# My Turkey Adventure



## k9capture_16 (Aug 23, 2010)

Well I got a free Turkey a while back and I decided to part it today. It was a good and bad day. Heres a pic of the Turkey










I have to hold a funeral for these great scissors. They finally died tonight after a long battle with the turkeys joint...










Here are my two carnivores sharing some before I debone it










Here is the leftovers. In the foreground (closest to camera) is the carcass my grandmother wants to use to make soup broth, then in the middle is the boneless meat bound for treats and meals, then in the back on the plate is two wings mine wont eat so I am giving to my friends dogs who eat anything.


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## k9capture_16 (Aug 23, 2010)

This is the breast meat, I am going to boil it up later to cook it, then dehydrate it for treats


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## Mia (Oct 4, 2010)

I am gonna remember those scissors for my own turkey!!! LOL

I think I am going to take mine out of the freezer tonight and let it thaw out for tomorrow! Let my boys at it!

I have a free meat run tomorrow so I'm hoping maybe just maybe another turkey! (its from an organic farm)


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## Ania's Mommy (Feb 8, 2009)

Rye - you should take that turkey out now!! They take forever to thaw! :biggrin:

I usually use shears to cut poultry. I find it's the easiest way for me. I have lost a soldier before too. :frown: From now on, I won't buy any plastic handled shears. Only the solid metal ones that come apart for washing. I figured I'd invest in some good ones now that I use them all the time!


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## k9capture_16 (Aug 23, 2010)

Yeah I had these since before starting raw. So next pair will be metal handles lol. Mine thawed overnight.


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## Mia (Oct 4, 2010)

LOL ok!! On my way to the freeeeezer!!:wink:


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## Ania's Mommy (Feb 8, 2009)

k9capture_16 said:


> Mine thawed overnight.


Seriously?!?! How big was yours? Mine was about 19-20 lbs and it took almost two days! We must have colder freezers in the States. LOL!


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## Mia (Oct 4, 2010)

LMAO colder freezer in the States!!!

You mean you may have a stronger freezer in general. Man I would hate to see what Canada has... warmer freezers? LOL (You made me chuckle!)


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## k9capture_16 (Aug 23, 2010)

LOL, I thawed two this weekend. The first one was 14lbs and it was left onthe counter overnight and it was thawed the next day so was the 12 pound one. Left it in the sink overnight and it was 99% thawed when I went to work with it today.


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## Mia (Oct 4, 2010)

Was it hard getting it all apart??? I have those same sisscors. Maybe I should go out and buy the metals ones. Not sure where to get them from thou.


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## k9capture_16 (Aug 23, 2010)

It can be hard yet. I think I am going to invest in a small hand axe that will be only for raw. So all I have to do is go outside on the concrete..take the axe to it releasing all my anger from the week...and voila. The scissors I normally use for chickens but didnt have anything else available. Word of advice? Cut at the joints.


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## Mia (Oct 4, 2010)

Ok, well I am going out tomorrow so I may either pick up the metal scissors or an axe or both LOL.


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## sassymaxmom (Dec 7, 2008)

I was still in the 9.95-10.05 ounces per meal with .95-1.05 ounces of bone phase when the first turkey came around. I ended up getting out the garden pruners and would have washed off the loppers if needed. If I had just dissected at the joints it would have taken longer but used less strength. I have a deadly looking 70+ year old fillet knife that can get into very small spots to cut tendons off joints so they can be popped free. I had less trouble cutting chops from rib roasts and cutting up pork necks than cutting that turkey up. I am sort of glad they never go on sale around here except at holiday time.


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## bully4life (Aug 9, 2010)

After years of cutting with scissors .. i found out that a really nice THIN boning knife will get into the tendons and ligaments of those joints. I have a 5 inch knife that has gone through maybe 30-40 turkeys in the last 3-4 years, maybe a good 10 a year. Its my "got to " knife for boning and filleting . Its a Henckels, and set me back about 8-9 bucks. Ive got 4 pairs of oxo good grips that are still in the plastic. I stocked up, but only used 1 pair before i went to the knife. After all, when butchers are processing meat, you rarely ever see scissors. Just a thought. btw, a good cleaver doesnt hurt either


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## Mia (Oct 4, 2010)

Where would I buy it?


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## bully4life (Aug 9, 2010)

the boning knife? almost and bed bath beyond , or Kohls, or even walmart.. buy a good one though , youre gonna get some life out of it. And in my opinion, ive gone through about 130 pounds of chicken, a month, for the last 8 years so whats that,,,12,000 pounds of chicken, i had used a new pair over scissors every 6 months. so i went to the knife and i havent looked back. I really only use the scissors for frozen liver pieces. this is just what works for me. but a 15 dollar knife is cheaper than a 20-25 dollar pair of scissors every 6 month. good luck


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## k9capture_16 (Aug 23, 2010)

Hmm I am liking the garden shears idea...


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## Mia (Oct 4, 2010)

LOL...
I think I have a pair of those


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## jdatwood (Apr 13, 2009)

k9capture_16 said:


> This is the breast meat, I am going to boil it up later to cook it, then dehydrate it for treats


NOOOOooooooooooooooooooo......

Don't cook it before you dehydrate it... Just dehydrate it


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## k9capture_16 (Aug 23, 2010)

Oops, to late. Oh well. I know for next time. Wouldnt dehydrating it cook it tho since it uses heat to dehydrate?


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

scissors never worked for me, unless i was cutting the meat itself, like for tenders or strips...

cleavers and a carving knife are what i use..although i think a filet knife or boning knife is going to be my next purchase....

those pictures are awesome...


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## Mia (Oct 4, 2010)

I axed my turkey LOL. It was fun (that is a scary thought to say that LOL)


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## k9capture_16 (Aug 23, 2010)

I am shocked to say I am impressed and amazed I am not missing any fingers. I may go out and buy a turkey for the purpose of hacking it with an axe LOL.


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## Mia (Oct 4, 2010)

k9capture_16 said:


> I am shocked to say I am impressed and amazed I am not missing any fingers. I may go out and buy a turkey for the purpose of hacking it with an axe LOL.


Don't get too funky with it!!


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## luvMyBRT (Mar 8, 2010)

Great pics. Looks like messy fun. :tongue:

I use a cleaver and a rubber mallet. Works great for me when needing to get through something tough....


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## Mia (Oct 4, 2010)

Cleaver? Is that a hook? They were pretty big at the hardware store.

Where do you hang it?


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## luvMyBRT (Mar 8, 2010)

Rye&Ted said:


> Cleaver? Is that a hook? They were pretty big at the hardware store.
> 
> Where do you hang it?


This is a meat cleaver:








It actually fits in my knife block on the kitchen counter. 

And, I have a small rubber mallet that is kept in the kitchen. I just gently wack the back of the cleaver through the bone/meat....


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## Mia (Oct 4, 2010)

Duh? How silly am I?

Ok now I know. Thanks for educating me! LOL


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## luvMyBRT (Mar 8, 2010)

Rye&Ted said:


> Duh? How silly am I?
> 
> Ok now I know. Thanks for educating me! LOL



I always say "Ya learn something new everyday!!" :biggrin::biggrin:


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## Mia (Oct 4, 2010)

How much was yours?
I wanna get a good one. What brand is it?


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

saraj2878 said:


> This is a meat cleaver:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


rubber mallet. d'oh...i have arthritis in my fingers....mallet would be perfect with my cleaver.

that looks like a henckels...is it? do you like it? not loving mine...don't even remember the brand...

i see that jon and natalie use shun...i wish i could use them. they're a great knife but the handle is too round for me


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## luvMyBRT (Mar 8, 2010)

No, I don't have the cleaver in the picture, wish I did though! I have one made by Farberware that I got at Walmart. Yeah. It sucks. lol

No, in all honesty, it really isn't that bad. It works good for the price I paid for it. And, it works REALLY good when you wack it with a rubber mallet!! :biggrin:

The whole rubber mallet idea came from Robin (whiteleo)...so she's the one to thank! She told me about it, I tried it, and was so excited when it worked so much better then what I had been doing.

That's what we are telling people we want for Christmas. Money so that the hubby and I can buy a whole new and complete knife set. Now that we are feeding raw, a nice set is imperative.


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