Turkey Butchering Day

Butchered 8 big turkeys yesterday. The smallest one was 25 lbs and the biggest was 43.25 lbs. Brought one home for my family that weighed 38 lbs.
My friends wanted to raise turkeys and this past spring I encouraged them to do so promising that I would be there to help with the butchering. They had never butchered turkeys before. We started yesterday at 8:00 am and I headed up the butchering. We finished around 5:00 PM. Here are some pictures, hope you enjoy them.

Here they are before we started.


Here are two of my friends bringing one over to start on.


Here I am getting ready to do the dirty deed.


Making sure the hot water gets to all the feathers.


Here I am again doing the dirty work.


I am glad that is over with. I do enjoy doing all this but it makes for a tiring day and I'm glad Thanksgiving is tomorrow so I can eat the labors of my hands.
Hope everyone has a blessed and happy Thanksgiving.

Thanks Rohn, Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours

Here is a picture of the 38 lb one that is now cooking. As you can see from the picture, I could not get it into my roaster oven. I had to take off the legs and one wing. Then cover it with foil because the lid would fit on. This is the largest turkey we have ever had for Thanksgiving. But is sure smells good cooking.

LOL must be a friar instead of a broiler

WOW!! Those are some big turkeys.

hmm, ya know what? I just realized we have been teased with pictures of fresh raw birds, but no pics nor mention of the final (cooked) product I feel deprived

And, we also didn't get a sample of the finished product.

Sorry the turkey that we cooked is no doubt half gone by now. I was enjoying it while out deer hunting today. It tastes really good. Any of you are welcome to stop by my place in Niles OH and I will give you some!

LOL, no fair, you live too far away.

So, I assume butchering a turkey is like butchering a chicken?

You sure got a big bird there!

In a bigger way. I'd rather butcher turkeys. Chickens seem to have a lot more feathers per area (or is it just my imagination?).
I butchered close to 100 chickens one year and hope I never have to do that again.

Who is the lady next to you in the pic at the table?

mountainmama wrote:Who is the lady next to you in the pic at the table?

Just a friend, name is Bev.

YUMMMMMMM.