Homestead mailing list

[EarthNSky <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>]

Thanks for a keeper, James..
I watched Bear Gryls<sp> kill one on his show..he stabbed it in the 
neck/head/throat and let it bleed out as he carried it by the tail back 
to his camp.  Then, he tossed it whole onto the fire.  He said that when 
the shell flakes away, the meat is ready.  He just flaked/crumbled away 
the shell and dug in...It *looked* like chicken..lol
We had turtle stew fairly regularly when I was a kid.  My aunt's 
neighbor was practically a pro fisherman and he was always bringing home 
huge turtles out of the lakes, swamps, rivers, etc.  His stew was 
superb...a lot of potatoes and carrots, a lot of tobasco....makes me 
hunger for it now...  That was the South back then,,,,forty years ago, 
when you could still find lots and lots of folks that ate such 
things...these days, it's hard to find anyone who fishes for dinner, let 
alone hunts for dinner.

Bev

Clansgian AT wmconnect.com wrote:
> > > When you get time, I would like further instructions, please. The next  
> > time I see another and feel I want to take the time to do it, I would  
> > like to experience this delicacy.
>
> First, have a care around a mud turtle.  They are wicked quick and can give a 
> nasty bite.
>
> Put a stick, size of a broomstick, near the turtle's mouth and he will bite 
> it.  Pull the stick to extend the head (he will in no wise let go) and chop off 
> the head.  The head will live for hours without the turtle so don't get 
> within biting distance,
>
> Turn the turtle over and note that the bottom part of the shell is attached 
> in six places with strong ligaments.  Cut through these with a sharp hatchet.   
> It takes some effort.  With whatever type of knife you'd use for butchering 
> chickens or rabbits, split the skin around hte neck and legs and cut them off 
> at the obvious joint.
>
> Lift the bottom of the shell from the side (as opposed to the head or tail) 
> and work the knife under it cutting the shell loose as closely to the shell as 
> possible (as not to waste or spoil the meat). With the bottom of the shell 
> lifted free, you will notice that the muscles are an pearly pink color to 
> distinguish them from the pluck.
>
> Carefully eviscerate the turtle cutting the esphapgus and trachea at about 
> where the neck entered the shell and cutting around the anus lifting it and the 
> tail out completely.
>
> There are lots of mysterious ligaments, most home butchers not being 
> accostomed to dressing reptiles.   But the pluck should come free rather easily 
> leaving the upper upturned shell and nothing much else but the cuts.
>
> The bones of the extremities are lightly anchored to the shell. Cut between 
> the shell and the legs and then all the many ligaments and free each leg 
> separately.  
>
> Each leg makes two good cuts, the neck makes two, there is a sort of 
> loin-thingie on the inside of the shell that makes a cut when the two pieces are added 
> together.
>
> These cuts can be fried like chicken or rabbit and resemble frog legs in 
> texture or taste.  Leave the bones in if you are frying them.
>
> Or the whole can be cut up into pieces for turtle soup.
>
> Mud turtles get enormous here.  The yield of meat to total turtle weight is 
> high.
>
> -----------------------------------------------
> You can put the turtle's heart in a jar and it will beat for three days sans 
> the turtle.   </HTML>
> _______________________________________________
> Homestead list and subscription:
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/homestead
> Change your homestead list member options:
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/options/homestead/erthnsky%40bellsouth.net
> View the archives at:
> https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/homestead
>
>
>
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com 
> Version: 8.0.138 / Virus Database: 270.5.3/1563 - Release Date: 7/20/2008 12:59 PM

--
BevanRon of EarthNSky Farm   NW Georgia USDA Zone 7
34.498N 85.076W    Bev is Earth, Ron is Sky