Turkey for Table-(pls dn't read if no cul turky keeper)

[Bertie & The Chooks]

Hi, we are purchasing a free range turkey from a local farm here and they have said they are keeping back a stag turkey for us for Thanksgiving at the end of the month. She's said she will need to know 5 days pre dinner to starve him. Two questions:
Is having a stag anything like having a cockerel, will it be tougher meat?
and is starving it 5 days necessary or have i misunderstood her and she's just going to separate him and then starve him over night like we do with chooks?

Thanks and sorry to anyone I have upset or offended by discussing birds for tables. I respect that some do not keep their birds for eating or may not be ok with culling for eating.

 

[jubilee]

Hi Steph, it's useful to understand that everyone does things differently, before we cull our Turkeys for Christmas, we don't give them feed for 24 hours prior to culling, or the feed will go sour in their crops etc. Water should be provided, just withdraw hard feed. It sounds a bit excessive to withdraw for 5 days, as food normally goes through the digestive system within 24 hours.
Stags are bigger than the females, but also have a higher quantity of fat, so there should be no difference in the taste or texture of the meat. They will need a bit longer in the oven as they are naturally bigger, that's all. The breast area is normally much bigger, so i push butter and a thin layer of chestnut stuffing between the meat and the skin, being careful not to tear the skin, just work your fingers in slowly to separate it from the breast meat, and then once done, layer the outside with streaky bacon to prevent the meat from drying out and becoming burnt before it's cooked. I also insert an onion in the cavity, the steam from the onion cooking helps to cook the inside of a large bird without drying the meat out. You will need 20-25 mins per kilo plus an extra 25 mins at the end, during this time, remove the bacon layer to allow the breast to brown. 17

JubesXX

 

[Bertie & The Chooks]

Hi Steph, it's useful to understand that everyone does things differently, before we cull our Turkeys for Christmas, we don't give them feed for 24 hours prior to culling, or the feed will go sour in their crops etc. Water should be provided, just withdraw hard feed. It sounds a bit excessive to withdraw for 5 days, as food normally goes through the digestive system within 24 hours.
Stags are bigger than the females, but also have a higher quantity of fat, so there should be no difference in the taste or texture of the meat. They will need a bit longer in the oven as they are naturally bigger, that's all. The breast area is normally much bigger, so i push butter and a thin layer of chestnut stuffing between the meat and the skin, being careful not to tear the skin, just work your fingers in slowly to separate it from the breast meat, and then once done, layer the outside with streaky bacon to prevent the meat from drying out and becoming burnt before it's cooked. I also insert an onion in the cavity, the steam from the onion cooking helps to cook the inside of a large bird without drying the meat out. You will need 20-25 mins per kilo plus an extra 25 mins at the end, during this time, remove the bacon layer to allow the breast to brown. 17

JubesXX

I'm not too worried about keeping it moist, just worried about tough meat. I brine my turkeys a day before cooking and then I cook them in an Oven Bag. Thank's for your help, i'm hoping i misunderstood her, maybe she's separating him and feeding him up to the last days etc...