The simplest way to save yourself a ton of money on your grocery bill is to buy in bulk when possible. That includes meat purchases. What will save you even more money on your grocery bill is doing some of the work yourself.
(O.K. I know. I know. We’re not technically butchering a turkey. We’re parting a turkey, or parting out a turkey, or breaking down a turkey. It depends on who you talk to. But a lot of people have asked me how to “butcher a turkey”, so that’s what I’m calling it, okay?)
Slaughtering a turkey yourself can seem like a daunting task but with some preparation and the right tools it’s very doable for even beginner homesteaders. As someone who has raised and slaughtered my own turkeys for years, I want to share my step-by-step guide to help you through the process.
Why Raise and Slaughter Your Own Turkeys?
There are several benefits to raising and slaughtering your own turkeys:
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Cost savings – Store-bought turkeys can be expensive, especially around the holidays Raising them yourself is much cheaper.
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Quality – You control what your birds eat, so you know the meat will be high quality. No antibiotics or hormones.
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Humane treatment – You can ensure your birds live a good life with access to fresh air and space to roam.
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Sustainability – It reduces your environmental impact rather than relying on factory farmed birds.
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Self-sufficiency – There’s a sense of satisfaction that comes from providing your own food.
Pick the Right Turkey Breed
Popular turkey breeds like Broad-Breasted Whites grow very fast and large for meat production. However, I prefer heritage breeds that are naturally better suited to foraging and moving around. Some good options are Bourbon Reds, Narragansetts, and Standard Bronze.
Proper Feeding and Housing
Turkeys need adequate space to roam and forage, and a coop to provide shelter at night. They’ll also need a balanced diet with enough protein for proper growth. Supply them with a starter feed when young and then switch to a grower feed. Always provide fresh water.
Butchering Supplies
Here are the key supplies you’ll need:
- Sharp knife and poultry shears
- Large killing cone or funnel
- Plucker (optional)
- Propane turkey fryer or large pot
- Thermometer
- Tables for processing
- Trash cans for feathers and compost
- Water hose
- Ice chest
- Freezer bags or wrap
Step-by-Step Slaughtering Process
Follow these steps for a humane slaughter:
1. Dispatching
The most humane approach is using a killing cone to hang the bird upside down. This calms them. Quickly make a cut across the neck to sever the arteries and allow bleeding out.
2. Scalding
Heat water to 145-155°F. Submerge the bird for 2-3 minutes to loosen the feathers for plucking.
3. Plucking
For hand plucking, wear gloves and slowly pull out feathers. Going against the grain helps. Using a plucker speeds this up tremendously.
4. Cleaning
Remove head and feet. Carefully remove innards. Rinse out cavity. Chill in ice water.
5. Packaging
Allow the carcass to chill completely before packaging in freezer bags or wrap. Store in freezer.
Tips for Beginners
Here are some helpful tips if this is your first time slaughtering turkeys:
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Start with just 2-3 birds your first time.
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Have an experienced person guide you through the steps.
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Allow extra time in case you need to take breaks. It’s tiring work!
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Keep your work area and tools sanitized to prevent bacteria growth.
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Place birds in ice water soon after plucking to quickly chill meat.
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Use sharp knives and replace as needed. Dull knives make the work harder.
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Dispose of waste properly by composting or burying to deter predators.
Is Slaughtering Turkeys Right for You?
Slaughtering your own turkeys is very rewarding but also involves getting your hands dirty, literally. Make sure you are committed before venturing into home turkey processing. But with the right mindset and preparations, anyone can learn!
Parting the legs and thighs:
Now if this was a chicken, I’d probably stop here, because we love leg quarters. (Seriously. I’ve got several recipes for them already, and more are coming.) But a turkey leg quarter is more than enough meat for two meals in my house, and I’m sure a lot of you want to get to those legs on their own.
Place the leg quarter skin side down. Remember when we looked for the white line running along the ribs? We’re going to do the same thing here.
Find the line running between the leg and the thigh.
One firm cut should separate the two parts.
(Yes, it’s really that easy.)
At this point our foray into how to butcher a turkey (Or part a turkey, or break down a turkey…) has given us the usual suspects. Two breasts, two thighs, two drumsticks, and two wings.
But why stop here? Let’s look at those wings.
There’s not much going for them, but they’re too big to just toss in a turkey stock.
The tips aren’t very good for eating, so those go with the rest of the carcass.
Then just cut between the joint to separate the halves of he wing.
Time to butcher a turkey breast
What we’re left with now is a gorgeous full turkey breast that’s still attached to the ribs and backbone.
There are three ways we can address this, depending on what your intended application is.
- Simply remove the backbone and leave the breast whole and attached to the rib meat. (This is the way you’ll usually find whole turkey breasts sold in the grocery store.)
- Remove the backbone and cut the breast in half, leaving the rib meat attached. (Great for grilling or roasting.)
- Just cut the breast meat away from the carcass and call it good. (Good for further processing, and a lot quicker.)
Since I’m not sure which cut you prefer, we’re going to walk through the steps you’ll need for any of these three cuts.
Removing the backbone from a turkey isn’t hard.
Look along the side of the breast and you’ll see a nice, straight white line of fat and connective tissue. That’s where you cut.
Just break out those kitchen shears and follow along the line until you get to the wing joint.
Repeat on the other side.
Carefully pry the breast up to pop the front loose. (Careful, those bones are sharp!)
Then cut through the wing joints, and the backbone should fall away.
Toss that over with the giblets and the tail.
If you want a whole breast to roast, you’re done. If you want two half-breasts on the bone, just flip the breast over and cut in half from the back side. If you want boneless turkey breasts, then follow along.
Find the keel bone (The bone running down the middle of the breast.) lay your knife against it and gently cut along the bone from the front to the back.
Let the ribs guide the knife and you’ll end up with a perfect half breast.
Repeat for the other side.
Just go slowly and let the bones show you where to cut.
Two boneless turkey breast halves. Ready to go.
Butchering Turkeys For the First Time ||How to Process a Turkey & Supplies Needed||
FAQ
At what age do you slaughter a turkey?
They are slaughtered when they are between 9 and 24 weeks of age, and may weigh upwards of 20kg.
How long do you let a turkey rest after butchering?
After evisceration, rinse the carcass inside and out and let the processed turkey rest for 24 hours in a large cooler filled with ice water. If you plan to freeze your turkey, make sure you have a turkey-sized freezer bag to package it into.