snapping turtle cleaning/cooking?

[6x6]

My son Colton shot this snapper last night, while we were bowfishing. We are gonna attempt to eat him. The last one we ate was good, especially the white neck meat, but they are a pain to clean. Any advice on butchering and cooking? I have been soaking him in cold, clean water all day, changing it a few times. He is very much alive still. The arrow went thru the back half of the shell, and we shoved it out by the tail, so it must not of hurt his vitals. Should I kill him right away, before the wound gets infected, or keep cleaning him out in fresh water? Then what? Dang things reflexes fight you forever after cutting the head off, and gutting. Any cooking tips?

 

[Don]

my dad cooked them in a pressure cooker. maybe use a sawsall.

 

[AIRASSAULT]

I hate cleaning them too... A couple things you could try for skinning that i have heard of is cutting a small hole in the skin and either pumping water through a garden hose or injecting with compressed air and it will separate the skin from the meat

 

[goatman]

Yup cut his head off and nail him upside down with the shell towards the pole. Cut his feet off and go to work. I haven't tried the air trick yet but looks like it would help.

 

[KPM]

Joe,
I have cleaned a lot of turtles and there isn't a great way to clean them. I have heard the air method takes some of the work out of it. If you don't care about the shell or plan to keep it you can cut off the nervous system and the legs will go limp which helps when cleaning if they aren't pulling back. It is hard to explain but cut about 2" back from front of shell all the way thru. If the legs quit moving you hit it and move onto the back and do the same. I wouldn't worry about infection with him but clean him by tomorrow. I bone mine out and brown them and put them in roaster for 2 hrs at 250 in some cream of mushroom and lipton dry onion soup mix.

 

[River1]

With an injury you would want to butcher him asap to avoid possible meat spoilage. I let my turtles clean out in a cattle tank. It takes a good week or so until the water starts clearing up . I pressure cook it, rinse the meat under cold water until it's firm and then batter with milk and home made poultry type mix...... brown and serve. Wash down with budwieser.