Gutting a store-bought turkey is an essential step to prepare it for roasting. While frozen turkeys from the grocery store arrive pre-cleaned, you still need to remove the innards before cooking. Properly gutting a turkey ensures it will cook evenly and helps remove bacteria that can cause foodborne illness.
With some simple tools and these step-by-step instructions, you can learn how to safely and effectively gut a store-bought turkey.
What You Need
- Turkey – Purchase a frozen turkey from the grocery store. Allow it to thaw completely in the refrigerator before gutting.
- Cutting board – Choose a large cutting board that will fit the turkey. Wood or plastic both work well.
- Sharp knife – A boning knife works best. Make sure it’s sharp to easily cut through the turkey skin.
- Heavy duty gloves – Wear gloves to protect your hands during the process. Consider latex-free gloves to avoid possible latex allergies.
- Metal spoon or tongs – Useful for scooping out the innards.
- Large bowl – To collect the guts as you remove them.
- Paper towels – For cleanup and drying the turkey.
- Trash bags – To dispose of the waste. Double bag for minimal leakage.
Preparing Your Workspace
Before handling the raw turkey sanitize your workspace and tools to prevent bacteria spread.
- Clear your countertop or table where you’ll be working. Cover with butcher paper for easy cleanup.
- Wash hands thoroughly with warm, soapy water.
- Wash cutting board, utensils, sink, and countertops with hot, soapy water. Rinse and sanitize with a diluted bleach solution.
- Place a large bowl or trash bag nearby to collect the guts.
Step-By-Step Guide
Follow these steps for safely removing the guts from your store-bought turkey:
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Remove turkey from packaging. Unwrap the thawed turkey and place breast side up on the cutting board. Remove and discard the neck and giblets package, if included.
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Cut an opening. With a sharp knife, cut a 5-6 inch incision into the belly of the turkey, from the cavity opening to breastbone. Be careful not to cut too deeply.
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Reach inside the cavity Reach into the breast cavity and remove any organs still attached, using your hands or metal spoon/tongs. Remove the heart, liver, lungs, kidneys and pull out the trachea
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Scoop out innards. Carefully scoop out any remaining material from the main cavity and neck area. Make sure to remove all lung tissue attached to the backbone.
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Detach the crop. Locate the crop (a thin, transparent sac) near the neck and detach it if still attached. Discard any contents inside.
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Rinse thoroughly. Place the turkey under cold running water in the sink. Rinse the inside well to remove all blood and waste material. Pat dry with paper towels.
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Chill immediately. Place the gutted turkey in a sealable bag or roasting pan. Refrigerate until ready to cook, within 1-2 days. Freeze for longer storage.
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Discard waste. Place all guts, organs and waste material in the trash. Double bag to contain leaks and odors.
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Clean up. Wash hands, utensils, cutting board and countertops again with hot, soapy water after handling the raw turkey.
Storing the Giblets
The giblets (neck, heart, gizzard and liver) can be saved for making gravy or stock. Rinse them well. Store in freezer bags up to 4 months. Refrigerate 1-2 days if using soon.
Always cook giblets thoroughly to 165°F internal temperature before eating to destroy bacteria.
Turkey Safety Tips
- Handle raw turkey carefully to avoid cross-contamination. Keep it separated from other foods.
- Wash hands, utensils and surfaces with soap after contact with raw turkey.
- Cook turkey to an internal temperature of 165°F, measured at the thickest part.
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours. Reheat to 165°F before eating.
Gutting a raw turkey may seem intimidating, but following safe handling practices keeps it a quick and easy process. With the innards removed, your turkey will roast up deliciously golden brown.
How to skin a turkey
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.
Getting your turkey back home or to camp
If you’re carrying your turkey to your car or camp, don’t drop or throw it. This can damage the meat and make it less tasty. If you’re not going home right away but will keep hunting with a friend, hang your gutted and marked animal by its neck in a cool, shady place.
Have a cooler and ice in your car to keep the turkey cool on the drive home. It takes a big cooler to hold a tom turkey, so plan ahead. Put a bag of ice inside the body cavity to help cool it down. Don’t pack loose ice in or around the bird. The melting ice will get wet the bird you’re trying to keep dry.
How to Gut a Turkey 101 with MeatEater’s Janis Putelis
FAQ
Do store bought turkeys have guts?
How do you remove the guts from a turkey?
How do you gut a Turkey before cooking?
Start this process with plenty of time before needing to roast or cook your turkey. Gutting is a time-consuming process until you master it, so give yourself enough time to gut the turkey and have it cooked in time for serving it. Take great care not to puncture any of the digestive organs while gutting the turkey.
What should I do After gutting a Turkey?
Wash your hands, workspace, and tools after gutting the turkey. You must again use antibacterial cleaning agents or hot, soapy water to clean all of your workspace and tools, such as the knives and bowls. Wash your hands with warm, soapy water again to rid them of any bacteria. Save the innards that can be cooked, which are known as the giblets.
Do you need to gut a Turkey?
When you buy a turkey from a farmer or grocery store, you will likely have to gut it, which means cleaning out its inner organs, or innards. While hunters often do this themselves, the average cook who buys a turkey from the store still needs to know how to gut it in order to prepare it for a meal.
How do you store a Turkey before cooking?
Seal your turkey in a turkey roasting bag or a shrink wrap bag in order to store it. Only keep it in the refrigerator for a day or two before cooking; if it will be weeks or months before you plan to cook it, it should be stored in the freezer until you are ready. Wash your hands, workspace, and tools after gutting the turkey.
How do you store turkey ribs After gutting?
Save the innards that can be cooked, which are known as the giblets. When you gutted the turkey, you set aside its innards in different bowls based on whether they could be cooked later or needed to be disposed of. Neck, if you have it on your turkey, can also be cooked and served. Store the giblets in the refrigerator or in the freezer.
Does a store-bought Turkey have a crop?
A store-bought turkey likely no longer has its crop, but it would be worthwhile to verify. Cut a slit in the turkey where the neck meets the chest and carefully pull it apart. Inside, you should see the crop. Clean it out completely. Move the turkey to the sink to be thoroughly rinsed.