What happened to this turkey??? (Bloody pics)

[catman529]

Killed him a week ago, gutted and threw in the fridge. Done it before, no problem letting them sit a week. Meat still good, smells fine, but I could only save the left side of the bird. I was gonna smoke the whole thing but no. The right side breast has a massive blood clotted area that goes THROUGH the breast. Starts behind where the crop was, and goes through up to just under the skin. It looks like an arrow shot through the bird, but there is no entry or exit hole in the skin. It's all under the skin. I could actually stick my finger through the breast meat, and all the meat was dark dark red of blood. Notice it's on the right breast. The bird's left wing had a couple busted feathers, as did the tail fan. Could a fight do this? Maybe he was hit by a car? What would bloody one section of the breast, all the way through the breast from behind the crop to just under the skin? Some kind of big impact?

The first pic is where the crop was and the second is the skin side, with the skin peeled back.





I am stumped.... Only gonna smoke one side of a turkey now.

Edit: I cut into the breast, and it appears that blood has soaked through seemingly good meat. Is it possible that I did not bleed out the cavity properly, and letting the bird sit on its side for a week made the blood soak through the meat?

 

[Setterman]

They have large arteries and veins that feed those muscles it doesn't take much blood to do that. I personally would never leave a whole bird for a week.

 

[catman529]

They have large arteries and veins that feed those muscles it doesn't take much blood to do that. I personally would never leave a whole bird for a week.

I've never had a problem with it before, but I guess I didn't bleed this one out properly.... That sucks

 

[YEKRUT]

If you would have cleaned it the day you killed it it more than likely would not have been a problem. It appears just to be where he bled where you shot him. Quit trying to age turkey meat and quit fooling with poultry before it kills you.

 

[Gravey]

I wouldnt let turkey meat sit in the fridge that long. It doesnt age like deer meat. I cook it within a day or two and if not i freeze it.

 

[Roost 1]

C'mon Cat....you know better!!!

 

[Boll Weevil]

Yikes. I'd be concerned about eating that one after it's been in the fridge a week.

 

[catman529]

Wasn't aging it. Never had a problem leaving turkey for up to a week. It's not store meat that already sat for a while before you buy it... Also the blood is not from the shot, I head shot him within 20 yards. I guess I did not let the blood drain when I gutted him.... Learned a lesson there. At least I saved the other side and will still be able to smoke it.

 

[G8rntn]

That looks gross!!!

 

[Southern Sportsman]

It may be wild, buy it's still poultry. You've never had a problem before, but you do it enough and I bet you get food poisoning eventually. It doesn't have to smell rotten to be bad.

 

[REN]

7 days is too long to me man! heck i don't leave cooked chicken in the fridge that long lol

 

[Setterman]

The store bought meat is loaded with preservatives and junk, also it's generally frozen until it gets to the store where it is thawed out.

I won't eat cooked meat after 5 days

 

[catman529]

Hmm I figured if it smells fresh and you fully cook it, there wouldn't be a problem.... are there any studies done on how long you can keep poultry? I keep it in the mid 30's in there.

 

[Setterman]

Hmm I figured if it smells fresh and you fully cook it, there wouldn't be a problem.... are there any studies done on how long you can keep poultry? I keep it in the mid 30's in there.

I don't know of any studies, but I do operate under the guise of the consequences are not worth the risk. I also feel I owe it to the critter to make sure I don't do anything that could result in wasting it.

 

[woodsman87]

Store poultry is injected with chlorine to preserve. Doesnt taste as good either.

I have no idea how long raw turkey will keep. I have had a turkey breast in my fridge for a week and cooked and ate without problem. But it was also breasted and cleaned up good, and soaked in salt water for a few hours.

 

[Southern Sportsman]

Hmm I figured if it smells fresh and you fully cook it, there wouldn't be a problem.... are there any studies done on how long you can keep poultry? I keep it in the mid 30's in there.

Yes. We literally have federally funded administrative agencies (FDA and USDA) that do nothing but spend tax dollars performing studies on stuff like this. You will not find a source that says it's ok to keep a fresh (i.e., raw) turkey or other poultry refrigerated for more than 1-2 days.

USDA (1-2 days)

FDA (1-2 days)

Whole Foods Chart (organic meat) - 1-2 days

Because these are national guidelines, they will err on the side of caution. I wouldn't mind keeping one 3 days, but would be hesitant at 4 and wouldn't eat it after that. Use it or freeze quickly. Even if you're tired after hunting/cleaning, it's not worth 24 hours of vomiting and diarrhea.

 

[catman529]

Store poultry is injected with chlorine to preserve. Doesnt taste as good either.

I have no idea how long raw turkey will keep. I have had a turkey breast in my fridge for a week and cooked and ate without problem. But it was also breasted and cleaned up good, and soaked in salt water for a few hours.

generally meat will keep even longer if left inside the skin, because cutting introduces more places for bacteria to grow. At least that is my understanding. I only cut the bird at the vent and removed all the entrails but apparently not all the blood. Now what is left that is good is soaking in brine for a couple days, and the salt should cure it before I smoke it. It kills me that had to happen to my bird, but it sure wont happen again. The smoked whole turkey from my 1st bird this year was some of the best wild turkey meat I have cooked.

 

[catman529]

Hmm I figured if it smells fresh and you fully cook it, there wouldn't be a problem.... are there any studies done on how long you can keep poultry? I keep it in the mid 30's in there.

Yes. We literally have federally funded administrative agencies (FDA and USDA) that do nothing but spend tax dollars performing studies on stuff like this. You will not find a source that says it's ok to keep a fresh (i.e., raw) turkey or other poultry refrigerated for more than 1-2 days.

USDA (1-2 days)

FDA (1-2 days)

Whole Foods Chart (organic meat) - 1-2 days

Because these are national guidelines, they will err on the side of caution. I wouldn't mind keeping one 3 days, but would be hesitant at 4 and wouldn't eat it after that. Use it or freeze quickly. Even if you're tired after hunting/cleaning, it's not worth 24 hours of vomiting and diarrhea.

then what about those smaller game birds that were dry aged, with the feathers on, at temps in the 50s? Someone posted about em in te cooking forum a while back. Are they exempt from the rule and how so?

 

[pass-thru]

Wasn't aging it. Never had a problem leaving turkey for up to a week. It's not store meat that already sat for a while before you buy it... Also the blood is not from the shot, I head shot him within 20 yards. I guess I did not let the blood drain when I gutted him.... Learned a lesson there. At least I saved the other side and will still be able to smoke it.

Store meat is processed immediately when it is killed, it doesn't fester for a week before being butchered properly. You say you never had a problem before....well now you have, don't let it happen again!

 

[mountain man 71]

:sick: