Hello America: This is your friend from Portugal again and the question is: Any advise how to kill(slaughter) a turkey? You know that they fight a lot. Here we put it in inside of a bag to help and, believe it or not, some people put some "aguardiente"(kind of moonshine)down his troath, before the killing. We tried that before, but the turkey didnīt got drunk e just died (we probably gave him too much! Obrigado!!

-- Manny Franklin (Santos_manny@hotmail.com), January 14, 2001

Answers

Tie their feet together,flip upside down and hold out their necks,take a real sharp knife and cut. Then hang by the rope on their feet and bleed out.Watch out that they do not bit you. We pick ours.

-- renee (oneillsr@home.com), January 14, 2001.

We do the same, but we hang em up first by the feet. Cut a hole in a sack for their head. Pull it threw and cut the jugular and bleed them out. But we have found out that scalding them like chickens the feathers come off real easy. You have to have the water 175 to 180 degrees. We ended up cutting a barrel in half and bulding a fire under it works well for a dunk tank.

-- Linda (hesscat@cot.net), January 14, 2001.

If it is a large bird make sure that the sack is quite strong. I had one split the bag with his wings this fall and knock me on my keester. Had a little bruising on that one and it certainly helps to have someone hold the bird while the other does the sharp work. Terri-Canada

-- Terri (terri@tallships.ca), January 14, 2001.

we have used a 5 gallon plastic bucket to hold the bird. Cut a hole in the bottom for the head. Hang the turkey up by the feet on a line, and then into the bucket, with the head sticking out below. We cut up into the brain first to kill, and then slit the neck. Mary

-- Mary Fraley (kmfraley@orwell.net), January 15, 2001.

My word! Been there, done that! With 2 people, hang by the feet and have one hold the wings from behind while the other either slits the throat or cuts the juglar from inside the mouth with a sharp knife. An easier way, and the only way if you are working alone, is electrocution! Take a simple extension cord and cut off the female end. Separate the 2 wires and strip each for about 2 inches. Remove a few feathers from the neck and one leg. Wet the skin. Wrap the bare wires around the exposed skin on the neck and leg. PLUG 'ER IN! The turkey will stiffen and be dead in @ 20 seconds. Now cut the throat to let it bleed, and it will do so nicely. Some folks think this method to be the best, as they think it tenderizes the bird. Personally, I don't see much difference, but it sure is easier! GL!

-- Brad (homefixer@SacoRiver.net), January 19, 2001.

If you leave them hanging upside down for a few minutes before cutting them they go kind of comatose. If you cut the throat quickly and cleanly you can easily get out of the way before the flapping starts!

-- David C (fleece@eritter.net), January 19, 2001.