Plucking a GIANT turkey - help?

[mangled]

We are processing 2 birds today. My huge bronze broad-breasted turkey is the first to go. My problem is this - the big pot I use to dunk the chickens will nowhere near fit this big old turkey. She has to be processed or I will lose her to the heat.

How do you dunk & pluck a bird this size? She's got to be almost 50 pounds, unprocessed. Any ideas?


Thanks in advance-
Em

 

[al6517]

You could try a metal trash can or a whole or cut up 55 gal drum if you have something like that laying around or can borrow one from a friend or family member. This will help a bunch and get the job done in a pinch.

 

[Jschaaff]

Quote:
Hi Em (my dd's name too

) Growing up, my dad would use a large plastic container for our turkeys...not a tote...funny, not even sure there WERE totes 20+'s year ago come to think of it

! But you can heat several pots a little bit beyond the temp you want, and then dump them all into one large plastic tote (a lot of times the more expensive totes are thicker walled, higher quality...I do not recommend using the thinner, clear plastic kind)...and dunk away. That is a HUGE turkey!!!


Good luck!

-Jessa

 

[mangled]

She is huge. I'll get pictures of before and after. This is our first time processing a turkey. I'd keep her as a pet if I could, but she's truly just suffering. I'll have to stop and pick up a big metal tub. That's a great idea. I can heat three of my big pots of water and just dump them all in.

We're also processing one of our drakes today. I'm very sad about it. He's just got chronic foot problems. I no sooner get him cleared up from one case of bumblefoot and he's limping around with another. He's the only bird we have with these issues and my husband and I think it's just inhumane to keep cutting on him like that. I've cut bumblefoot out of him three times now, did the whole soaking/betadine/vet wrap/antibiotics thing. Now he's so lame on the other foot, he's literally hopping around on one foot. He spends most of his life in a cage, quarantined away from the rest of the birds, and he's so unhappy. He's a gorgeous boy, too. I'm very sad.

Anyway - thanks for the ideas!


Blessings-
Em