Wild turkey is my all-time favorite game meat. It’s easy to cook, it has plenty of rich flavor, and it’s just about impossible to beat fried turkey nuggets dipped in spicy barbecue sauce. Talk to any serious turkey hunter, and they’ll agree. However, not all turkey hunters know how to butcher a turkey and get every cut of meat.
In the video below, my turkey hunting buddy Josh Dahlke does a really nice job demonstrating the basic butchering process on a wild turkey. With most of the birds I shoot, I follow the exact same process Dahlke uses here.
But sometimes, I want more than just the breasts and legs. Some turkeys are killed on hunts that are more meaningful, and I want to savor every bite as a way of making that hunt last just a little longer. Here are the main cuts and organs you can harvest when you butcher a turkey:
The breasts and legs (meaning drumsticks and thighs) are the most popular cuts and you can see how to remove them in the video above. Wild turkey wings are often overlooked, mostly because they are a hassle to pluck and clean. But if you go through the trouble of harvesting turkey wings, you’ll be rewarded with surprisingly meaty cuts that can be served up in a killer buffalo wing recipe. The giblets consist of the gizzard, heart, and liver. Heart and gizzard meat are pretty similar (rich and a little chewy, in a good way) when fried and dunked in hot sauce. The liver, of course, has more of an iron taste.
Everyone takes the breast meat from their turkeys. But not everybody gets all the breast meat they should. The key to leaving no meat on the bone is to use an ultra-sharp, flexible blade. You don’t want to use your thick deer hunting knife for this job. The breastbone has curves and angles that you need to work the blade around. It’s more like filleting a fish than quartering a deer. (Read our review of the best hunting knives, here.)
Also, the breast meat on a turkey goes up much higher on what I’d call the shoulder of the bird. Make sure you peel back the skin all the way up to the wing to ensure you don’t miss any of that golden meat. After you’ve pulled each breast from your bird, it’s time to think about how o freeze each hunk of meat. On a big tom, I like to cut each breast in half so that I’ve got four dinners worth of turkey breast meat. The top of the breast is thicker and has an almost roast-like consistency. I’ll slice the breast in half so that I’ve got one thick, condensed cut and then a wider, thinner cut.
Removing the skin from a turkey can seem daunting but it’s actually quite simple with some careful technique. Here is a detailed guide on how to remove turkey skin cleanly and efficiently.
Why Remove the Skin?
There are a few reasons you may want to remove the skin from your turkey
-
To reduce fat and calories. The skin contains a lot of fat, so removing it cuts down on calories.
-
For texture preferences Some people don’t like the texture of turkey skin Taking it off leaves just the tender meat.
-
To season under the skin. Removing the skin allows you to directly season the meat.
-
For crispier skin. Taking the skin off allows you to cook it separately for super crispy turkey cracklings.
Prep Your Turkey
Before removing the skin, it helps to prep your turkey:
-
Thaw completely if frozen. It’s nearly impossible to remove the skin from a frozen turkey.
-
Remove giblets. Reach inside the cavity to remove the neck and giblets. Discard or use for gravy.
-
Pat dry. Use paper towels to soak up any excess moisture on the skin.
Focus on the Breast Skin First
Start by removing the skin from the breast, as it tends to come off the cleanest:
-
Place turkey breast-side up. Put it on a cutting board or rimmed baking sheet.
-
Loosen the skin. Slide your fingers under the skin around the center keel bone and gently loosen it from the meat.
-
Peel from top down. Gripping the skin, peel it downwards off each breast half towards the wings using your thumbs.
-
Pull the skin taut. Keep it taught as you peel so it separates cleanly from the meat.
-
Use a knife as needed. If it tears, use a paring knife to cut the membrane connecting skin to meat.
Move on to the Legs and Thighs
Once you’ve removed the breast skin, flip the bird over and do the legs:
-
Flip turkey over. Turn it so the backbone is facing up.
-
Loosen the skin. Slide your fingers under the skin covering the thigh meat and loosen around the joint.
-
Peel skin downwards. Pull the skin down the leg towards the foot. Use your thumbs to peel it cleanly from the meat.
-
Remove skin from drumsticks. Pull the skin off each drumstick, working your hand down towards the tip.
-
Use a knife to sever skin. Cut any stubborn connective tissue attaching it.
Final Touches
Do a final scan for any remaining skin:
-
Check wings and back. Peel or cut away any skin left on the wings or turkey back.
-
Rinse if needed. Give the turkey a quick rinse if skin separation left any greasy residue.
-
Pat dry. Blot turkey dry with paper towels before seasoning or cooking.
-
Save skin for cracklings. Fry the skin in oil for delicious crispy cracklings.
And that’s it! Your turkey is now ready for rubs, sauces, or roasting skin-free. Removing the skin takes a bit of time and care, but is worth it for a healthier bird that still stays nice and juicy. Give it a try for your next turkey dinner!
How to Butcher Turkey Drumsticks and Thighs
The leg meat on wild turkeys can be juicy, tender, and delicious, as long as you treat it right. Pulling them off your bird is pretty simple.
Remove the Legs from the Turkey
Skin down to the knee joint and peel away the skin from both sides of the leg. Then press the leg away from the body until you pop the hip joint. Cut from the inside of the leg, separating it from the body. You should never have to saw or break bones while butchering your bird. Simply cut through the joints. To separate the foot from the leg, press your blade through the middle of the knee joint (this is where a stouter hunting-style blade comes in handy) to remove the foot from the leg and you’re good to go.
How to Clean a Turkey the EASY WAY!
FAQ
Do you cut the neck skin off a turkey?
Do you remove skin from turkey before smoking?
Do you pluck or skin a turkey?
How do you remove skin from a Turkey?
Remove the remainder of the turkey’s skin by pulling and trimming with a knife where needed. The skin is removed from the legs by rolling it down as far as possible, then severing with a circular cut of the knife. Remove the upper wings and legs next by stripping the skin from the carcass, starting at the base of the neck.
How do you remove a turkey wing?
Remove part of the turkey’s wings along with its head and neck. Use a sharp, strong knife to cut off the turkey’s head and neck, starting 1–2 inches (2.5–5.1 cm) above the neck’s connection to the body. You can also remove part of the wings, starting at the first joint to leave a drumstick-shaped section behind.
How do you brine a Turkey skin?
How To Brine a Turkey 2. Rub the skin with fat. Once you’ve carefully dried off the skin, the next step you can take to guarantee perfectly crispy turkey skin is to rub it with a fat, like butter or oil. Oil will yield a crispier skin than butter because butter is at least 20 percent water, while oil contains no water. 3. Don’t cover the turkey.
How do you clean a raw turkey?
Wash your hands, sink, and anything else that has touched the raw turkey. To avoid cross-contamination, wash your hands and forearms with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds after handling the turkey. Then, use hot, soapy water to clean any utensils and kitchen surfaces you used, such as the countertop or sink.