Do I NEED to hang my turkeys?

[ChickenTender1988]

Hi!
I'm planning on dispatching my 2 jakes today and Google is giving such a mix of opinion on whether I need to hang the turkeys afterwards or not.
I don't really have a cool/non frozen spot to hang them that's away from any cat access other than my fridge.
Do I absolutely need to hang them before they go into the freezer?? Or can I bleed/pluck/gut them?
TIA!

 

[Gray Farms]

Hanging them allows the meat/muscle to rest and relax. Thus making them more tender. Its not absolutely necessary, but recommend by most.

 

[ChickenTender1988]

Hanging them allows the meat/muscle to rest and relax. Thus making them more tender. Its not absolutely necessary, but recommend by most.

Can they "hang" in my fridge if I've let the blood drain prior to putting them in there? Or do they literally need to hang from their feet?

 

[Gray Farms]

You can rest them in your fridge after they've bled out. Rest them on their back so any remaining blood doesn't pool in the breast meat.

 

[ChickenTender1988]

You can rest them in your fridge after they've bled out. Rest them on their back so any remaining blood doesn't pool in the breast meat.

Thank you so much!

 

[ChickenTender1988]

You can rest them in your fridge after they've bled out. Rest them on their back so any remaining blood doesn't pool in the breast meat.

One more question, do I gut it before this resting? Or leave intact?

 

[ShannonR]

One more question, do I gut it before this resting? Or leave intact?

Gut and pluck first

 

[ShannonR]

I kill, bleed them out. Then scald, pluck and gut. Finally, I let them rest in a cooler full of ice, or in refrigerator in a bowl of water for about 2 days. After that they are ready to freeze or eat.

 

[ChickenTender1988]

I kill, bleed them out. Then scald, pluck and gut. Finally, I let them rest in a cooler full of ice, or in refrigerator in a bowl of water for about 2 days. After that they are ready to freeze or eat.

Thank you so much!!

 

[Gray Farms]

Gut and pluck first

Agreed