Dressing a turkey for eating him

b&p · **Posted:** Wed Dec 09, 2009 6:18 am

Have had a little search through the other topic "Preparing a turkey" but that doesn't help with the actual killing and dressing of the bird.

Today my Xmas dinner is arriving (fully feathered and gobbling). His brother CD (christmas dinner) has been given a reprieve as a friend wants to show him at the royal so the replacement dinner is arriving.

I've done plenty of chooks so the deed is the easy part (well no squeamishness anyway).

Any and all tips would be greatly appreciated to ensure I do this correctly.

Am planning on killing the big bugger on Sunday,because it is the last chance I will get to do him. Would have preferred to done him a lot closer to the day so I didn't have to freeze him but that just won't happen unless I want to kill him in the middle of the night.

danny boy · **Posted:** Thu Dec 10, 2009 7:53 am

Just the same as a chook, just bigger & takes a bit longer.
Heads harder to chop off as well.

Bourke · **Posted:** Thu Dec 10, 2009 7:16 pm

Sounds about right

Bourke

b&p · **Posted:** Thu Dec 10, 2009 9:26 pm

Damn thing needs fattening...Grrrr

Guess he might live another month unless he and CD give me the shits with their dominance thing.

The eater is getting mashed up pasta,potatoes,milk and a few other veg to help him along with weight,but the pacing will no doubt drop it off quickly

danny boy · **Posted:** Fri Dec 11, 2009 10:04 am

Back in the day mum used to get them about 3 - 4 months before xmas, the birds where just mature but wouldnt be old enough to get tough.
We used to feed them a high protein diet, pus scraps, keep them in a small run but also let them out to free range in lush grass areas for an hour each day.
Always turned out to be tender plump birds.
They can be bossy buggers tho with other birds, a tom I had used to pick the polish up by their crest & shake them to buggery, killed a few.

Vano · **Joined:** Thu Dec 17, 2009 9:56 am **Posts:** 1

I found the follow site good as it has instruction & pictures http://www.friday.com/bbum/2006/11/21/h ... -a-turkey/

greenaus · **Posted:** Tue Dec 22, 2009 2:54 pm

b&p wrote:

that just won't happen unless I want to kill him in the middle of the night.

I've prepared chooks in the middle of the night, but I do tend to be a night person. Your situation may vary.

I would assume that a turkey would be best prepared a couple of days in advance just like a chook and then left in the fridge (a fridge with lots of space :-?

), so you could do it at your convenience around about ...ummm... today/tonight. (I didn't realise how soon it was until I began writing it).

Stt · **Joined:** Sun Aug 19, 2007 7:01 pm **Posts:** 3006

Charles when you store it in the firdge is that in glad rap? or glad wrap over a bowl or just on a plate by its self?

stuart

greenaus · **Posted:** Wed Dec 23, 2009 1:54 am

I usually double bag a chook with a large freezer bag and then plastic shopping bag(s). I don't want leaks or contamination.

Wrap the turkey in a "clean" bag from your last trip to Woolworths and then put it in another bag as well. Leave that in a cool part of the bottom of the fridge. Not so cool it starts to ice up, but you don't want to risk spoilage either...remember it is at a DANGEROUS food temperature when it first goes in.

I don't suppose anyone is reading this right away. If so, go out and kill that bird now, prepare it and put it in the fridge. It'll be ready to cook Christmas Eve or Christmas morning if you prefer.

[Based only on my experience and preferences with chooks. Actual results may vary. I've never done a turkey. It may require a longer resting period before cooking. All care and no responsibility. No warranties expressed or implied. Keep away from naked flames...and people. Ho. Ho. Ho. Merry Christmas, etc, etc.]

andre · **Joined:** Tue Oct 13, 2009 5:21 pm **Posts:** 612

After cleaning the turkey, definitely put it in the fridge overnight to set. I purchase new white plastic bags of the type used for bin liners to put the bird in.

If you are planning on freezing the bird, chilling overnight is also a good plan. Next day drain the drips out of the plastic bag & if need be change to a fresh bag, exclude most of the air from the bag and seal tightly. In this way the bird is cooled, set and dry, then when you put it in the freezer it will snap freeze. When thawed, snap frozen birds have much better quality.

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