Turkey Heads!

For the past 6 months I have been wanting to can some turkey. Why?  First, so we can have meat of some kind. Things are a bit more difficult here. You either have to catch and kill your meat or drive 5 hours to the store. Canning is a good option. Secondly, I chose turkey instead of chicken because one turkey is equivalent to about 5 chickens. Less work with a turkey. 

Today was the perfect day. Today are national presidential elections. That means no workers, no visitors. 

So, last week I arranged for procurement to buy me a nice, big, healthy bird from Busia (VOE didn't have any ready to sell). The bird arrived on Tuesday. Dennis was very excited. 

Then on Wednesday I asked Alfred to kill and clean it. 

So, now it was my turn. 

I had to wash it and bake it first. 

I decided to weigh it. 

All I had was the bathroom scale. 12 pounds. Then I started to take it out and realized he had quartered it. 

And, been so kind to leave the head!  

I must admit that the head unnerved me slightly. 

I washed the portions. They smelled like charred meat. They singe the bird over a fire to "make it nice". 

Then I put in the roasting pan with onions and carrots and baked it. 

I was left with the problem of the innards and turkey head. I boiled the innards and feet for Simba. 

But what about the head?  How does one properly dispose of a turkey head?  

I did the logical thing. I put it on a plate and snuck it onto Claudia's table. It earned the desired result: she screamed. 

After the bird was baked, I deboned and shredded it.  I got 9 cups of meat!  

I then took the bones and pressured them with water, onions, garlic and salt to make my stock. 

Then, I packed my jars with meat and stock. Then I pressured them for 75 minutes. 

Finally, out came 13 half pint jars of turkey!  

Woo hoo!  I am playing the 24 hour waiting game now, to see that all of the jars sealed. We will see!

Now, you are probably wondering what I will use the turkey for. Here goes in my best "Bubba" voice from Forest Gump:

Turkey pot pie

Turkey tacos

Turkey noodle soup

Turkey salad

Turkey casseroles 

Turkey sandwich 

Turkey. . .