The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Gregoz on December 02, 2016, 03:27:12 pm

Title: When to draw Turkeys
Post by: Gregoz on December 02, 2016, 03:27:12 pm

I have killed of two of my Turkeys to send away with friends
I have plucked them but should I leave the guts etc in while the hang??
Cheers

Ps I will freeze the after I have hung them for the week

GB

Title: Re: When to draw Turkeys
Post by: Marches Farmer on December 02, 2016, 04:29:17 pm

The guts are full of bacteria, so no.

Title: Re: When to draw Turkeys
Post by: Gregoz on December 02, 2016, 05:05:35 pm

So remove the guts straight away?

Title: Re: When to draw Turkeys
Post by: Sbom on December 02, 2016, 06:09:55 pm

Hang with guts in... up to a week if weather cool enough

Title: Re: When to draw Turkeys
Post by: Gregoz on December 02, 2016, 08:53:07 pm

That's what I thought and what I do with game birds

What are you basing your view on Marchesfarmer? Is there a reason why you prefer to remove them or just an educated guess?

Title: Re: When to draw Turkeys
Post by: Eve on December 02, 2016, 09:23:45 pm

If you leave the guts in it'll stink to high heavens when you take them out a week later. When we had turkeys we had difficulty trying to figure out what the best thing was to do, if I remember correctly people said that with the guts in the bird would have more flavour, but it's safer bacteria-wise with the guts removed. If I remember correctly...


We only have chickens anymore now and gut them on the day of slaughter then leave them to rest for at least a day in the fridge. Leaving the turkeys in the fridge meant no space in the fridge for anything else  :D

Title: Re: When to draw Turkeys
Post by: farmers wife on December 02, 2016, 09:55:47 pm

huh? all quality turkeys are hung with guts in - as long as temp is correct its fine. Best starve them night before.

Title: Re: When to draw Turkeys
Post by: Sbom on December 03, 2016, 08:25:38 am

As stated above they need to be starved for 12-24hrs before killing. Just leave them water.  This way they are completely empty and there is nothing to go off therefore no smell. The meat will go off incredibly quick if you hang to long with no guts in

Title: Re: When to draw Turkeys
Post by: Gregoz on December 03, 2016, 08:46:32 am

Thanks, so I will stay with my initial thoughts and leave the guts in
Once the guts are removed and the birds cooked all/ or any bacteria will be killed anyhow
This is what I have done with gamebirds for years but thought I'd just check
I don't think this is a good forum for people to be "thinking" or guessing the answers to such questions- too much to lose by following the wrong advice

Title: Re: When to draw Turkeys
Post by: Hevxxx99 on December 06, 2016, 06:07:22 pm

I hang for 10 days with guts in. The guts will not stink or be in any way off if you do this, assuming the bird is kept cool. I believe you're far more likely to get contamination in an empty body cavity than in a sealed one.

Title: Re: When to draw Turkeys
Post by: Clansman on December 08, 2016, 09:05:46 am

I've hung them up to 30 days before with the guts in, no problem, you wouldn't have noticed any difference.

Usually I hang them a week.

Please note it is against poultry welfare codes to withhold feed longer than 12 hours