anyone here eat turtles?

[RustyOlRanger4x4]

i was fishing last night and caught a huge softshell turtle and got to thinking. i dont really have any interest in eating a turtle but i wonder how many people do eat them? is a softshell turtle a good kind to eat? how do you prepare them(as far as "skinning" and whatnot)? and how do you cook them? ive got alot of turtles in my lake and im not agenst the idea of trying one but im kinda hesatant about it since ive never had one and i dont really know anyone who does eat them

[shpines]

I've never fixed it, but turtle soup is awsome!The first time I had it was when I was like 4 or 5. Some of my parents friends cook up a huge batch once a yearand invite everyone over. Dh thought we were crazy until he tried it. Now he can't wait for the outing. I'll see if I can find out how they make it, and pass it on.

[Pro-Line]

I killed a huge snapper when I was in college. This thing was a monster. I cleaned it, cooked and ate it. It was OK.

I started researching on snappers and found out that this particular turtle was pushing 50yrs old. Kinda made me feel bad for shucking him out just to get some meat that tastes like chicken. LOL

[RustyOlRanger4x4]

i dont think ill be trying turtle any time soon id try it but im not going to cook it we have alot of snapping turtles too but we catch alot of softshells while were fishing ive seen some of those huge allagator snapping turtles on them out door shows like crocadile hunter type shows they had 1 they said was close to 100 years old thats amazing to me they can live that long

[kevin1]

I haven't eaten turtle for some time , but it's starting to sound real good !

[Tree climber]

absolutley ; all kind , shape , and jender.
If fixed right it is awsome.
One thing to remember is to remove "ALL" fat.that is what messes up most foods,is not knowning how to fix it.

we eat tutle about once a mo.a friend has a fish camp and saves all the turtles for me,plus what I get myslef.

with things getting the way they are(prices and the war and all) we may go back to the , eating what you can when you can get it.[][8D]

[Handles]

Used to eat turtle soup about once a year or so, and had it fried up like fish. Very good both ways. If I remember right they were always snapping turtles and ususally ones under 10-15 lbs.

I have no idea how to clean them or exactly how to cook them, but I do remember it was was very tastey and I was quite a picky eater as a kid.

[JoeA]

TURTLE SOUP AU SHERRY

Turtle soup is a great delicacy in Louisiana. Commander's Palace Restaurant, in New Orleans' Garden District, is famous for its turtle soup -- it's a dark, rich, thick, stew-type dish, filling enough to be a meal in itself. More often, though, it's the first bookend of a great meal that's finished by a fantastic dessert. Arnaud's Restaurant, in the French Quarter, also has great turtle soup, and the recipe is quite different. Commander's is thicker, and Arnaud's is a little lighter, using a white veal stock instead of a dark beef stock.

Commander's Palace Turtle Soup au Sherry
 10 ounces (2-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
 1 pound turtle meat, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
 1 cup minced celery (4 stalks)
 2 medium onions, minced
 1-1/2 teaspoons garlic, minced
 3 bay leaves
 1 teaspoon oregano
 1/2 teaspoon thyme
 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
 1-1/2 cups tomato puree
 1 quart beef stock (note: If turtle bones are available, add them to the beef bones when making the stock for this dish)
 Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, as needed
 1/2 cup lemon juice
 5 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped
 1 tablespoon minced parsley
 6 teaspoons dry sherry

Melt 8 ounces (2 sticks) butter in a heavy saucepan. Add the flour and cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat until the roux is light brown. Set aside.

In a 5-qt saucepan, melt the remaining butter and add turtle meat. Cook over high heat until the meat is brown. Add celery, onions, garlic and seasonings, and cook until the vegetables are transparent.

Add tomato puree, lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the stock and simmer for 30 more minutes.

Add the roux and cook over low heat, stirring, until the soup is smooth and thickened. Correct seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Add lemon juice, eggs and parsley. Remove from heat and serve.

At the table, add 1 tsp sherry to each soup plate.
ENJOY!

[mlaubner]

Orderinggg..."one turtle soup...and make it snappy"

[farmcntry]

Big snappers are good. If you get above 15#'s or so, the meat is tough.
We catch them on jugs or fish for them. Then we boil a wheelbarrow of water and chuck him in there. The lift him up and take off all the skins, toenails, and cut that airplane shaped shell out of the bottom. Then cut off the legs and neck and tail to eat. Throw all that yellow looking fat away. It tates like $hi^. They are good in soup, but you need to try them fried.