Dressing and preparing a wild turkey for cooking is a rewarding experience after a successful hunt. With the right techniques, you can ensure that your wild turkey is ready for the oven smoker or grill. Here are some step-by-step tips on how to properly dress a wild turkey.
Field Dressing
Field dressing should be done as soon as possible after harvesting the turkey.
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Start by plucking the feathers. Pull them out in small sections while holding down the skin with your other hand. This prevents tearing of the skin.
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Cut off the wings at the first joint since there is minimal meat beyond that point.
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Sever the tail just above the oil gland at the base of the tail feathers.
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Cut off the feet at the joint by bending them to find the natural break point
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Remove the head, leaving 2 inches of neck attached to the body Cut around the vertebrae with a sharp knife
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Make a slit at the vent to open up the body cavity. Reach inside and pull out the entrails in one motion. Cut the colon where it meets the vent.
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Separate and set aside the liver, heart and gizzard. They are all edible.
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At the top of the chest, make another slit to remove the crop which contains undigested food.
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Thoroughly rinse out the body cavity and wash off blood and tissue.
Skinning vs. Plucking
You can skin or pluck the turkey depending on your cooking method.
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For frying, skin the whole turkey. Make an incision around the base of the neck and peel the skin downward using your hands and a knife. Stop skinning at the leg joints and cut off the skin.
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For baking, smoking or grilling, you’ll want to pluck the feathers. Scalding the carcass in hot water makes plucking much easier. Dip and douse the turkey with hot, soapy water to soak in and loosen the feathers. Then pluck section by section.
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To dry pluck without scalding, do so immediately while the carcass is still warm and limber. The feathers will come out more easily than when chilled.
Removing Legs and Wings
If keeping the turkey whole, you can leave the legs and wings on. However, removing them at the joints results in a simpler shape for cooking.
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Cut along the natural seam between the thigh and breast to find the ball joint attaching the leg.
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Pop the leg backwards to loosen the joint.
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Cut through the joint and detach the leg from the oyster meat near the spine and tail.
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Repeat steps on the other leg.
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Remove the wings at shoulder joint unless you want to keep them on for appearance.
Cutting Up the Breast
The breast can be left whole or cut in half along the breastbone for faster, more even cooking.
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Lay the turkey breast up and make an incision along one side of the center breastbone.
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Use your knife to cut the breast meat away from the bone.
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Free the entire side of the breast and repeat on the other side.
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Trim off any remaining tissue or debris.
Save the Giblets
Don’t discard the neck, heart, gizzard and liver during field dressing. The heart and liver can be cooked along with the turkey. Rinse out the gizzard, remove the inner lining and contents, and slice for cooking. Cook the neck to use for broth or soup.
Final Rinse and Chill
Give all parts of the dressed turkey one last rinse under cold water. Pat dry. Place in sealed containers or plastic bags and refrigerate until ready to brine or cook. Use within 2 days for best flavor and texture.
Properly field dressing and preparing your wild turkey will remove inedible parts while keeping the flavorful, nutritious meat intact. Careful plucking, skinning and jointing allows you cook the bird efficiently. Follow these steps and techniques for perfect wild turkey every time.
Frequency of Entities:
pluck: 7
skin: 6
breast: 6
leg: 5
wing: 4
joint: 4
field dress: 3
gizzard: 3
liver: 3
heart: 3
cook: 3
carcass: 3
feather: 3
tail: 2
oyster: 2
vent: 2
meat: 2
bone: 2
ball joint: 2
hot water: 2
knife: 2
rinse: 2
cut: 2
neck: 2
cavity: 2
spine: 1
oil gland: 1
foot: 1
head: 1
vertebrae: 1
slit: 1
crop: 1
tissue: 1
debris: 1
trim: 1
giblet: 1
brine: 1
chill: 1
seam: 1
shoulder: 1
How to Pluck and Clean a Turkey with Steven Rinella – MeatEater
FAQ
How soon should you field dress a turkey?
How to dress for turkey hunting?
What colors to avoid wearing when hunting turkey?
Should you field dress your first wild turkey?
If you’re lucky enough to tag your first wild turkey this spring, then you must field dress that bird to make the best use of the delicious meat. The 4-minute instructional video below is from the Alabama Department of Conservation & Natural Resources, and video host is Chuck Sykes, director for the Alabama Wildlife & Freshwater Fisheries Division.
Is field dressing a wild turkey difficult?
Field dressing a wild turkey isn’t difficult, but it can be intimidating if you’re new to turkey hunting. Sign up Digital! Subscribe to Print! If you’re lucky enough to tag your first wild turkey this spring, then you must field dress that bird to make the best use of the delicious meat.
How do you scald a Turkey?
Bring to a boil about two gallons of water. Add a tablespoonful of dishwashing detergent. Place the turkey in the tub or cauldron, holding it by the lower legs. With a small pot, dip and pour scalding water over the carcass, being sure to pour water on all the dry places. (You will see the detergent work as the water immediately soaks to the skin.)
How do you gut a Turkey?
After your shot, you’ll want to field dress your bird as quickly as possible. The goal is to cool the bird down by removing its internal organs and allowing air to circulate in the body cavity. All you need to gut a turkey is a simple pocket knife. Cut through the thin skin of the stomach from the bottom of the breastbone to the anus.