Turkeys For 2013

[Celie]

Way to go!! Love repurposed material!!!

Me too!!!

 

[Celie]

I see several of you were discussing turkey sausage recipes! I have a very nice butcher who is well known for his sausages he makes with pork, but I don't eat pork, so I asked if I could buy some seasoning to use with my home grown turkeys. He sold me Hot Sausage seasoning, green onion sausage seasoning, creole sausage seasoning, hot Italian sausage seasoning and Mild Italian sausage seasoning, all made by Deep South Blenders, located Near New Orleans and sold under the brand name, Cajun Land and Deep South Brand Seasoning. It comes premixed in plastic bags and is perfectly blended to season 25 pounds of meat. I like to use part turkey, both light and dark meat, sometimes add some beef chuck or trimmings from steaks, and/or some of the extra roos, we all wind up with. I don't always make that much sausage at one time, but the seasonings can be weighted on a kitchen scale, mixed well and divided, as desired. The remainders I keep in jars in the fridge until needed. The Italian Sausage seasoning make the best meat balls or meatloaf I have ever eaten, so I keep an extra bag for that too. These people are EXPERTS at blending spices and I could not do a better job, myself, as it is very exact and always comes out exactly the same. I am sure your butcher will do the same for you, if you ask, at your favorite sausage making butcher! If not you can contact Deep South Blenders in Metairie, Louisiana at 504-733-3751. The way I make sausage it to cut all the meat into 1 inch strips, as the feed into the grinder better that way. I then measure out the right amount of seasoning mix for that amount of meat, using a kitchen scale and mix everything in a big bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight or at least several hours. If your meat seams too soft to grind properly, put it on a pan in the freezer until firm, but not frozen. Grind as desired, using the right size disk for your desired grind size. When you are sure what size you like, some grinders will allow you to grind and stuff casings in one operation, if you like, which is a lot easier and quicker, if you are making links. You can also buy casings from your butcher, or save, clean and salt your own from your turkeys and/or chickens. I mix the meat as I am feeding it through the grinder. I prefer not to do links, unless I am going to smoke them. After stuffing your links, twist and tie the casings into links and freeze or smoke and then freeze the sausages. I usually make 10 or more pounds of several blends a day or two after processing my very large Holland whites, at full maturity of 16 to 18 months old for fullest flavor! I have never had a tough turkey at any age and have harvested Holland Whites and BBW up to 2 1/2 years old, Hollands up to 50+pounds and BBW up to 80 pounds with great flavor and no loss of tenderness, if cooked properly for it's age. Remember the older the animal, the richer the taste, but the older the animal, the lower the cooking tempurature and the longer the cooking time. I always let my meat rest under refrigeration for 3 days before cooking or freezing. I have never cooked a tough bird or rabbit or deer this way, but the more an animal runs, the longer and stringier the leg muscles will be in comparison. I am told that Wild Turkeys and Some Palms are stringy by nature of the bird, but have never cooked either, so I have no personal experience with these breeds, so maybe someone else that has, can chime in here with more information. I am sure other seasoning blenders, like Spices Inc.com, have good sausage blends you can buy, too. This is just how I do it that is quick, easy and consistant and very GOOD EATS, too! You can always add your own fresh or dried ingredients or even other meats or shellfish, if desired. The possible combinations would be endless. Oh, BTW, I use a small countertop electric meat grinder I bought at Harbor Freight Tools for around $60. several years ago. The last time I looked they were still the same price include everything for grinding and sausage making.

 

[Arielle]

Cellie, do you make the sausage into meat balls for freezing, or into patties and freeze??

I definitely would like to make a smoker. Some day. Tackling canning and butchering at this pont. I have putoff even getting this done as my dw is not installed yet and I am up to my eyeballs in dishes until the dw is installed.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I see several of you were discussing turkey sausage recipes! I have a very nice butcher who is well known for his sausages he makes with pork, but I don't eat pork, so I asked if I could buy some seasoning to use with my home grown turkeys. He sold me Hot Sausage seasoning, green onion sausage seasoning, creole sausage seasoning, hot Italian sausage seasoning and Mild Italian sausage seasoning, all made by Deep South Blenders, located Near New Orleans and sold under the brand name, Cajun Land and Deep South Brand Seasoning. It comes premixed in plastic bags and is perfectly blended to season 25 pounds of meat. I like to use part turkey, both light and dark meat, sometimes add some beef chuck or trimmings from steaks, and/or some of the extra roos, we all wind up with. I don't always make that much sausage at one time, but the seasonings can be weighted on a kitchen scale, mixed well and divided, as desired. The remainders I keep in jars in the fridge until needed. The Italian Sausage seasoning make the best meat balls or meatloaf I have ever eaten, so I keep an extra bag for that too. These people are EXPERTS at blending spices and I could not do a better job, myself, as it is very exact and always comes out exactly the same. I am sure your butcher will do the same for you, if you ask, at your favorite sausage making butcher! If not you can contact Deep South Blenders in Metairie, Louisiana at 504-733-3751. The way I make sausage it to cut all the meat into 1 inch strips, as the feed into the grinder better that way. I then measure out the right amount of seasoning mix for that amount of meat, using a kitchen scale and mix everything in a big bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight or at least several hours. If your meat seams too soft to grind properly, put it on a pan in the freezer until firm, but not frozen. Grind as desired, using the right size disk for your desired grind size. When you are sure what size you like, some grinders will allow you to grind and stuff casings in one operation, if you like, which is a lot easier and quicker, if you are making links. You can also buy casings from your butcher, or save, clean and salt your own from your turkeys and/or chickens. I mix the meat as I am feeding it through the grinder. I prefer not to do links, unless I am going to smoke them. After stuffing your links, twist and tie the casings into links and freeze or smoke and then freeze the sausages. I usually make 10 or more pounds of several blends a day or two after processing my very large Holland whites, at full maturity of 16 to 18 months old for fullest flavor! I have never had a tough turkey at any age and have harvested Holland Whites and BBW up to 2 1/2 years old, Hollands up to 50+pounds and BBW up to 80 pounds with great flavor and no loss of tenderness, if cooked properly for it's age. Remember the older the animal, the richer the taste, but the older the animal, the lower the cooking tempurature and the longer the cooking time. I always let my meat rest under refrigeration for 3 days before cooking or freezing. I have never cooked a tough bird or rabbit or deer this way, but the more an animal runs, the longer and stringier the leg muscles will be in comparison. I am told that Wild Turkeys and Some Palms are stringy by nature of the bird, but have never cooked either, so I have no personal experience with these breeds, so maybe someone else that has, can chime in here with more information. I am sure other seasoning blenders, like Spices Inc.com, have good sausage blends you can buy, too. This is just how I do it that is quick, easy and consistant and very GOOD EATS, too! You can always add your own fresh or dried ingredients or even other meats or shellfish, if desired. The possible combinations would be endless. Oh, BTW, I use a small countertop electric meat grinder I bought at Harbor Freight Tools for around $60. several years ago. The last time I looked they were still the same price include everything for grinding and sausage making.

Wow thanks for sharing this! I do have the harbor freight meat grinder too. Did a whole pig this spring and its fantastic! Grinds super fast and no problems.

 

[chickadoodles]

I see several of you were discussing turkey sausage recipes! I have a very nice butcher who is well known for his sausages he makes with pork, but I don't eat pork, so I asked if I could buy some seasoning to use with my home grown turkeys. He sold me Hot Sausage seasoning, green onion sausage seasoning, creole sausage seasoning, hot Italian sausage seasoning and Mild Italian sausage seasoning, all made by Deep South Blenders, located Near New Orleans and sold under the brand name, Cajun Land and Deep South Brand Seasoning. It comes premixed in plastic bags and is perfectly blended to season 25 pounds of meat. I like to use part turkey, both light and dark meat, sometimes add some beef chuck or trimmings from steaks, and/or some of the extra roos, we all wind up with. I don't always make that much sausage at one time, but the seasonings can be weighted on a kitchen scale, mixed well and divided, as desired. The remainders I keep in jars in the fridge until needed. The Italian Sausage seasoning make the best meat balls or meatloaf I have ever eaten, so I keep an extra bag for that too. These people are EXPERTS at blending spices and I could not do a better job, myself, as it is very exact and always comes out exactly the same. I am sure your butcher will do the same for you, if you ask, at your favorite sausage making butcher! If not you can contact Deep South Blenders in Metairie, Louisiana at 504-733-3751. The way I make sausage it to cut all the meat into 1 inch strips, as the feed into the grinder better that way. I then measure out the right amount of seasoning mix for that amount of meat, using a kitchen scale and mix everything in a big bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight or at least several hours. If your meat seams too soft to grind properly, put it on a pan in the freezer until firm, but not frozen. Grind as desired, using the right size disk for your desired grind size. When you are sure what size you like, some grinders will allow you to grind and stuff casings in one operation, if you like, which is a lot easier and quicker, if you are making links. You can also buy casings from your butcher, or save, clean and salt your own from your turkeys and/or chickens. I mix the meat as I am feeding it through the grinder. I prefer not to do links, unless I am going to smoke them. After stuffing your links, twist and tie the casings into links and freeze or smoke and then freeze the sausages. I usually make 10 or more pounds of several blends a day or two after processing my very large Holland whites, at full maturity of 16 to 18 months old for fullest flavor! I have never had a tough turkey at any age and have harvested Holland Whites and BBW up to 2 1/2 years old, Hollands up to 50+pounds and BBW up to 80 pounds with great flavor and no loss of tenderness, if cooked properly for it's age. Remember the older the animal, the richer the taste, but the older the animal, the lower the cooking tempurature and the longer the cooking time. I always let my meat rest under refrigeration for 3 days before cooking or freezing. I have never cooked a tough bird or rabbit or deer this way, but the more an animal runs, the longer and stringier the leg muscles will be in comparison. I am told that Wild Turkeys and Some Palms are stringy by nature of the bird, but have never cooked either, so I have no personal experience with these breeds, so maybe someone else that has, can chime in here with more information. I am sure other seasoning blenders, like Spices Inc.com, have good sausage blends you can buy, too. This is just how I do it that is quick, easy and consistant and very GOOD EATS, too! You can always add your own fresh or dried ingredients or even other meats or shellfish, if desired. The possible combinations would be endless. Oh, BTW, I use a small countertop electric meat grinder I bought at Harbor Freight Tools for around $60. several years ago. The last time I looked they were still the same price include everything for grinding and sausage making.

Thanks so much Celie for sharing your knowledge and recipes with us! I am so excited to try them! I will def have to go to Harbor Freight to find a grinder!

 

[Arielle]

Quote: DId you grind the whole pig??

 

[Arielle]

Been reading . . . .

http://www.extension.org/pages/6543...mall-and-backyard-poultry-flocks#.UgttrNJzG5w

http://www.goodshepherdpoultryranch.com/historybronzeturkey.html ( Mr Reese is a HIGHLY regarded breeder of both chickens and turkeys; he has made hs beeding stock available as of this year-- serious breeders should check him out)


http://www.sustainablepoultrynetwork.com/how-to-identify-a-true-heritage-turkey-question-1/

cooking instructions=
http://www.heritagechef.com/Heritage_Recipes.html

 

[B J Hopkins]

Originally Posted by kuntrygirl

Yes, always price your hens higher than your males. The person buying the hen will be able to benefit from the hen when eggs are layed and/or sold and poults are hatched and/or sold.


eggs sold - a person can make at least $3.00 per egg x12 = $36.00 per dozen x's who knows how many dozen she will lay.

poults sold - $12.00 per poult x assuming she hatches 10 poults = $120.00 total.

if she hatches more than 1 clutch of eggs, that's more money.


I honestly feel that the person will get their money's worth when buying a hen. Just my opinion.


I have to say that I agree with you 100% on your pricing. Feed is expensive and your turkeys are worth it. Don't short yourself when selling them. I do not think that $30.00 is too high. The older that my hens get, the more I sell them for. At my place, a person can expect to pay a minimum of $65.00 for a hen. And the thing is, I don't have to sell anything, so they can take it or leave it. Matters a dime to me.

They are the one that is looking for a hen - not me. I got plenty!

And I sell my Toms for $50.00 and people buy them. If they say that Mr. Tree Stump down the road sells his Toms for $20.00, I direct them BACK to Mr. Tree STump so that they can buy that $20.00 tom from Mr. Tree Stump because I ain't going down on my price. Sorry Charlies.

Now go make your money!

Thanks for the advise. I'm selling Turkey this fall, so I'll keep this information for then.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote:
OH no! Love me some tenderloins and ribs! Froze the bacon slabs for cooler weather to smoke them.

but he was a good size and did do a lot of sausage. We didn't do hams this time so used the ham cuts for sausage also. Will be raising 2-3 next time, we went thru that pork pretty fast.

 

[Celie]

Cellie, do you make the sausage into meat balls for freezing, or into patties and freeze??

I definitely would like to make a smoker. Some day. Tackling canning and butchering at this pont. I have putoff even getting this done as my dw is not installed yet and I am up to my eyeballs in dishes until the dw is installed.

I usually freeze my turkey sausage raw, in one pound packages in plastic bags, but this year, I plan on 10+ pounds each of patties and smoked links of each verity. Meatballs, I usually just make meatballs from the ground meat without seasoning it before freezing, because I add fresh, wet bread to keep the meatballs very tender. I also add ground Parmesan or Romano cheese to my meatballs, plus the packaged Mild or hot Italian sausage seasoning, to taste. I use the same ingredients for Salisbury steak or meatloaf, just a different gravy. I use a tomato based spaghetti sauce for meatballs and sometimes with meatloaf and a beef flavored gravy, or leftover beef gravy with Salisbury steak or sometimes with meatloaf. That's why the day after a beef roast dinner, I cook meatloaf or Salisbury steak.