For many home cooks, plucking a fresh turkey can seem like a daunting task. It’s time consuming, messy work that requires some skill to do properly. A common question that comes up is “how long does it take to pluck a turkey?” The answer depends on several factors. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about the duration of turkey plucking.
Overview of Turkey Plucking
Plucking a turkey involves removing all the feathers from the bird’s skin It’s an essential step in preparing a whole turkey for roasting. The goal is to completely strip the skin of every feather while avoiding tears or damage to the skin.
There are two main methods of plucking
- Dry Plucking – Manually pulling out feathers without water
- Wet Plucking – Briefly scalding the bird to loosen feathers
Both techniques require diligence and care to fully pluck the turkey while keeping the skin intact. When done right, the end result is a smoothly featherless turkey ready for your favorite roast turkey recipes.
Key Factors That Impact Plucking Time
Several key factors determine how long it will take to pluck a turkey:
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Bird Size – Larger birds naturally take longer. A standard 12-15 lb turkey may take 30-60 minutes for an experienced plucker. Smaller turkeys under 10 lbs can be plucked in under 30 minutes.
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Plucking Method – Wet plucking is faster than dry plucking. The hot water bath helps quickly loosen feathers. Dry plucking requires manually removing each feather individually.
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Skill Level – Novices will need more time to carefully pluck their first few turkeys. With practice and technique improvement, experienced pluckers can remove feathers much more quickly.
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Quality of Equipment – Having sturdy gloves, a reliable heating source, and the right prep tools can optimize efficiency. Dull knives or inconsistent hot water will slow down the process.
Plucking Duration Estimates
Here are rough time estimates for plucking based on turkey size and plucking method:
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Standard Turkeys (12-15 lbs)
- Dry Plucking: 45-60 minutes
- Wet Plucking: 30-45 minutes
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Small Turkeys (8-12 lbs)
- Dry Plucking: 30-45 minutes
- Wet Plucking: 20-30 minutes
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Large Turkeys (15-20+ lbs)
- Dry Plucking: 60-75+ minutes
- Wet Plucking: 45-60+ minutes
Technique Tips to Pluck Faster
With practice, you can reduce plucking time. Helpful tips include:
- Maintain consistent hot water temperature (145-150°F for wet plucking)
- Work from tail to neck and with the feather direction
- Pull out a few feathers together in short bursts
- Take breaks to avoid hand fatigue
- Use a dull knife to scrape stubborn feathers
Trying these techniques will help maximize your plucking efficiency.
Should You Skin Instead of Pluck?
For very large birds, skinning may be faster than plucking. Skinning avoids the feather removal process but produces a less attractive roasted turkey.
Many home cooks still prefer plucking for whole turkeys since the skin helps retain moisture and adds flavor. But skinning is an acceptable shortcut if time is limited or you have an especially huge turkey.
Enlist Help to Speed Up Plucking
Plucking solo will always take longer than having help. If possible, enlist 1-2 family members or friends to team up on the task.
With 2 people plucking, you can divide the turkey into sections and quickly cover all areas. This can shave off significant time from your plucking timeline.
Plan Ahead to Allow Plenty of Time
When estimating your turkey prep schedule, be sure to budget ample time even if you are an experienced plucker. Rushing will only lead to mistakes.
Allow at least 45-60 minutes for a standard 12-15 lb turkey, and even longer for very large birds. Giving yourself a time buffer ensures you can pluck carefully without feeling rushed.
Plucking a turkey is time intensive but worth the effort for full-flavored roasted birds. With the right tools, techniques, and patience, you can master efficient feather removal. Plan ahead, enlist help when possible, and don’t be afraid to adjust your timeline if needed. Allowing plenty of time for plucking is key to successfully preparing your holiday turkey.
How We Pluck a Wild Turkey
Most of the turkeys we kill each spring get skinned. Skinning is faster, gets the meat cooled down quickly, and works for the vast majority of the recipes we use. But once or twice a season, when time permits, I like to pluck a whole bird for smoking or roasting.
Like just about everything in the outdoors, there are several opinions on how to best pluck a turkey. I have tried most of them, and they all ended with a cleaned bird. This method is similar to one we use when we process our meat chickens. It uses a quick dip in hot water to help loosen the feathers before plucking. An outdoor gas burner and large pot are just the ticket for the chore. And, especially if you are married, I suggest this be an outdoor job.
Most of the time, I wait on field dressing the bird till after the plucking is finished so that feathers dont work their way into the body cavity. However, if the weather is warm and it will be an hour or two before you have time to process the bird, go ahead and field dress it by making a small slit in the skin near the vent and reaching up into the cavity to remove the entrails. Lots of folks like to save the heart, liver and gizzard for giblet gravy. Now is the time to place them into a ziplock bag and stick them on ice. Once the body cavity is empty, fill a gallon ziplock bag about half full of ice and slide it into the turkey to help cool the bird from the inside out.
Start the plucking process by filling a large pot with enough water to allow complete submersion of the bird. Temperature is key here. If the water is too cool, all you are doing is getting the bird wet. Too hot, and you will cook the skin, making it tear easily, and you will set the feathers tightly into the skin, making plucking almost impossible. The optimum temperature seems to be around 145 to 150 degrees. A thermometer, either digital or dial, is a good idea. Adding a few drops of dishwashing liquid to the water helps it to penetrate the feathers and makes plucking a bit easier.
While your water heats, go ahead and remove the head and neck an inch or two above where the neck meets the body. I like to take the wings off at the first joint, leaving only the drumstick shaped portion attached to the bird.
Turkey wings are hard to pluck, there just isnt enough meat on the second wing section to be worth the time it takes to pluck it all the way out. I leave the feet on for now, they make a handy handle to dip and hang the bird by.
If you want to save the tail fan from your bird, go ahead and remove it before dipping. Just run your hand along the base of the fan and feel for the clump of fat and cartilage that holds the feathers together. Slide your knife under the clump and remove the tail fan.
When your water reaches the correct temperature, dip the bird for around 30 seconds. Much longer and you run the risk of cooking the bird. Lift the bird from the water and pull out a feather or two. If they come out easily, the bird is ready to pluck. If they still take a bit of a tug to get them loose, dip again for a few more seconds.
I like to hang the bird by the legs about head high. This position allows easy access to the entire turkey and lets you rotate the bird to easily reach all of the body. Start at the back and pull the feathers out. Grab just a few at a time, attempting too many will tear the skin. Pull with a snapping motion against the grain of the feather, having the bird hanging by the feet makes it easier to pull the feathers down to remove them.
Continue over the entire carcass until it is clean. Any of the small hair-like feathers that remain can be removed by burning them off with a quick pass of a lighter.
How to Pluck and Clean a Turkey with Steven Rinella – MeatEater
FAQ
What is the fastest way to pluck a turkey?
Wax plucking – a favorite with waterfowlers
Wax plucking is easy and fast, but requires more attention to detail and lots of wax. If you’re already a waterfowler and regularly wax pluck your ducks and geese, this method will work for turkeys as well.
How long does it take to pull out a turkey?
- 4 to 12 pounds = 1 to 3 days; so, you can wait until Monday or Tuesday.
- 12 to 16 pounds = 3 to 4 days; so, get that bird out on Sunday or Monday.
- 16 to 20 pounds = 4 to 5 days; Sunday is a good day to start thawing.
- 20 to 24 pounds = 5 to 6 days; Saturday is probably your day.
How long does it take to pluck a bird?
The Time Investment
This is the biggest excuse: “I don’t have time.” Maybe you don’t, though some would argue it’s not about having time, but rather making time. Once you get decent at plucking, each bird might take you 20 minutes at most.
How do you pluck a Turkey?
To pluck the turkey, remove feathers from the turkey the same way you would pluck a chicken. This method does take more time than skinning and it is messy. Skinning the turkey is faster and cleaner, but you need to wrap the bird in foil or place in a baking bag to cook whole. How hot does the water have to be to pluck a turkey?
Should you dry pluck a Turkey?
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 do you pluck a dead Turkey?
To pluck your turkey, you need to loosen the muscles that hold the feathers in place. You do this by scalding the deceased bird in hot water. Soak the bird in the hot water bath until the wing feathers pluck with marginal effort. I use a water tank set on a robust bayou burner to achieve 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
How do you pluck a Turkey with a wing removed?
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.
How do you pluck a Turkey with feathers removed?
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.
How do you pluck a bird?
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.