When preparing your turkey for the pot, you can either skin it or pluck it. Because the skin on wild turkeys is so thin, many hunters prefer to skin their birds instead of plucking them.
Skinning a freshly harvested turkey is a crucial step in preparing it for cooking. While plucking is the more traditional method skinning is often faster and easier.
If you’re new to processing wild turkeys skinning may seem intimidating. But have no fear! With this detailed guide you’ll gain the knowledge needed to quickly and efficiently skin a turkey.
Below are the key steps:
Hang the Turkey Upside Down
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Hang the turkey upside down by its feet at about chest level. This position gives you full access to the bird for skinning.
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Use a gambrel hook or rope to securely hang and immobilize the turkey. You need both hands free.
Remove the Beard if Saving
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Wild turkeys have a beard protruding from their chest. Carefully cut or pull this beard to remove it before skinning.
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Take care not to tear the skin. If saving the beard as a keepsake, cut it close to the base.
Cut Off the Tail Fan
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Locate the pope’s nose at the tail base where the large fan of feathers begins.
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Cut through the fatty tissue around the pope’s nose to remove the entire tail fan in one piece.
Remove the Wings at the Joint
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Bend each wing backwards until the joint separates.
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Cut through the joint to fully detach the whole wing. Don’t break the bones.
Peel the Skin Down the Breast
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Make an incision down the turkey’s breast, cutting through the skin.
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Peel the skin away from the breast meat using your fingers. Tug firmly but carefully.
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Keep peeling the skin downwards off the entire breast and abdomen.
Peel the Skin Down the Legs
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Roll the skin down each leg, all the way to the foot.
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Cut around the knee joint to peel the skin further.
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Twist each foot until the skin is detached, then cut off feet.
Remove the Skin from the Back
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Roll skin down the back, detaching it from the carcass.
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Cut around the tail base and continue freeing the skin around the bottom.
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Cut off the neck and pull remaining skin up to the wings to remove.
Rinse and Refrigerate
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Give the skinned turkey a good rinse under cold water. Pat dry.
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Refrigerate immediately until ready to cook. Use within 1-2 days.
And that’s it – you now have a fully skinned turkey ready for your favorite recipes! Follow safe meat handling procedures and enjoy.
While it takes practice, skinning ultimately allows you to quickly process freshly harvested wild turkeys. You’ll soon be an expert at this efficient approach. Master this method, and you can skip the tedious plucking step while still enjoying delicious home-cooked turkey.
Pick up where you left off gutting the bird
Make another cut in the skin from the body cavity all the way up to the base of the neck, just above the breast bone. The skin is thin enough that you often can peel it free from the breast meat. You should slide your thumbs under the skin and work them up and away from the breastbone to the base of the neck. Continue peeling the skin down the sides of each breast, all the way to the wings.
Have you taken off the wings yet? If not, cut them off at the wrist or shoulder joint with a knife. Don’t try to break the wings off. The bones are hollow and fragment easily. These sharp, small bone fragments can make handling and cooking a turkey dangerous. So, if your bird’s wing or leg bone is broken, make sure all the pieces are taken out when you clean and prepare it.
Continue peeling the skin off the carcass, working your way around the back and tail section. Cut each leg off at the knee joint and peel the skin down each leg, like unrolling a sock.
How to Pluck and Clean a Turkey with Steven Rinella – MeatEater
FAQ
How do you remove the skin from a turkey?
Should you skin a turkey before cooking?
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 skin a wild turkey?
Alternatively, you can choose to skin and butcher your wild turkey. This method involves removing the skin and separating the different cuts of meat from the carcass, making it easier to cook and serve. Remove Head and Feet: Start by cutting off the turkey’s head and feet with a sharp knife.
Can you skin a turkey breast?
Many of today’s turkey hunters prefer skinning to plucking. Skinning a turkey allows you to cook the bird by frying or grilling the pieces of meat. You can skin and fillet the turkey breasts and slice as much meat from the legs and wings as necessary. Make a cut just along one side of the breastbone.
How do you butcher a Turkey?
The cape and fan can then be put aside for mounting until the job of butchering is completed. 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.
How do you shave a wild turkey?
Skinning a wild turkey is easy and, with practice, can take less than three minutes. This method of preparation also reduces the amount of fat and cholesterol that gather in the skin. Hang the bird by its head and cut off the wings at the first joint. Remove the beard by pulling gently and cutting the loose skin at the base.
Should you pluck or skin a Turkey?
Plucking does take time and produces more of a mess than does skinning; however, the taste of deep-fried or roasted turkey skin is worth the effort. Many of today’s turkey hunters prefer skinning to plucking. Skinning a turkey allows you to cook the bird by frying or grilling the pieces of meat.