Have you ever ate Turtle?

[Rusty Heap]

The turtle thread had me thinking what it actually tastes like?


who has dined upon said flippered meal, and how was it prepared?


Just like chicken, or?

[Baz]

My last year in college - 1976-77. My 5th year as it took me an extra year to figure out what I wanted to major in.

Another Ornamental Horticulture senior and I were able to snag free rent at the cottage on the department greenhouse facility and grounds. In return for looking after things after hours and on weekends.

So I knew my roommate Gary but not that much - just from being in the same classes. First night (I kid you not) a buddy of his, who is a Gainesville native, brings over turtle and they cook it along with other ingredients to make a stew. Sure I tried some and it was actually very good.

And that's the first and last time I ever ate turtle.

[KFC911]

Steve gives this thread 1 star .

I never have, but "my turtle ponds" used to provide another source of food for my great grandfather and descendents.

[stevej37]

Many times.
My grandfather taught me how to bait a hook and leave it hooked to a floating board on a line.
Just check the board every hour or so and if it is pulled into the shore...pull it up.
Take the turtle (hopefully a box turtle) home and use a hatchet to split it in half.

The meat was delicious. Cooked as any other animal.

I could never do it now....a completely different time.

[id10t]

Originally Posted by Baz

My last year in college - 1976-77. My 5th year as it took me an extra year to figure out what I wanted to major in.

Another Ornamental Horticulture senior and I were able to snag free rent at the cottage on the department greenhouse facility and grounds. In return for looking after things after hours and on weekends.

So I knew my roommate Gary but not that much - just from being in the same classes. First night (I kid you not) a buddy of his, who is a Gainesville native, brings over turtle and they cook it along with other ingredients to make a stew. Sure I tried some and it was actually very good.

And that's the first and last time I ever ate turtle.

And you could've just popped over to The Yearling near Hawthorne and had it. The Banyan Tree down in Tampa used to serve it too.

Or hung out with the old black people fishing in Bivens Arm on 441, they liked their turtles as well.

[MRM]

No, I have never eaten turtle. My mother did growing up, but I won’t do it. I consider an animal that has an almost infinite lifespan gets a pass from human apex predation unless my survival depends on it.

[David]

I’ve had turtle soup but it’s been several years. I recall it being pretty meaty more like lamb or beef.

I asked my wife and she said she wouldn’t eat turtle because Buddha was reincarnated as a turtle or something like that.

[stevej37]

[QUOTE=KC911;11288623]Steve gives this thread 1 star .

The turtles give it a negative five.

[stevej37]

My grandpa used the same wooden block for splitting turtle shells along with beheading chickens for cooking.
He was good with a hatchet.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by MRM

No, I have never eaten turtle. My mother did growing up, but I won’t do it. I consider an animal that has an almost infinite lifespan gets a pass from human apex predation unless my survival depends on it.

I'm a "live & let live" guy... but I exterminated 4 big azz snappers (18-24" in diameter) and relocated about 50 sliders to other "big lakes" a few years back.... they were taking over my ponds.

Big azz snappers are nasty critters .... dogs in the pond weren't safe. I hated doing it .... but the snappers had to go. I still have more than enough

[craigster59]

I had turtle soup in New Orleans but it seemed to be 95% soup 5% turtle so I couldn't tell much.

I saw a show on Food network, might have been Bourdain, they were in the south and they shoved an air hose down the turtles mouth to separate the shell and get to the meat. I think they were big Snappers. Didn't look too appetizing.

[stevej37]

The turtle soup that I ate..from my G-Ma was more like 75% turtle and the rest veggies and broth.
Box turtles were the best. Snappers were like chuck roast.

Box turtles are protected now...no soup for you.

[drcoastline]

Snapper Soup al the time. Yum

[stevej37]

^^^ Box is the best.
Snapper is tough.

[Baz]

[QUOTE=stevej37;11288639]

Originally Posted by KC911

Steve gives this thread 1 star .

The turtles give it a negative five.

LOL......

[URY914]

I had some soft shell turtle while in West Palm Beach. Very greasy.

[s_morrison57]

I've never tried it but when I was working in the jungle's of S. America there was a guy on the crew who used to catch them and he'd take them home to kill, cook and eat. I heard 1 day that he let them all go, I asked him why (they were/are considered a delicacy in that part of the world), he told me that when he let them out of the cage he saw one chowing down on a fresh pile of dog crap, that was enough for him.

[aigel]

Turtle soup in NoLA - At K Paul's! Excellent.

I also had it at a Chinese restaurant. One of the "soft shell" turtles. It was excellent. Not for the faint of heart in terms of texture. It was chopped up in a stir fry dish - no surprise.

I wish I was able to fish for snapping turtles and eat them. Looks like an excellent source for a home cooked meal.

G

[Evans, Marv]

I had turtle soup decades ago in Mexico and Central America. At the time, I wasn't aware they were endangered and felt a little guilty later on when I learned. The soup was excellent and the turtle was meaty.

[SCadaddle]

Turtle. Sounds like it would be something found in a proper Himalayin* stew.


( I found him a layin' on the side of the road so I threw him in the stew.)