How to dress a snapping turtle.

Flip the turtle on iy's back, takeyour belt off and loop it around it's tale. If you keep presher on it it will make a huck in the tale and you just pull it along like a sled.Ya don't haveto pick them up.:)
 
Most of the stink, is in the mud on them. Cut the head off with a pair of tree pruners, as well as the feet (the feet move all the time when cleaning, and the claws can scratch you.) rinse off the turtle with a pressured garden hose and the stink will be gone. Take a board with a large nail driven through it. With the nail facing up, stob the turtle on it with his belly up. This will make it easier to work on because their back is round, and you don't want them sliding around on you while your cutting on him. Cut through the side plates holding the top and bottom together. Slide knife around shell until bottom comes off, the cut as close to the shell on the top until meat comes out. Then you can gut him without getting anything on the meat.(Keep the garden hose handy, and if you do break the gut, just rinse off the inside good, and don't let it sit on the meat) The joints are a little weird and will take some practice before figuring out exactly where to cut, but with a little practice it becomes much easier. Be sure to throw the little balls of fat away, and don't make the mistake of trying to cook them, as they will give off a bad flavor to the meat. Legs are jointed crooked, and will have to be cut into two pieces or they won't lay flat in a frying pan. Once you have all the pieces cut up, they can be prepared in the same manner as frying chicken. The bigger turtles need to be boiled for a few minutes, then rolled in an egg and milk base, then floured before frying. The smaller ones can go right into the frying pan without boiling as they are to young to be very tough. The meat is worth the trouble when done right, and there is a lot more meat on them than most people think. A stiff blade is better for the task than a flimsy knife like a fillet knife, and it needs to be sharp. I would suggest anyone interested to catch a few small ones 10 to 12" across and practice on them before attempting anything larger. My favorite seasoning are salt, pepper, garlic, and a little Hidden Valley dry dressing mix in with the flour.
I won't tell you it tastes like chicken as the meat has a taste all it's own, but it is a good flavored meat, that is well worth trying out.


Hope this helps those who are serious about eating some.
 
BTW: When you dress a snapping turtle, how do you get them to put their heads through the neck hole in the sweater? Also, do you have to tie their shoes for them?:D
 
Do they hide in their shells if they just don't have a thing to wear? I'm assuming they get dressed very slowly - but steadily.... If I were you, I wouldn't "shell" out too much for the wardrobe for it, if you're just gonna turn around and eat it. And don't forget - turtles really aren't all that special - they put their pants on one leg at a time like the rest of us.
 
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