How I clean Turkeys or other big birds! UPDATED!
 

This is the way I clean all turkeys and usually am done in about 10 minutes.

I fillet everything usable out. I save the wings for wingbone calls and save the legs as you can dry them in any ole configuration or cut the spurs off and add to your wingbone lanyard.
So let’s get started. I use the smallest Rapala fillet knife and it must be SHARP!

Turn bird on its back as seen in this picture below.


The first thing I do is remove he beard.


First thing is to grab the beard and pull so you expose the skin as seen.


Pulled out a bit further – don’t worry you won’t rip it off!


Now in the white exposed area feel with your fingers and you will feel where the base root of the beard stops – cut past there and don’t be worried if you take to much skin – You can trim it off later.
This photo I started my cut…..


Here it is totally off….

Set it aside we will deal with it later.

With the bird still on its back feel down the breast until you feel the soft part of the gut cavity. We will make a small cut there just through the skin – NOT into the gut cavity. This done right you will not expose guts.


Next stick your fingers between the muscle an skin to open it up a bit and continue to expose the breast meat. If the skin starts to stick lightly use your fillet knife as if you are taking the skin off a fish. Again a sharp knife is a must!
It will end up like this


Next thing I do is remove the wings….I save those for wingbone calls. Even broke a bit there are bones still usable.

Take off at the joint next to the body – If you want a traditional looking turkey take off at the second joint. Mine are taken off at the body.






Next I take the feet off at the knuckle of the drumstick. Cut all the way around the leg through the back tendon and twist. The leg will pop right off – may take a bit of cutting to cut the remaining tendon. Set aside for now.


You have the breast exposed – Now take and peel back the skin on the legs until you have the bird looking like this. I save leg meat for soups, and sandwiches….and the Drumstick bone makes a very good 2 bone mouth call and a very nice pot striker!



Once you have the skin away the air sac is exposed.




I trim carefully – and pull a bit to removed this like shown.


Though a bit wet – my hands are not real messy!


Now I start taking off one breast at a time.

You can see the white line of the breast or keel bone. I cut going down along that keel bone and follow the wishbone in front and then trim back. I lift this flap of meat and cut forward along the rib cage using the fillet knife. Just like filleting around a fishes rib cage. I do this until I reach the wing joint and then cut the fillet free
It will look like this


After I have removed both sides of the breast I tackle the thighs.
Take the legs and push flat – you hear a pop as the leg bone comes out of the socket.
Next start at the top and cut along the body. I f you are going to get any blood on you it is here as you cut the leg arteries. So be careful. Done right your hands are really clean.







On the thigh and leg cut around the drumstick knuckle between he thigh and drum and you can bend it nicely to fit in a gallon plastic bag. I put all in plastic Zip-Loc bags and cool immediately. Once at home I do wash and trim any thin film of skin off and then freeze in a new bag.

The wings can be boiled and all feathers taken off. I will post how to make wingbone calls later.

The beard I place skin side down in a cup of Borax for about a month. I then add it to the shot shell casing I used to kill this bird.



Hope this is helpfull

JW

RE: How I clean Turkeys or other big birds!
 

JW, this is an excellent thread, thanks for posting.

RE: How I clean Turkeys or other big birds!
 

Great post. I found it to be very well done. It has alot of great information and pics. Awesome job on it.

RE: How I clean Turkeys or other big birds!
 

Hey thanks guys -

JW

RE: How I clean Turkeys or other big birds!
 

Yepper JW,one of the more inciteful posts I've seen on here inawhile!!;)Great job.....Now I'm ready for some deep fried turkey nuggets.....:D

RE: How I clean Turkeys or other big birds!
 

Very nice...thanks JW!

RE: How I clean Turkeys or other big birds!
 

Remember the leg meat can be good if prepared properly. Slow cooking in stew or ground for chile, just remove the tendons by scraping with your knife.

RE: How I clean Turkeys or other big birds!
 

That's step for step how I clean all my birds.

RE: How I clean Turkeys or other big birds!
 

Excellent source for cleaning turkey- enjoyed the pics. Checkout Eagle Creek Outfitters Turkey Tips for more information: http://www.eaglecreekoutfitters.com/tips_tkydressing.htm

Keith Reeves
Eagle Creek Outfitters - Pro Staff

RE: How I clean Turkeys or other big birds!
 

i have to try this next time we get a turkey, it sure beats plucking it for the same amount of meat

RE: How I clean Turkeys or other big birds!
 

hey hunt it sure does! :)

RE: How I clean Turkeys or other big birds!
 

Great thread jw thanks


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RE: How I clean Turkeys or other big birds!
 

Hey thanks - the trick to this is a very SHARP Knife! That little 3 inch Rapala knife sure does hold it's edge very good and I have a small diamond board I use and use often to keep it that way. This knife stays in my truck along with the stone. I use it on all sorts of birds and deer.

JW

RE: How I clean Turkeys or other big birds!
 

great thread jw. i will have to save that.

RE: How I clean Turkeys or other big birds!
 

JW... Nice Post, I cleaned the 2 I got in KS that way.

Let me give you something to think about.

Take a piece of wire are a Coat Hanger. Tie it around the neckof the bird and then around a Limb as high as you can reach. It will take you longer to find the Limb than it will to skin the bird:DCut around the neck and PULL a Strong guy like you will will have the feathers off in a Min. Slice off the breast and the rest;)

If you got the Wire and the Limb...I said IF? You will save 5 Min's....LoL:)Both are good ways just depends if you are in the Woods are at Home. Good Luck!

TF

RE: How I clean Turkeys or other big birds!
 

Great post JW...

RE: How I clean Turkeys or other big birds!
 

Great, Thanks for sharing.

RE: How I clean Turkeys or other big birds!
 

That was an awsome post.
I thank you because I am an idiot and this is like Idiot proof for me...

( being humble)

Pics were great .,

Do you have a video ???

RE: How I clean Turkeys or other big birds!
 

i live in CA and id probley be arrested if i tried doing that in my front yard, hmmm maybe i should find out!

just kidding i wouldnt do that in a town!

RE: How I clean Turkeys or other big birds!
 

Calif. Anti-Hunter:"Sir, don't you know that is animal cruelty?"

huntnteen:"Um, it's dead."

Calif. Anti-Hunter:"Exactly!"

RE: How I clean Turkeys or other big birds!
 

well every time i walk through the police station parking lot during duck season there are decoys sitting in the back of at least three trucks, ANNND i am friends with my local police chief who hunts pheasantso i dont think id have a problem with the cops,the local kids stared at me everytime i was taking ducks/geese from the truck to my house, and i take the pictures in my front yard

RE: How I clean Turkeys or other big birds! UPDATED!
 

You should make a step-by-step video, and post it on YouTube.

RE: How I clean Turkeys or other big birds!
 

Great Post! I really enjoyed this one. I just got my Spring Turkey Permit and plan to drop a bearded one this spring so I will be using this process to clean my bird. Got my fingers crossed too - Get my bird. LOL

RE: How I clean Turkeys or other big birds!
 

HEY THANKS!

TRICK TO IT ALL IS A SHARP KNIFE!

JW

RE: How I clean Turkeys or other big birds!
 

Very Good Post!

RE: How I clean Turkeys or other big birds! UPDATED!
 

As stated by others: EXCELLENT POST!!!!

RE: How I clean Turkeys or other big birds!
 

This was great, we have our first turkeyhunt coming up in less then a month and this is one area that has caused me some stress up until now.

RE: How I clean Turkeys or other big birds!
 

good job thanks for the post

RE: How I clean Turkeys or other big birds!
 

I bet these ole boys could have used your tips. You ain't gonna believe the number of turkey they got into on this video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FURo3zq3fII

RE: How I clean Turkeys or other big birds!
 

very informative, great work

RE: How I clean Turkeys or other big birds!
 

Great post very informative, thanks.

RE: How I clean Turkeys or other big birds! UPDATED!
 

You make it look so easy. I know there is no way I will have that smooth a time when the day comes that I have to do it.

RE: How I clean Turkeys or other big birds! UPDATED!
 

Hey you want practice - go buy a whole chicken! I use chickens when I teach bird cleaning made easy at all my Huner Education courses.

JW

RE: How I clean Turkeys or other big birds! UPDATED!
 

Keep in mind you do lose some of the flavor when you eliminate the skin and fat. The meat can dry out faster too. Having said that I do use this method mostly and thenchicken fry the meat.

RE: How I clean Turkeys or other big birds!
 

Thank you for posting this...I have never killed a turkey and have always been nervous that if I did kill one, what I would do. Kind of like when I hadn't killed a deer and just winged it. Thanks.

RE: How I clean Turkeys or other big birds!
 

I breast them out which is very simple as well, I will try to explain to the best of my ability

1. Cut the wings off with a large pruning shears
2. Make a slit in the breast skin and start peeling the skin around the bird as far back as possible. You must pull it over the wingbones.
also pull it over the legs and thighs as far as possible.
3. Using a sharp knife slice under the crescent shaped bone on both sides of the turkey.The bone is near the back of the birdbut still located on the sides. (that is why it is important to peel the skin back as far as possible)
4. Continue from the crescent cutting all the way up the breast bone to where the esophogus and trachea go into the chest cavity. Do this from both side of the bird.
5. Grab the breast by the breast bone and pull back towards you, holding the neck down with your left hand. If you made the cuts complete the breast will pull out and all the guts will remain in the chest cavity. Pull th rib bones off and you have the entire breast of the turkey in hand.
6. Using the pruining shears cut the feet off at the knee and then cut the thighs out at the hip socket. this will leave you with the legs and thighs together.
I then like to crock pot the bird until the meat falls off the bone. Shread the meat and mix with turkey gravy and make turkey and gravy sandwiches. YUM YUM YUM. You don't have to worry about the meat drying out.

RE: How I clean Turkeys or other big birds!
 

These are good tips, i bought all my gear for turkey hunting esp. choke tubes check out www.lg-outdoors.com

RE: How I clean Turkeys or other big birds!
 

JW,thanks for your help.Worked great on my turkey today.Very clean and easy.

RE: How I clean Turkeys or other big birds!
 

Do you guys typically eat the meat fresh, or soak in a salt bath before preparing?

RE: How I clean Turkeys or other big birds!
 

Great thread, I will certainly use the tips you gave here.