Theres more than one way to pluck a turkey. Whatever method you choose, don’t just grab a handful of feathers and start yanking. This could rip the very thin skin, and once you’ve ripped the skin it’s difficult to finish plucking. In fact, at that point you may need to resort to skinning the bird.
Keep the feet attached to while turkey while plucking it. They’ll give something to hold on to as you rotate and move the carcass around for thorough plucking.
Removing feathers from a turkey, whether store-bought or fresh from the hunt, is an essential step in preparing the bird for cooking While it may seem daunting, especially for beginners, the process is very manageable by following these simple steps
Getting Started
Before getting into feather removal gather these supplies
- Sharp kitchen shears or sturdy scissors
- Plucking gloves (optional)
- Large pot or bin for wet plucking
- Propane torch for singeing (optional)
- Cutting board and boning knife
- Poultry shears or kitchen scissors
- Sink or prep area for cleanup
First, remove any wrapping and pat the turkey dry. Have a clean work surface ready. For store-bought, remove the neck and giblets from the cavity. Rinse and pat dry. For wild turkey, hang upside down and cut off the feet above the scales.
Plucking Methods: Wet vs. Dry
There are two main feather removal methods:
Wet Plucking
This quicker method uses hot water to loosen feathers for easy hand removal:
- Fill a large pot with water and bring to 145-150°F.
- Dunk the turkey and soak for 10 seconds.
- Remove and hang upside down. Pluck feathers by grasping handfuls and pulling downwards.
- Move efficiently from area to area. Do the body first.
- Re-dunk if needed but only briefly.
Dry Plucking
Manual feather removal without water:
- Hang upside down or place breast down.
- Grasp sections of feathers close to the skin and pull quickly against growth direction.
- Use short, firm jerking motions. Twist and rotate skin to expose feathers.
- Work from breast, sides, thighs to back. Use shears for any long quills.
Singeing Pin Feathers
Both methods will leave tiny hairs and down feathers behind. Singe these off:
- Light a propane torch and adjust the flame to 2-3 inches.
- Working in sections, quickly pass the flame over to singe hairs and down.
- Move continuously to avoid burning. Keep singeing until skin is smooth.
- Pluck any stubborn pins individually with tweezers.
Post-Plucking Cleanup
After plucking:
- Pluck any last hairs or spots you missed.
- Singe again if needed to ensure super smooth skin.
- Rinse thoroughly under cool water to remove all feathers and debris.
- Pat completely dry with paper towels.
- Apply kosher salt and refrigerate uncovered overnight to dry out the skin.
- Cook within 2 days for optimal flavor and food safety.
Plucking Tips
- Soak hands occasionally in cold water if wet plucking.
- Drape a damp cloth over the neck and body openings to keep clean.
- For wild birds, pluck within an hour of killing before skin dries.
- Don’t wax dip wild birds as it toughens the skin.
- Work over a garbage bag to collect fallen feathers for easy disposal.
- Refrigerate during any breaks in plucking.
Step-By-Step Plucking a Turkey
Follow these key steps:
Prep
- Remove any wrapping and pat turkey dry.
- For store-bought, remove neck and giblets. Rinse and pat dry.
- For wild, hang upside down and cut off feet above scales.
Wet Pluck
- Fill large pot with water, heat to 145-150°F.
- Dunk turkey and soak 10 seconds.
- Remove and hang upside down.
- Grasp handfuls of feathers, pull downwards towards tail.
- Move area to area efficiently. Do body first.
- Re-dunk briefly if needed.
Dry Pluck
- Hang upside down or place breast down.
- Grasp feathers close to skin, pull against growth direction
- Use short, firm jerking motions.
- Twist and rotate skin to expose feathers.
- Work from breast to thighs, back, wings.
Singe
- Light propane torch, adjust flame to 2-3 inches.
- Working in sections, quickly pass flame over to singe hairs and down.
- Move continuously to prevent burning.
- Pluck any stubborn pins individually with tweezers.
Finish
- Pluck any last hairs or spots.
- Singe again if needed to ensure smooth skin.
- Rinse thoroughly under cool water.
- Pat completely dry.
- Apply kosher salt and refrigerate overnight.
While feather removal takes time and effort, the results are worth it. Follow these simple steps, be patient, and you’ll successfully pluck turkeys for deliciously crispy skin. With practice, you’ll get the hang of it in no time. Happy plucking!
Wet plucking – dipping the bird in boiling water
First, find a pot big enough to hold the whole bird, and add enough water to fully submerge the bird. Dont add so much that water will overflow the pot when you add the turkey and splash boiling water all over. You’ll probably want to do this outside in an open space.
Bring the water to a boil – while you’re waiting, remove with wings and tail feathers from the bird. Note that some turkey hunters think boiling is too hot and will dip their bird once the water temperature reaches 140º.
Once the water reaches a boil, grab the bird by the feet (not the head) and completely submerge it. Hold the bird under water for seven seconds, no longer. If you submerge the bird too long, the skin will rip more easily when you start plucking, and the meat might start to cook. So stick to the seven second count!
Remove the bird, then grab it by the head (the head will be hot, so where a rubber glove) and start plucking. Pull the feathers down, toward the tail. If you pull up against the direction that the feathers grow, you’ll tear the skin.
Dry plucking a bird – simple but time consuming
To dry pluck a turkey, hang it up or hold it by the neck with one hand. Grab a few feathers at a time and pull them down toward the tail. Pulling in the direction the quills are laying makes them easier to remove and you’re less likely to rip the skin.
Work your way around the bird until all the feathers are removed. Note that it’s easier to pluck a turkey with the wings removed.
Once all the larger feathers are removed, you’ll see hundreds small, downy pin feathers still intact in the skin. These are so small and numerous they’re nearly impossible to pluck out one by one. Instead, try singeing them with a small torch.
A quick pass with a flame will burn these downy feathers, giving you a clean, fully-plucked bird. Don’t get to close or to hot – you don’t want to burn the skin.
While it’s easier to pluck a turkey thats still warm, once plucked it needs to be refrigerated immediately. Instead, gut your bird in the field and leave the feathers on until you get it home or back to camp. The feathers will help protect the meat from bruising and dirt, and your home or camp will be a more efficient place to pluck.
Dry-plucking a turkey takes time, which is why many hunters prefer wet plucking.
How to Pluck and Clean a Turkey with Steven Rinella – MeatEater
FAQ
Do you have to scald a turkey before plucking?
In order to speed up the plucking process, we scald the turkeys first, which helps the feathers come out much easier.Nov 20, 2018
Can you skin a turkey instead of plucking it?
If you want a nice presentation for Thanksgiving dinner, then by all means pluck away. That skin not only browns up nicely, it also protects the meat a little bit during high, dry cooking methods such as roasting. However, skinning is generally the preferred method.
What temperature should the water be for plucking turkeys?
For home processing this method of scalding is recommended. Hard-scald or full scald requires a water temperature of 140-150 degrees F. This method is faster and eliminates pinfeathers, but the birds tend to dry out and have a less desirable appearance.
How do you remove feathers from a Turkey?
Next, immediately after you take the turkey out of the water, pluck off all of the feathers except for the small, hair-like feathers. When you’re finished, quickly run a blow torch over the surface of the turkey to burn off the small feathers.
How do you remove feathers from a pigeon?
Pull the larger feathers out with a pair of pliers and pluck the rest by hand. Remove the entrails and wash the body cavity with water. The last step with either dry or wet plucking is to remove the small, hair-like feathers, or down. This is best done with a flame from either a small propane torch or a torch made from tightly rolled newspaper.
How do you remove hair feathers from a bird?
Remove the hair feathers. This is done with a source of flame. A blow torch or propane torch will work well for this, but don’t get it too hot. Simply run the flame over the entire bird to “singe” the filoplumes off. Do not cook the bird! You are simply burning feathers, not skin and meat. Your bird is now ready for butchering.
What can you make from wild turkey feathers?
The wing bones can be transformed into turkey calls, the primary wing feathers into arrow fletchings and the secondary wing, tail and body feathers into fishing flies. Christmas wreaths, dry flower arrangements, pins, earrings, necklaces, bolos, blankets, hats and many other items can be fashioned from wild turkey feathers, spurs, beards and bones.
How do you cut a turkey tail fan?
Keep cutting until you reach the base of the tail feathers and sever the fan by cutting the fatty tissue known as the “pope’s nose.” 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.
How do you remove a Turkey rib?
When you’re finished, quickly run a blow torch over the surface of the turkey to burn off the small feathers. Then, cut off the feet, open the body cavity with a knife, and scoop out all of the organs. Finally, remove the wings, thighs, and ribs.