[Waterfowl Freak]

Any good websties on how to butcher turtles? I herd turtle soup is good and I want to catch a snapper and find out.

 

[Buck Fitty]

Here is a site I found a year or so ago...hope it helps.
http://www.gutpilestyle.com/ForumSMF/index.php?topic=1967.msg11500#msg11500

 

[diger1733]

not hard tob do.I learned over the weekend how to do it.Big key is real sharp knives

 

[mgp629]

That is EXACTLY how it is done. One thing to add though, after you remove the head cut the tip of the tail off to expose the vertabre then run a coat hanger through the spinal canal ... no mor flopping around or clawing.

 

[Waterfowl Freak]

Here is a site I found a year or so ago...hope it helps.
http://www.gutpilestyle.com/ForumSMF/index.php?topic=1967.msg11500#msg11500

Thanks.

 

[SQUIRREL PELT]

Good link

 

[Dayton_Boy13]

if you ever need help i believe i still have step by step pics. of when i used to do it. jsut make sure you dont cut the green glad.

 

[Woodywoodduck]

if you ever need help i believe i still have step by step pics. of when i used to do it. jsut make sure you dont cut the green glad.

are you meaning the Gaull Bladder??

That is the only Green gland I ever remember seeing in a Turtle, maybe it isn't a gaull bladder but it does set behind the liver....how in the world would anyone get close to that when cleaning a Turtle??

 

[Dayton_Boy13]

wwd, i'm not sure exactly what it is. all i know is if you hit it it will turn the meat green and ruin it. so i was told by an oldtimer/mentor. i know it is pretty far back in the turtle. and i hit it once cleaning a turtle i use a fillet knife and got a little carried away (you know how youngsters can be sometimes). after the ear beating i got for that one, i never hit that same spot again. but in anyu case i allways did it a llittle different than the link posted. i started by removing the head, then cuttig the skin all the way around the shell, then dislocated the bones ( neck and tail) with a pair of side cutters and then removed the whole turtle from shell, being left with guts, legs, tail all attached to each other. then sperated each.

 

[rebel]

my dad and i always cut the head of and drop the turtle in boiling water ...made it so much easier to clean..we took the breast plate out first then cut an skin from there..

 

[Woodywoodduck]

my dad and i always cut the head of and drop the turtle in boiling water ...made it so much easier to clean..we took the breast plate out first then cut an skin from there..

Thats how we did it and I still do it....

Scalding them kills leachs that are on them plus makes it easier to get the thick skin, Skinned off them.....

Just use a regular lock blade knife and cut around the underside shell......all 1 has to do is not go deep and just follow the outline of under side shell....


I had a guy try to tell me that he and his Dad tried to clean a snapping turtle 1 day and Broke 5 knives... the last being a HEAVY DUTY "Hog Sticker" that was 10 inchs long and the blade was VERY THICK....He tried to tell me that there is no way short of a sledge hammer to get at the meat in a snapping turtle!

I tried to explain to him that a regular old Utility Razor blade would work....All 1 has to do is follow the Natural Joints on the underside Shell were it meets the top shell, but he could not understand the "Natural Joints" that are in a Turtles shell between the top part and under side part!

 

[rebel]

woody you got it right..