How to Clean a Wild Turkey?

Is it thanksgiving, and you’re trying to prepare a wild turkey? Choosing a turkey can never go wrong in such an enjoyable feast. But before you start, remember that the most important step is to clean the turkey.

In this article, you will learn how to clean a wild turkey. Let’s get started.

How to Clean a Wild Turkey?

Whether you buy a turkey or hunt it yourself, it is very important to clean it before preparing. There are 3 ways through which you can clean a wild turkey.

Let’s look into the three methods.

Clean the turkey from the store

The steps are given below:

Step 1: Defrost the turkey

First, you should defrost the turkey if you have time. Therefore, leave them in the fridge for about a day. Some choose a leak-proof bag to defrost the turkey faster.

In a bucket full of cold water, dip the turkey while changing the water after every 30 minutes. Also, you can put it in the microwave to defrost the turkey.

Step 2: Wash your hands

Clean your hands properly before you start working with the turkey. Also, pull up the sleeves and tie back your hair. Such steps would help you keep the surroundings disease-free.

Step 3: Set your turkey in a baking dish

Then, bring out the turkey from the packaging and set it in a baking dish. The less surface the turkey touches on the pan, the less cleaning effort you require.

Step 4: Take out the giblets and neck

By this time, you can see the giblets and neck inside the turkey. You simply need to take them out and create an empty space inside. Additionally, you can throw these parts away or cook them separately.

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Step 5: Rinse the turkey properly (if brined)

Now, empty the sink and clean it properly with hot and soapy water. Then, fill the sink with 2-3inches of cold water. If you have a brined turkey, place the turkey inside the sink to clean all the cavities. Then, hold up the turkey to drain all the water.

Step 6: Avoid rinsing (if not brined)

You can avoid the rinsing step if your turkey isn’t brined. Rinsing a turkey wouldn’t stop spreading bacteria, but it will surely spread more illness and disease. So, you can set it on the baking pan after taking it out of the packaging.

Step 7: Wash the areas that touched the raw meat

After all these steps, you should wash the areas that touched the raw meat. Make sure to wash your hands properly for 20 seconds. Then, use hot water to clean all the kitchen surfaces and utensils. Finally, take clean water to rinse everything.

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Pluck and clean the wild turkey

The steps are given below:

Step 1: Pluck the turkey feathers

Compared to skinning, the plucking process that a long time. However, you pluck the turkey feathers to clean a wild turkey for deep frying, smoke, or roast the turkey. This would help to protect the moisture.

Some find this step optional while cooking the whole turkey. On the other hand, you should do it outdoors to clean the area easily.

Step 2: Detach the head, neck and wings

Using a strong and sharp object, detach the turkey’s head, neck, and wings. If you want the drumstick-shaped section, it would be best to cut out the wings. The wings are also edible, but there’s less meat with more feathers.

Step 3: Dip your turkey for 30 seconds in hot water

In a large pot, heat the water, and then dip your turkey for about 30 seconds. Then, lift the turkey and start pulling the feathers.

You can easily pluck the turkey if the feathers come out fast and easy. You should dip the turkey for a few more seconds when the feathers are stuck to soften the feather’s roots.

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Step 4: Hang your turkey upside down

Take a strong rope to hang your turkey upside down. It would be best to tie it with a sturdy place like your garage beam or a tree branch. Make sure to place a pot underneath, so the water drips into it.

Step 5: Pull out the extra feathers

Now, start from the back to pull out the extra feathers. Then, grasp from the roots and pluck the whole turkey. Eventually, the entire turkey will be clean in no time. If you still find small feathers, you can burn them with a lighter to get rid of them.

Step 6: Remove the innards of a turkey

After plucking the turkey, you should take a sharp knife and cut the turkey. Make sure to wear gloves to protect your hands. Then, remove the innards of the turkey.

Step 7: Set your turkey in a baking dish

Sometimes, you might decide to preserve or cook the whole turkey. So, at first, cut the legs with a sharp knife. Make sure to keep the drumsticks and thighs attached. Then, set your turkey in a baking dish.

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Skin the wild turkey

It is very easy to skin the wild turkey. However, you should choose this option when you’re planning to fry or grill the turkey in many pieces.

Step 1: Hang your turkey upside down

Here, you need a strong rope to hang your turkey upside down. Choosing a sturdy place like a tree branch or garage beam is a perfect option for such cases.

Make sure to tie both the feet away from each other, like about 12 to 18 inches.

Step 2: Detach the beard, wings and fan

Firmly hold the beard and twist. This would remove the beard from the breast. You can discard or set aside the beard. Finally, cut the wings and fans from the joints using a sharp object.

Step 4: Skin the turkey’s tail

Next, you must hold the tail and pull it downwards. This would work better if you use hands around the chest and wings. However, you can stop when it reaches the neck portion.

Step 5: Remove the skin and neck

You need a sharp object to remove the neck and head. When you do this, the extra skin would easily get removed. You can discard or set aside the head and skin.

Step 6: Remove the innards of the turkey

Removing the innards of the turkey is very important. So, using a sharp knife, you should open the cavity to remove the innards. You must use protective gloves to save your hands from cuts and scratches.

Step 7: Set your turkey in a baking dish

Finally, you can preserve or cook your turkey. Therefore, start by cutting the legs with a sharp object. You can keep the drumsticks and thighs attached. Then, set your turkey in a baking dish.

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Final Verdict

Here are the 3 different ways to clean a wild turkey. The processes tend to differ based on how you want to cook your turkey. You can also try field dressing in hot temperatures. However, in such cases, you must start from the back of the turkey.

Frequently Asked Questions

Still, have queries about how to clean a wild turkey? Here is some frequently asked question that can help you:

How long can you keep a wild turkey before cleaning it?

You can keep a wild turkey before cleaning it for about 2 days. However, you must maintain a temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below. On the other hand, if you’re using a freezer, the temperature should be 0 degrees.

What to do with a wild turkey after you shoot it?

There are 4 important steps you need to maintain after you shoot a wild turkey: taxidermy, field dressing, plucking, and skinning the turkey.

Should you soak a wild turkey in salt water?

Yes, you can soak a wild turkey in salt water. You can save a lot of space in the freezer or cooler when you soak it in salt water. Even when you cook properly, the turkey stays moist throughout the process. The brining process is soaking a turkey in salt water.

How do you pluck and clean a wild turkey?

There are 7 easy steps to pluck and clean a wild turkey. The steps are plucking the feathers, detaching the head, neck, and wings, dipping the turkey in hot water, hanging the turkey upside down, pulling out extra feathers, removing the innards, and setting the turkey in a dish.