Question about processing Turkey...

[Acre of Blessings]

Soaking on salt for the 24 hour period should be sufficient. My hubby always soaks our rabbits for 2 days in salt water. If you want to soak it for the 48 hours just make sure you change the water after the first 24 hours. I would advise soaking for the 48 hour period.

 

[pdpatch]

As far as how long after there killed to process, most hunters don't process right away. The delay can be any where form 2 to 6 hours later. But you need to cool the bird down right away.

It is advisable to let the bird rest after butchering, Weather you us ice water or the refigerator is up to you. But you need to keep the bird down to below 35 or 36 degree so batieria does not start to grow, or what little may have slows down.

it takes at least 4 hours for most of the rigor to leave the muscles of the bird. The rate rigor leaves slows down a lot. It's gone in 24 to 48 hours. Since most home processors don't take the same steps to tenderize meat a commercial processor does it usually recommend a rest period of 24 to 48 hours.

Soaking in brine water is a method of tenderizing the meat. In our case I am on a low salt diet so we choose to soak for tenderizing while letting the bird do it initial rest for rigor.

Lastly you could do what commercial turkey processors do. They inject a brine solution in to the birds before freezing. The brine solution varies from processor to processor.