Thanksgiving Turkey Processing

[milleryardchx]

Well we cooked our turkey He was wonderful!!! 14lbs of goodness everyone was suprised how dark the dark meat was also very juicy meat the top breast meat was a little dry but that was because grandma over cooked it a little but it was great with gravy. We will definelty do this again next year!

 

[KaPaDeLeo]

Hi! I have White Hollands also and am wondering how big your birds turned out? Mine were 6 months old when we butchered them and the biggest was only 12 lbs. I'm hoping that they were just too young. I kept a tom and 2 hens for breeding next years Turkeys.

 

[ScottnLydia]

Hi! I have White Hollands also and am wondering how big your birds turned out? Mine were 6 months old when we butchered them and the biggest was only 12 lbs. I'm hoping that they were just too young. I kept a tom and 2 hens for breeding next years Turkeys.

You did great with 12 pounds at only 6 months!

There are 2 worlds of 'turkeydom'. The Broad Breasted, and the Heritage Zone, which you have entered. In the heritage zone you will find that time has no meaning. That is, folks used to raising turks to butchering size in 4 or 5 months find it takes 8 or 9 months to reach maturity. And they fly everywhere! But, you will be able to hatch your own, perhaps this spring!

With a tom and 2 hens, you should have plenty to sell, should you so desire.

Have fun!

~S

 

[KaPaDeLeo]

Thanks for the info. I am used to the broad breasted variety and decided to try the WH because they are a decent sized bird + they can naturally reproduce. Plus a turkey that weighs 38 lbs going into the oven is just too big.

 

[VT-510]

Hey VT, you know, I'm a huge fan of pork skin myself, but I've just never understood why people want to cover turkeys with anything! It just changes that wonderful 'turkey' flavor that is just so good! My wife and I talk about this a lot, and we think it may come from the (erroneous) belief that turkey is dry and bland. If it is overcooked and underseasoned, it can be, so DON'T DO THAT!!!

You can brine your bird the night before in a solution of 1/2 cup salt, 1/2 cup sugar to a gallon of water. Make several gallons of this solution, enough to cover the bird and submerge him for at least 6 hours, kept cold, up to overnight. This adds considerable moisture, as well as flavor.

Get a good, instant read meat thermometer. Start the bird breast down and cook at 325 for about 15 minutes a pound. About an hour to an hour and a half before it's done, flip it over to breast side up. This slows down the white meat cooking and gets those thighs done quicker. Overdone white meat is dry and mealy.

About 30 minutes BEFORE IT'S DUE TO BE DONE, start checking the temperature in the thickest part of the breast and the thigh. You want the breast around 170, and the thigh around 180 to 185. When it comes out of the oven, brush it with melted butter, and let it rest (again with the resting) for at least 30 minutes before carving. It will taste like the best turkey you've ever had. Not herbs, or bacon, but real turkey!

I don't know how old your birds are, but age is more of a determining factor on toughness than exercise on turkeys. My birds were about 7 1/2 months old, ran and flew EVERYWHERE! They are perfect and tender.

I would definately process them on Sunday, though, and let them rest 'til T-day! I like to rest a turkey for 5 days, sometimes 6 for an older bird, 'cuz sometimes I find they are still a little stiff with only 2 or 3 days. Of course, anybody that has read any of my posts knows that I'm a big fan of long rest periods, even for myself!

Good luck, and Happy Thanksgiving!

~S

Well thanks for all of that, small birds or not (Narragansett's 6 mo. old 9 1/2 lbs and two at 7 1/2 lbs) they were the BEST turkeys that I or anyone at our table had ever had. Looks like I'll be doing it again next year, can't wait. I withheld on the pork skin idea too, would have just been gilding the lilly as it turned out.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Congrats to everyone who processed and cooked their own birds. All of the stories sound great and the pics looks . Anyone doing it again for Christmas?

 

[TexasLisa]

Congrats to everyone who processed and cooked their own birds. All of the stories sound great and the pics looks

. Anyone doing it again for Thanksgiving?

Did you mean Christmas?

Lisa

 

[chicken pickin]

Congrats to everyone who processed and cooked their own birds. All of the stories sound great and the pics looks

. Anyone doing it again for Thanksgiving?

I will ! I have another one in the freezer for Christmas and I have my Bourbon Red breeding stock ready for next years dinners.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Congrats to everyone who processed and cooked their own birds. All of the stories sound great and the pics looks . Anyone doing it again for Thanksgiving?

  Did you mean Christmas?  

Lisa

 

Yes, thank you for the correction. Christmas it is!

 

[Darin115]

I got Thanksgiving, the hen turkey, out of the freezer on Sunday On Thanksgiving morning we injected it with a whole bottle of Creol Butter seasoning before we deep fried it. It turned out wonderful.

I took it to mama's house around noon. We left it wrapped in foil. I think mama put it in the oven on warm after the ham finished cooking. Everyone said it was the best turkey they ever ate. Even the breast was moist.

Now Christmas, the other hen turkey, is waiting patiently in the freezer for her turn.

Darin