Oh my! Oh my! Oh my!!!

[peteyfoozer]

We finally got around to processing Thomas the turkey. I knew he was pretty big, but had no idea HOW big! Carcass weight is FORTY SIX POUNDS! By my calculations that means at 20 min a lb, he would have to be in the oven for over 15 hours!!! ... if he fit, that is...I need to come up with a plan. Breasting him to roast for sandwiches and canning the rest of him? What would you guys do?

 

[lesa]

Wow! You better invite everybody you know for Thanksgiving! Have you ever canned meat? I was hoping to try some of the chickens that way- but I just didn't have time to figure it out. It was quicker just to put them in the freezer. You definitely had good luck raising turkeys! Enjoy!

 

[peteyfoozer]

Yes, fortunately I can quite a lot of meat as freezer space here is at a premium and I am always worried about an electrical failure with 3 freezers full of meat!
I just canned a 16 lb turkey last week, but I didn't have any idea they could even GET this big..and he was only 6 months old!!

 

[Smart Red]

Can't help you with this turkey, but if you suspect it will run on the bigger side, you can ask the processor to cut the turkey in two before freezing. Once it is frozen it limits your choices a bit, but you could defrost it -- have you considered how long that will take! -- and cut off the legs, wings, tail, etc. to cook separately. Wings, neck, and tail make great soup stock. Once your bird is cooked you can do what you want with parcelling out the rest.

 

[peteyfoozer]

Big REd, we already processed him, we always do our own. HE is 46 lb AFTER processing! You are right, I hadn't thought about how long it would take to unthaw him, if he fit in our freezer. Thinking we will wind up for sure breasting him and canning the rest for casseroles and turkey pot pie. His legs are so huge its unbelievable. One foot should make a ton of nice stock! I'm thinking it is a pretty safe bet we won't miss a few meaty chickens if I send them back to California with the kids when they leave this week, there's gonna be plenty of meat from this guy to fill the void. LOL! I try not to freeze anything I don't have to, since we have already 3 freezers full of meat and stuff and I am always afraid of either the electricity going out or another freezer failure. I had planned to can beef, stews and soups this month but it looks like turkey will have to be top of the list...Links to fave recipes would be gladly accepted!

 

[canesisters]

I know almost nothing about canning meat - but I would think that the most flexable thing would be to can small amounts of plain meat in a few different forms - strips, cubed, ground - and then then thaw, season & use as needed.
That is ONE HUGE Turkey! I have a friend who raised one that came out like that. They ate turkey for months! Good luck and post pictures.

 

[journey11]

Wow! That's amazing.

Whatever you do, don't attempt making your own ground turkey. Don't ask me how I know this!

Depends of course, on what recipes you'll want to use it in. I figure even pieced out, the legs and wings will be too big to fit in a jar, so raw packed is out. You'd have to take the meat off of the bone, which is easier (and less messy) if it's been cooked first. Then you'll have the bones and other parts of the carcass to make stock with. You could probably bone it out and split the breasts for two separate meals. Those I'd definitely roast since they're premium cuts.

 

[catjac1975]

Cut it at least in half before you freeze it. We had to buy a special pan to roast a 32 lb. turkey and it barely fit in our quite large oven.

 

[Carol Dee]

Tom led a good life on the ranch. He will feed you all for many meals. I think canning meat and broth and roasting the breast sounds like a good plan.

 

[897tgigvib]

That's one big bird! 46 pounds!