Turkey killin' time

[mgdavis]

So I've got this buddy...

My friend has a small farm, and has raised several turkey's for the table again this year. (We joined them for Thanksgiving dinner last year and were amazed at how different his birds were from a store-bought butterball.) One of the current crop is destined to be the starring attraction in our meal this year.

Jim has promised me a bird, but there is a caveat: I am going to slaughter and process it myself, under his tutelage. I am also going to do 1-2 for him; he is recovering from a major shoulder surgery and is therefore not up to the task himself.

He has asked that I bring "two sharp knives" with which to perform the deed. Not wanting to dull/chip the blades on our good kitchen knives (at least, that's my excuse  ), I am most likely going to pick up a couple of knives today from either the Sportsman's Warehouse or one of the various housewares stores in the area.

Is there anything I should look for that would make this task easier? I assume easy-to-clean is a must, and I figure that I want one big and one small blade. I do not plan on dropping big money on this purchase, but I don't like buying disposable crap.

[BobR]

Although I have never done a turkey like you are about to accomplish, I think a boning knife, a steel and a pair of needle nose pliers should be all you need. The steel to keep an edge on the knife and the needle nose pliers to pull any stubborn feathers out.


bob

[Triphammer]

I'll add a 12" or so chef's to the list BobR set. Though I've used a hatchet, a machete or a large butcher knife at different times over the years.
 

[lupinus]

find thee a restaurant supply store and look at their basic plastic handled knives.

For something like turkey you should need nothing more than I five or six inch boning knife and a honing steel.

[mgdavis]

Got short on time this afternoon, so I just stopped at the local linens and things and picked up a two pack of kitchen knives, one 10" and one 4" I think. They'll do the job, I'm sure. I'll try to take a few pictures of the process tomorrow for anyone who is interested.