# Tough turkey meat



## brumer0 (Jan 21, 2015)

Hi everybody!

This was my first time raising turkeys. They were broad breasted whites. 

I slaughtered some at 17 weeks, processed, soaked in a cooler for about 30 hours, then bagged and froze. Same process as my chickens which all turned out great.

When we cooked one we found the meat was fairly tough. I am wondering if my process needs to be different w turkeys (longer rest), or if I waited until they were too old, or if I just cooked it wrong (350 until cooked through, but not in basting bag like i normally put them in).

I am about to give a few away to friends for Thanksgiving and would hate them to have a bad eating experience.

Thanks!!


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## TheFarmerMommy (Mar 21, 2014)

Sounds like you did everything fine to me. I've never actually frozen any of my turkeys because we market them as fresh. Only thing I can think of is that withthe complex Thanksgiving machinations (aka - ahhhhhhh! Can I process all these turkeys on Monday and not kill myself in the process? Is 4 days in the fridge pushing it?!?) the meat does rest longer. Generally 3 or 4 days. 

I also cook hot and quick or low and slow. Wish I had more advice for you. I'm sure somebody will!


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## mmoetc (Oct 9, 2012)

brumer0 said:


> Hi everybody!
> 
> This was my first time raising turkeys. They were broad breasted whites.
> 
> ...


You don't say how they were raised. Pasture raised birds given more exercise and access to nature's bounty will be leaner than those raised in the typical commercial setting. Not quite like wild birds but not store bought either. Somewhere in between and you shouldn't expect them to taste or cook like a store bought bird. I'd suggest brining to add some moisture and cooking lower and longer. Putting them in a bag like you've done before also wouldn't hurt. Trial and error will lead you to what you like.


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

Pasture raised birds are never the same as storebought. Believe it or not, non-saline injected, exercised meat will be a bit tougher than the melt in your mouth store bought birds - but I never understood why that was a goal - it's meat, not icecream. I never thought any of our home raised meat was anywhere near inedible. So whats a little tiny more of an effort chewing? In exchange for humane, home raised meat source? I'll take it.  

We also don't rest any of our meat. Gets frozen the day we butcher. That being said, it usually takes a few days to thaw a turkey, so that perhaps is a 'rest period' that we didn't necessarily intend.


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## barnbilder (Jul 1, 2005)

You have to let it age. People have become spoiled with modern refrigeration and factory style poultry that is ready to butcher while it is still a chick. Young animals are always more tender. True, pasture raising, and the exercise that goes with it makes for tougher meat. Back in the old days, when people raised "heritage" birds, they didn't shove them in the freezer still kicking. In many cases, like as in wild harvested waterfowl, they went to town on an ox-cart and hung in a market several days before being purchased. 

So, to figure out how grandpa managed to eat those nasty old stringy tough heritage breeds that you read about, you have to think about his meat handling capabilities and it becomes clear. Muscle fibers break down due to bacterial action and enzymes present in the meat. Makes it tender. 

I raise all my heritage breed poultry free range ,sometimes my roosters are six months old before they are ready to butcher, I never have a problem with toughness. I would never consider eating anything that hasn't been refrigerated for at least seven days. It doesn't really make sense to go to the trouble of raising something and then have to let it almost spoil to be able to eat it, but it is just what you have to do. And, you can never get storebought that will tatse anywhere near as good.


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## Agriculture (Jun 8, 2015)

Barnbuilder is right. I don't know about 7 days, that is pushing it, but everything else. The aging has to be done before freezing. Doing it after, or considering a long thaw period as aging does not have the same effect.


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## barnbilder (Jul 1, 2005)

Seven days in a dedicated meat refrigerator that is set just above freezing and doesn't get opened a lot. Two days in your wood shed during fluctuating 40 to 60 degree weather will do it. It needs to "rot" X amount to be tender. There are a lot of variables in reaching that point. I try to embrace modern technology and control that "rotting" action as much as possible. With a quick and warm aging period you can go too far quickly. You have more leeway with a long, cold aging period.


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## brumer0 (Jan 21, 2015)

Thank you for everybody's help!!


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