Processing

[AshHaynes]

We processed 2 turkeys yesterday, first time. What is the time frame for everything supposed to be as far as bleeding them out, time till scalding, plucking, time from first culling till should be gutted, how fast need to get into ice bath? Then is it ok to keep the birds just in ice in a cooler for 2 days till we freeze them? Our fridge is not big enough to keep them in there. We are learning so now that we did it we have questions and want to learn and do it better each time. Also besides shrink bags what can we do to store them in the freezer? Having a hard time finding big enough bags as our turkeys are 25 to 30lbs and all the Turkey bags say 12 to 24 lbs on them?!

 

[R2elk]

As soon as my birds are bled out, I scald them in 160°F water. As soon as I am finished plucking them, I "gut" them and rinse them out. Once I have finished that process, I put mine in a tub of cold salted water. If your preference to use an ice bath, it is appropriate to put them immediately into the ice bath after finishing dressing them.

Some people do the ice chest method during the aging process. If using this method the temperature should be checked periodically to confirm that it is in the 40°F range.

Finding bags big enough to fit the turkeys can be problematic. I just use heavy duty trash bags that have not been perfumed.

 

[AshHaynes]

As soon as my birds are bled out, I scald them in 160°F water. As soon as I am finished plucking them, I "gut" them and rinse them out. Once I have finished that process, I put mine in a tub of cold salted water. If your preference to use an ice bath, it is appropriate to put them immediately into the ice bath after finishing dressing them.

Some people do the ice chest method during the aging process. If using this method the temperature should be checked periodically to confirm that it is in the 40°F range.

Finding bags big enough to fit the turkeys can be problematic. I just use heavy duty trash bags that have not been perfumed.

Thank you for the reply! How long does it take you to do each bird? Say it took us mayne 1 to 1 1/2 hours from first culling to get into the ice bath is that ok (just our first one)? Just want to make sure meat won't be bad (sprayed it down with cold water once in awhile while when gutting it and it was about 70 degrees and overcast). Is there a too long to let it bleed out? We didn't really know so it probably was hanging 15 minutes.

 

[R2elk]

Thank you for the reply! How long does it take you to do each bird? Say it took us maybe 1 to 1 1/2 hours from first culling to get into the ice bath is that ok (just our first one)? Just want to make sure meat won't be bad (sprayed it down with cold water once in awhile while when gutting it and it was about 70 degrees and overcast). Is there a too long to let it bleed out? We didn't really know so it probably was hanging 15 minutes.

As far as bleeding out, once the heart stops beating it will stop bleeding. I go by visuals, when I no longer see any blood spurting out, I call it good. This usually happens in less than 2 minutes.

I don't time myself when processing a turkey. I do know that a turkey will start entering rigor mortis when I am about half way through plucking. I am overly fussy about plucking and old so it takes me longer than people who are in regular practice. I dress mine in my kitchen sink and rinse regularly during processing and thoroughly at the end.

People who hunt often spend many hours before processing the birds they shot. The ones who do not remove the guts while packing the birds around all day do pay for it in the gamey flavor their meat.

One and a half hours total processing time is not going to spoil your meat. Practice and familiarity will help the next time go quicker.

Good luck.

 

[Ebony Rose]

If you're not going to eat the skin, you can save yourself the time boiling water to scald, and plucking time by simply skinning the bird, feathers and all. If you're only going to eat the skin on the breast meat, you can easily pluck that without scalding first... just some thoughts on ways to save time.