How to Pluck Feathers From a Turkey

Turkeys are a popular holiday dish. They are large and will feed a lot of people. Hunters and their families may opt to kill their own turkey for Thanksgiving, a family get-together or a celebration. After the kill, you can do one of two things to get rid of the feathers: Skin the turkey or pluck the feathers out. Plucking the feathers takes a bit more time and is messier, but it leaves the bird succulent and juicy.

Things You'll Need

• Dead turkey
• Trash receptacle

Instructions

1. Unless you're field-dressing the bird, dip the turkey in hot water and place it in the sink, on a large cutting board or on a large surface that can get messy.

2. Grab 3 to 5 feathers at a time around the base of the feathers.

3. Pull hard until the feathers are released from the skin. They'll come out more easily if the turkey has been dipped in hot water.

4. Put the feathers in a designated trash receptacle.

5. Repeat until the turkey is left with bare skin.

6. Rinse the turkey.

Tips & Warnings

• It is better to grab a few feathers. Pulling one feather at a time will drag prolong the process unnecessarily. Pulling a lot of feathers at once may not remove all the feathers, and some of them may break off. The feather fragments are harder to pull out.

• Make sure the turkey is dead. You'll get a surprise, and possibly an injury, if it's not.

References

• Cleaning a Wild turkey