How to Clean a Turkey the Easy Way- LiveOutdoors.com

Is it your first time hunting wild turkeys? Well, you’ve had some luck, and now it’s time to learn how to clean a turkey. Don’t be intimidated by the size of the bird; there really is no right or wrong way when talking about how to clean a turkey, but there is an easier way to do it.

Best Ways to Clean a Turkey

Actually, there are two ways to clean a turkey. Probably the easiest way to do it is with boiling water. Start a fire outside, and place a pot on it large enough to hold the whole turkey. Keep in mind, some of the water may splash out once you put that turkey in, so make sure not to overfill the pot. Wait for the water to hit its boiling point and then dip the turkey in. Hot water will scald the feathers and allow them to be plucked with ease from the skin. Related: How to Make Turkey Sounds Like a Real Turkey Then it’s on you to simply pluck the feathers, cut off the bird’s head and legs at the joints, clean out the intestinal cavity and you’ll have the whole turkey ready for cooking.

Skinning a Turkey

The second way is by “skinning it off”. No plucking and no water. We’ve found a great video from Will Brantley of Realtree.com giving step-by-step instructions on how to clean a turkey by skinning it off. Check it out below:

Video: How to Skin a Turkey

Remember, in both cases, you want to clean that turkey as fast as you can. The rest is up to you. There are many different ways to prepare and cook a turkey and many different recipes. For all the turkey hunters out there, be sure to share your favorite ways to clean a turkey in the comment section below. Photo credit: © Bruce Macqueen | Dreamstime.com – Wild Turkey