turtle

[shrub]

can anybody tell me how to clean a turtle?

[Pasquatch]

Keep your turtle alive until you are ready to dress him out. Pull the head out of the shell with a pair of pliers then cut off with a sharp knife. Hang the turtle by his tail or rear legs to bleed for 45 minutes. Prepare a pot of boiling water large enough to accommodate the turtle, dip turtle and boil for at least 5 minutes, remove and let cool. Remove shell and guts, be careful not to rupture the gall bag. Skin the neck, legs, and tail. Place meat in 1 gallon water with 2 tablespoons baking soda and 4 tablespoons salt, refrigerate overnight before preparing.

[bigredfishing]

you need to let the turtle live in some clean water for a bit of time before you cook it up, i would wait at least 48 hours, but longer is better.  Just put it in a large container (that it cant get out of) with tap water and change the water daily.  My uncle regularly eats smaller snapping turtles, and this part is crucial.

[Pasquatch]

you need to let the turtle live in some clean water for a bit of time before you cook it up, i would wait at least 48 hours, but longer is better.  Just put him in a large container (that it cant get out of) with tap water and change the water daily.  My uncle regularly eats smaller snapping turtles, and this part is crucial.

I forgot to mention that, do that or, yuk!

[shrub]

thanks guys, i dont think ill be having turtle soup for a while because my mom thinks the idea is gross and shes the one that picks me up from the pond so she proably wont let me put a snapper in her car

[Pasquatch]

thanks guys, i dont think ill be having turtle soup for a while because my mom thinks the idea is gross and shes the one that picks me up from the pond so she proably wont let me put a snapper in her car

It probably isn't a good idea, but put it in a backpack !

[troutbum]

make sure you remove as much fat as possible just like in fish, turtle fat has the highest concentration of pollutants   

[OTIS]

Is there a season on turtle in New York?

[Somers]

No season Otis.  They are an unproteced specie and can be taken at any time.

Here's the NYS Dept. of Health advisory for Snappers:

Snapping Turtles - Snapping turtles retain contaminants in their fat, liver, eggs and, to a lesser extent, muscle. If you choose to consume snapping turtles, you can reduce your exposure by carefully trimming away all fat and discarding the fat, liver and eggs prior to cooking the meat or preparing soup. Women of childbearing age, infants and children under the age of 15 should AVOID EATING snapping turtles or soups made with their meat. (Contaminant - PCBs)