Author Topic: The coup de grace (Read 2191 times)

Gregoz · « **on:** August 31, 2016, 02:11:29 pm »

I have a dozen Turkeys that I'm bringing on for Christmas A butcher friend commented to a friend how important the method of despatch is. They are just for Family and friends so intend to do the needy myself and pluck them etc.but what are your views on the best method when the time comes?
Also, do they need to be hung?

Thanks,

GB

Eve · « **Reply #1 on:** August 31, 2016, 02:19:50 pm »

We did this:
- wait until dark for easy catching and stress free as opposed to dautime chasing
- put sock over head for their (and our - don't want to look in their eyes!) comfort
- hold upside down, tie feet / legs with string and tie string to something high such as a broomstick between two high brick walls or tree branch so that bird is at your chest level
- cut main artery
- then proceed as with chicken

They need to rest, it doesn't have to be hanging, we had ours on a rack (for air circulation under the bird) in the fridge for a good week

Gregoz · « **Reply #2 on:** August 31, 2016, 09:05:18 pm »

Thanks Eve!

devonlady · « **Reply #3 on:** September 01, 2016, 06:57:39 am »

But better to stun them first. Do you know anyone with an electric stunner, who can help? Whereabouts are you?

Hevxxx99 · « **Reply #4 on:** September 02, 2016, 08:43:25 am »

It isn't considered humane to bleed them to death without first stunning them, hence the distaste for halal and kosher slaughter. Stun first.

Catching up after they are roosting is easiest, hold them firmly and tie up legs before turning them upside down as it'll be less stressful. Put their head on a hard surface like a low wall or the floor if not soft. Stun by either hitting them very hard on the back of the head with a blunt instrument like the back of an axe or shoot through the top of the head with an airgun whilst in the same position and then cut the jugular which means cutting deep enough to get right back to the spine and hang up to bleed for about 20 minutes.

Alternatively, rather than stunning, use the broomstick method. Turn the turkey upside down, down the length of your legs with its feet facing you. Put the head and start of the neck on the ground so the throat is in the ground. Put a broomstick across the neck right at the back of the skull, stand on broomstick both sides of the turkey and pull upwards firmly and hard. That will dislocate the neck (you can feel it disengage) and the bird should bleed into the neck cavity so far less messy. If you pull too hard though the head comes right off which isn't nice. I prefer to completely decapitate mine afterwards anyway just to be certain they are dead.

Be warned though: whatever method you use, they flap like mad as they die and they take a lot of holding. If they flap freely, they can end up bruising the meat.

Ten days is an ideal time to hang turkeys if you can keep them somewhere cool enough.