- May 13, 2008
- 10,684
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I processed our first Turkey of the year yesterday, and it was a good day. We have 5 Turkeys that we have been raising since the end of May, 3 BB white hens and 2 BB white Toms. I had some extra time on my hands that day and as I sat in the chicken run sipping a cold one, I thought lets just go ahead and get the practice in for the Thanksgiving day Tom.
I must say after reading many post's about the big day, I was a little apprehensive about the quality of the outcome. So I gathered up my stuff and set up real quick, got the large pot fired up and grabbed another cold one. I was just about to go in the pen to pick a bird when my teenage daughter gets off the bus and strolls back to barn and asked, Dad what are you doing ?. I seized the opportunity to ask for her help which she promply replied NO, until I asked her if she would mind shooting the video, that changed her mind, I am sooo goood hehe.
Anyway I chose what i thought was the smallest bird estimating it's weight before catching it at about 12 lbs, once I grabbed it's legs and lifted i knew then that I was mistaken, it was really heavy.
I tied it's legs with bailing wire, put it on the chopping block and made the first wack, I say the first wack hell it took 4 good swats to finally get it done, the huge bird wrestling the whole time. the neck was the size of my arm, I then hung it to bleed out while the water got up to temp, my unfazed daughter commentating on video the whole while. next I dipped the beast into 30 gal pot for about 3 min and pulled it out, hosed it down to cool the meat and most of the feathers had mostly came off, in about 2 more minutes of plucking it was done, I began to cut and process, and i could not believe how easy it went in another 3 minutes, the neck and giblets were packed into the cavity and i was on my way to the house.
with the bird in the sink and some minor touching up just to make it Puuuurdy, i stood back in wonder of this fantastic looking bird, with the ease and speed in which it was done. I put it on the scale only to find out that it dressed out at 26 lbs table weight.
it is now in the fridge to age for 3 day's before I make my wife a great birthday bird for her on Sunday. My next problem is i seriously don't know how in the world I am going to fit the big Tom in the oven in a month he is already at 45 lbs.
Moral of the story :
don't be intimidated, it is not that bad, very rewarding, grin grin.
Thanks for your time
AL
I must say after reading many post's about the big day, I was a little apprehensive about the quality of the outcome. So I gathered up my stuff and set up real quick, got the large pot fired up and grabbed another cold one. I was just about to go in the pen to pick a bird when my teenage daughter gets off the bus and strolls back to barn and asked, Dad what are you doing ?. I seized the opportunity to ask for her help which she promply replied NO, until I asked her if she would mind shooting the video, that changed her mind, I am sooo goood hehe.
Anyway I chose what i thought was the smallest bird estimating it's weight before catching it at about 12 lbs, once I grabbed it's legs and lifted i knew then that I was mistaken, it was really heavy.
I tied it's legs with bailing wire, put it on the chopping block and made the first wack, I say the first wack hell it took 4 good swats to finally get it done, the huge bird wrestling the whole time. the neck was the size of my arm, I then hung it to bleed out while the water got up to temp, my unfazed daughter commentating on video the whole while. next I dipped the beast into 30 gal pot for about 3 min and pulled it out, hosed it down to cool the meat and most of the feathers had mostly came off, in about 2 more minutes of plucking it was done, I began to cut and process, and i could not believe how easy it went in another 3 minutes, the neck and giblets were packed into the cavity and i was on my way to the house.
with the bird in the sink and some minor touching up just to make it Puuuurdy, i stood back in wonder of this fantastic looking bird, with the ease and speed in which it was done. I put it on the scale only to find out that it dressed out at 26 lbs table weight.
it is now in the fridge to age for 3 day's before I make my wife a great birthday bird for her on Sunday. My next problem is i seriously don't know how in the world I am going to fit the big Tom in the oven in a month he is already at 45 lbs.
Moral of the story :
don't be intimidated, it is not that bad, very rewarding, grin grin.
Thanks for your time
AL
