How to dress a turkey?

[WMAn]

You'll get differing opinions. My understanding is the water must be at the right temperature. To me, by the time I heat that much water, I can have half the bird plucked so how much time do I actually save.

Plus, wet feathers annoy me by sticking to everything!

 

[woodsman87]

Also, if you pluck the bird, it helps to boil some water and "scald" the feathers on the turkey in a washtub before plucking. It makes the feather pulling a whole lot easier.

Can anyone else confirm this works?

It works and is 100% worth it. Dry plucking sucks, especially the wing and leg feathers.
I dont get the water to heavily boiling, but just a few bubbles, pour it on my turkey, trying to concentrate it on the wing and leg feathers.
And you don't have to submerge the entire turkey in hot water. I would say just 3 or maybe four gallons, maybe less than that, will do the job. when you are pouring it on the turkety, make sure to hit the wings and legs with most of it, and the breast/back with not as much.
Almost as east as breasting, takes about 20 minutes.

 

[woodsman87]

I got it too, my terminology consist of, legs=drumsticks. And the feet, is the spurs part of the leg. I always remove them before plucking. I never have removed the wing at the elbow. May do that next go around.