Cleaning and gutting a turkey is not as hard as some people might think. Get to learn about the process from this comprehensive guide on preparing your turkey.

If you are going to prepare the turkey, then you need to know some of the important steps towards the cooking. Some of these steps would include gutting and clean the turkey. Most people just know the turkey they get on the table after it has been cooked. Gutting is all about cleaning out the inner organs of the turkey. So, what are some of the tips that would get this process done quickly?

Get the right turkey

The first thing you have to do is get yourself the best turkey from the grocery store near you. The turkeys would come in different sizes, so you have to pick the one that would be enough to feed the number of people coming to eat your meal. In most cases, you need to estimate that it will be 1 pound of turkey for each person who will be attending.

Have the countertop or surface cleaned for the turkey

It is important that you get to maintain proper hygiene when it comes to handling food. You have to clean the surface of where you plan to prepare your turkey. With all the contaminants removed, you should have a clean place to start working on the turkey.

As for the cleaning, you can always use an antibacterial cleaning agent for the process. The other tools such as the board and knives that would be used in the process should also be clean. Make sure that you also wash your hands and under the fingernails so that your hands are also clean and good for the job.

Gather the necessary tools

You have to get the necessary tools important for handling the turkey. Some of the tools you will need for the process include a cutting board, knives, bowls, apron, and gloves if necessary. You could opt for the latex free gloves since some people might be allergic to latex.

Gutting a Turkey

Gutting a turkey

Start by having the turkey laid on its stomach on the board. Proceed to cut from the back of the turkey’s neck to separate the esophagus and trachea. This process should free the two body parts so that you can have an easy time handling it. If the turkey does not have a neck, you can always skip this part.

You can now flip the turkey to lay on its back so that you can now make the cuts that will make it easy for removing the innards of the turkey. Start by cutting a horizontal slit between the breastbone and anus. The slit is supposed to be large enough so that you can easily insert your hands and pull the innards easily. When making the slit cut, you have to be careful not to puncture the innards.

Proceed to insert your hand into the slit to pull the organs out. You can now easily pull out the organs such as the heart, lungs, intestines, liver, and gizzard. Once you get them pulled out, you should properly dispose of them.

One quick tip for removing the intestines is that you have to cut a circle around the anus as a way of loosening the digestive organs.

With the organs removed, you can set them aside as not all of them would be cooked.

Cleaning the turkey

Now that you are done with the gutting, you can now rinse the turkey in the sink. You need to use high pressure for the water. The water under high pressure is great for cleaning the turkey inside where the organs have been removed. You have to make sure that all the blood has been cleaned from the turkey before you can prepare it for cooking. You need to use cool water so that you get to minimize bacteria growth.

Below is a video with more tips on how to get gutting done in no time

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snJ-jkBEn4M

Conclusion

You might have had a problem before when it comes to gutting and cleaning the turkey. That should not be a problem anymore as you get to use the method mentioned above. Within a few steps, you should be done with the whole process of cleaning up the turkey and ready to cook it.

Author Bio

Guest Writer: Written by Roy, Hunter and Survivalist

Thanks for stopping by to learn more about hunting and surviving in the wilderness. I am a dedicated and a full-time survival author, editor and blog writer on hunting. Keep on reading my articles and blogs to get the useful tips and guides important for outdoor survival and hunting. Please visit MyHuntinGear.com to update yourself on the best new hunting and survival tips.