Can you imagine? My dear brother in law sent us one of his "little" ones for Christmas! It is 39 pounds, and frozen. Any advice on this one? I am thankful to have this problem rather than the reverse! Happy Holidays to All.

-- Sandie in maine (peqbear@maine.rr.com), December 22, 2001

Answers

I'm looking forward to seeing the suggestions of others. I've been faced with a 45lb. one, but it wasn't frozen. Of course I had to 'part it out' as I had no pans large enough. Left in a refrig, this isn't going to thaw, even in the three days left; my guess would be to take off the wings and legs as soon as they thaw, and roast them, ahead of the rest. Then, maybe you can deal with the main body on 'eating day'. My main concern would be how to thaw it to avoid bacteria.

-- Dianne Wood (woodgoat@pacifier.com), December 22, 2001.

Simple: If you don't have one, borrow a recipicating saw (commonly called a saws-all). Select an appropriate blade and cut the turkey up into four quarters. Now you can continue to freeze three sections, while thawing the fourth for use. I routinely cut up (cleaver and hammer) a frozen BBQed chicken from the supermarket this way.

On thawing, most microwaves I've seen have a thaw setting.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), December 22, 2001.

Wow! I think Dianne is right on the thawing in time. Ain't gonna happen. You'll have to force it some in a sink of warm water and risk some bacteria developing. I wonder if you could use a anti-bacterial wash like Fit or Liquid Organic Concentrate on it after thawing since you know some bacteria will develop but they'll be mainly on the surface? I would think that you'd be better off with some bacteria on the outside that can be washed or cooked off rather than a frozen interior that doesn't cook all the way through. Just some thoughts, I've got no experience with that big a bird! Good luck and happy holidays!

-- Susan (smtroxel@socket.net), December 22, 2001.

And then you have to deal with the other problem, big, old and tough meat. This above all else is the reason so many folks are dissatisfied with the meat they raise for themselves and their families. Rarely are they eating prime meat, but months old rabbits, 600 pound hogs, lambs and kids so passed their prime they are costing you money in the end, and hens that are nothing more than stewing quality. You would be taking it back to the supermarket and demanding your money back!! I would let the bird naturally thaw in the fridge at least a week, then make it into Jerky, perhaps roasting then boiling down the bird for a good broth, canned for soup and stew this winter. I certainly wouldn't only have this turkey as my Christmas main course, perhaps a nice ham or turkey breast sitting in the wings for plan B :) Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), December 22, 2001.

Hey, just because it's big, doesn't mean it's old. I've raised young turkeys that big before--it just depends on the breed. Some are enormous!

To thaw the turkey by Christmas, just find a bucket or tub big enough to put the turkey in, and cover it with cold water. Change the water every three or four hours with clean cold water, and it will be thawed in a day or so. It's best to do this in the bathtub if you can---makes it easier to dump the old water out.

Or let cold water run over it in the bucket, if your well can handle it.

Thawing the turkey this way is the safest as well as the fastest way possible.

And enjoy! Homegrown turkey is the best holiday food on earth!

-- Julia (charmer24@juno.com), December 22, 2001.

Thaw it under running cold water or else sink it in cold water and exchange the water every half hour until it's thawed. Does it fit in your oven? If it doesn't then Ken's idea with the Reciprocating saw sounds great (I'm going to remember that one, Ken!) and do it in pieces. (Do you even want this much turkey cooked at once?) But if it fits in the oven whole, have at it! It's going to take quite a while, but it'll get there. I've never done any larger than 32 pounds, but yours isn't too much bigger. Yum! Homegrown turkey!

-- Jennifer L. (Northern NYS) (jlance@nospammail.com), December 22, 2001.

Vicky:

From what I've read, home-grown meat may be tough because it is cooked as if it just come out of a feedlot, hog farm or wherever. Home-ground meat won't have the the internal marbling allowing it to be fast cooked (e.g., shearing heat BBQ). Instead it needs to be slow cooked. A cull rabbit should be cooked much like a stewing hen. Same for pork chops from that 600-pound sow. Slow cook them in sauces or whatever. Unfortunately I don't know of any cookbooks specifically on how to best cook home-grown meat. Does anyone?

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), December 22, 2001.

Cooking methods will help a little, but tougher birds are usually because they have been allowed to walk around and develope muscles! :o) Older birds get tougher muscles. Free rangers get LOTS of activity. While they may not be the soft mushy meat we are used to, they are healthy and most likely not raised on antibiotics. I raise turkeys and know they also get more fat when allowed to grow older and that gives more flavor, not mush meat. The broad breasted turkey is HUGE (type grown for poultry companies) and toms are usually used for lunch meats, etc. since they get so big. Smaller toms and hens are sold in the stores as whole turkeys. I think it was mentioned the record turkey is around 80 lbs. or something. Anyhows, young birds that are BBreasted can get quite large. (poor legs, but good breast meat) Enjoy lots of leftovers!

-- turkeyfan (turkey@bawk.com), December 22, 2001.

How about cutting it in 1/2 and deep fring it one half at a time. It only takes 3 1/2 min. per lb. and it is nice and jucy.

-- Mel Kelly (melkelly@webtv.net), December 22, 2001.

Deep fry it 1/2 at a time. 3 1/2 min per lb.

-- Mel Kelly (melkelly@webtv.net), December 22, 2001.

Gee, I have been busy today finishing up some hand knit items for Christmas, just took a break to see all these great responses. I left out the vital information that I do not intend to have this bird for Christmas dinner. I intend to take the time and cook it correctly rather than try to rush to defrost it or whatever. I see some really good suggestions here, thanks for taking the time to respond.

-- Sandie in maine (peqbear@maine.rr.com), December 22, 2001.

I've raised a 40 pound turkey last year. It was a Tom. Five Hens weighted between 25-26 pounds each. We had the tom cut in half.Got the chicks in May kept them until Thanksgiving. We didn't want frozen turkey. We had them to long. First year doing this. This year we know a fellow that has them in July. Much better,suppose to weight 15 pounds at Thankgivings. Ray Chesterville,Me Merry Christmas

-- Ray Chesterville,Me (thecfarm@midmaine.com), December 22, 2001.

Well you could get out your husbands saws all and put a new blade on it. Cut the darn thing right in half when it is frozen and put half back in the freezer for later. :)

-- Teresa (c3ranch@socket.net), December 23, 2001.

Wow what answers.. Home grown meat will be tough.Grind it up to get rid of toughness.. Just cook it the way it is supposed to be and you will enjoy it the same.

-- george sulix (farmer@nebraska.com), December 23, 2001.

Home grown turkey need not be tough!!!!!! That is a total false hood. We eat our own every year and I remember the first time thinking it would be tough and it absolutely fell of the bone! What matters is how you cook it. Slow and covered and you will be in for a real treat. The best turkey I had my entire life was a 30 lb bird we grew and my sister slow cooked overnight. She had to take the legs off to get it in my mom's turkey roaster but it was fantastic. We have to butcher this years turkey tomorrow and I anticipate it will be just as wonderful.

-- kim (fleece@eritter.net), December 23, 2001.

We have raised our own turkeys and chickens for meat for the past three years. We have found that unless we slaughter at six months or less, the meat is tough. The first year we slaughtered a turkey over six months and slow roasted it in the oven. That bird was so tough that we tried to feed it to the dogs (we sure couldn't eat it) and the dog chewed on it like it was one of those rawhide bones, and then gave up. We buried that bird. Chickens the same way. Ours are free range birds so they get lots of activity - but we are going to try something a little different this year. Buy the cornish rocks, grow them out to about four months, then slaughter. We love our own meat, but for some reason our birds never get as big and fat as the supermarket birds even though they get the best feed we can buy (without antibiotics or hormones). How about the rest of you who slaughter your own chickens? What do you do to keep them from getting tough as nails?

-- Cindy (colawson@mindspring.com), December 26, 2001.