Post by sam on Dec 27, 2008 18:18:01 GMT -5
Cleaning The Turtle!!
by John McBride
First of all be CAREFUL of the head, EVEN AFTER YOU CUT IT OFF!
That said, I'll continue.
Tease the turtle with a stick till he bites it, and then wedge the jaw of a pair of pliers
into the mouth and get a good grip on the bottom jaw!
(Sounds scary doesn't it!)
I use a good sturdy stick and get it to bite, and pull the neck out far enough to step on
the neck behind the head.
Then it will open it's mouth to bite again, and now that it's head is controlled, you grab
the bottom jaw with pliers.
Put your other foot on the turtle's back.
Pull the head away from the shell as far as you can, and cut off the head with a hatchet.
(Hand to eye coordination is a must!)
Put severed head into an empty coffee can or some such container, and place into a bag, and
then put it into the garbage!
Or bury it deep, because the muscles of the mouth still are working and will open after
death, and will then snap closed on anything placed into the mouth!
Place against tree tail up, and let the blood drain for about a half of an hour.
(Some nail the tail to a tree about three feet up, so blood drains into a bucket.)
You can do the next step with a sharp STURDY bladed knife, or a pair of tin-snips.
Push the breastplate in and out to find the hinge line.
Cut along this line on both sides.
Pull up on the edge of the breastplate, and trim the skin away all the way around.
Lift the plate off.
Split the skin from the center out to each wrist.
Using tin-snips, (or even side cutters) cut off feet.
Ready to do the NASTY?
Take a deep breath!
Now grab, and pull while trimming the tendons holding the entrail sack away from meat, and
place into a plastic bag, and then shuffle it off to the garbage.
Inhale now!
Turtle fat contains all the particles of what everyone says not to eat,...murcury, etc.
whatever it's body absorbs.
It is bright yellow colored, trim away from meat, and toss!
Slice the legs, and the neck loose from inside the top shell, (and any other meat) cut apart
at all joints, and place everything into salt water.
Meat will be red, pink, and white colored.
Inside the top shell you will see two back straps.
To get these out, trim one side of each of the bones and pull up, (Like opening a little
door.) and the meat will pull out one end.
Some turtle fishermen hang the shells on the shed wall as trophies, but I discard everything
but the meat.
Soak meat in heavily salted water overnight in the fridge, then rinse in cold water to get
rid of any blood/mud taste.
Parboil in water with sage, and garlic till tender.
Then roll in a mix of flour, cornmeal, salt, and pepper.
Fry in oil, or butter.
Grandma used to say; " If you hold a plate of it above your head, your tongue will knock
your brains out, trying to get to the meat!"
by John McBride
First of all be CAREFUL of the head, EVEN AFTER YOU CUT IT OFF!
That said, I'll continue.
Tease the turtle with a stick till he bites it, and then wedge the jaw of a pair of pliers
into the mouth and get a good grip on the bottom jaw!
(Sounds scary doesn't it!)
I use a good sturdy stick and get it to bite, and pull the neck out far enough to step on
the neck behind the head.
Then it will open it's mouth to bite again, and now that it's head is controlled, you grab
the bottom jaw with pliers.
Put your other foot on the turtle's back.
Pull the head away from the shell as far as you can, and cut off the head with a hatchet.
(Hand to eye coordination is a must!)
Put severed head into an empty coffee can or some such container, and place into a bag, and
then put it into the garbage!
Or bury it deep, because the muscles of the mouth still are working and will open after
death, and will then snap closed on anything placed into the mouth!
Place against tree tail up, and let the blood drain for about a half of an hour.
(Some nail the tail to a tree about three feet up, so blood drains into a bucket.)
You can do the next step with a sharp STURDY bladed knife, or a pair of tin-snips.
Push the breastplate in and out to find the hinge line.
Cut along this line on both sides.
Pull up on the edge of the breastplate, and trim the skin away all the way around.
Lift the plate off.
Split the skin from the center out to each wrist.
Using tin-snips, (or even side cutters) cut off feet.
Ready to do the NASTY?
Take a deep breath!
Now grab, and pull while trimming the tendons holding the entrail sack away from meat, and
place into a plastic bag, and then shuffle it off to the garbage.
Inhale now!
Turtle fat contains all the particles of what everyone says not to eat,...murcury, etc.
whatever it's body absorbs.
It is bright yellow colored, trim away from meat, and toss!
Slice the legs, and the neck loose from inside the top shell, (and any other meat) cut apart
at all joints, and place everything into salt water.
Meat will be red, pink, and white colored.
Inside the top shell you will see two back straps.
To get these out, trim one side of each of the bones and pull up, (Like opening a little
door.) and the meat will pull out one end.
Some turtle fishermen hang the shells on the shed wall as trophies, but I discard everything
but the meat.
Soak meat in heavily salted water overnight in the fridge, then rinse in cold water to get
rid of any blood/mud taste.
Parboil in water with sage, and garlic till tender.
Then roll in a mix of flour, cornmeal, salt, and pepper.
Fry in oil, or butter.
Grandma used to say; " If you hold a plate of it above your head, your tongue will knock
your brains out, trying to get to the meat!"