. IMO. 

I do better if I don't make pets of the animals I eat. I can't, can't kill a pet. ANd I can't eat it either. I prefer to throw them their food and not play with them. Works better for me.  Cocoa the lamb sat on my plate, I couldn't eat Cocoa. After that experience, I don't name my food animals, only pets. 


Good luck with your next try--and enjoy your early Christmas! 

I never intended to name them... I started calling them Christmas and Thanksgiving as a joke and it stuck... We free ranged them and they would follow us everywhere... Hard not to get attached. :-(

 

[zekii]

We just processed our first turkeys yesterday also... 6 midget whites, average wt was 18 lbs, all Toms.
Yes they are bigger, and a little tougher than chickens, but we basically used the same process.. used a large killing cone, slit the
jugular, and held on to the head and legs. We soaked them briefly in hot water, and the feathers pulled out easily.