Turtle Soup

The first step in dressing is the removal of the head. They can be made to protrude their heads by applying pressure with the foot to the back or upper part of the shell. After the head is well stretched out, the head can be cut off.

The United State fish and Wildlife Service describes the dressing of a turtle as follows: Run a sharp knife around the edges of the skin where it joins the shell. Pull back the skin over the legs to the feet which are then disjointed. The lower part of the shell or plastron is then removed by cutting through the bridges which join the upper and lower shells, cutting close to the lower part of the shell. With snappers and sofyt shells, in which the bridges are rather soft and cartilaginous, this can be done with a sharp knife. With the terrapin, the bridge may be cut with a hatchert or saw. Having cut the bridges, the plastron or under shell may be readily removed by inserting a sharp knife just under it and lifting it off. This done, the entrails may be extracted with very litle trouble, and the four quarters easily taken out from the carapace or upper shell. If one wishes to save the tenderloin in the upper part or ceiling of the carapace, the ribs may be cut with a hatchet. This may appear to be a lengthy and complicated process, but it is simpler than killing, plucking and drawing a chicken. From Cooking Wild Game Judd Publishing Company 1945.

Wipe meat clean with a damp cloth. Cut meat from bones and add bones and gristle to water in a kettle. Add following ingrediants simmer cover for one hour, strain/discard vegitables and bones. Meanwhile brown cubed meat in butter until golden brown on all sides. Add meat to strained broth, simmer for 30 minutes - eight to ten servings.

3lbs turtle meat
3 1/2 quarts water
2 medium onions chopped
1 bunch of celery chopped
bay leaf
2 full sprigs parsley
6 cloves
1 tsp sugar
1 cup canned tomatoes
1 tbsp salt
1/2 tsp whole black pepers
3 tbsp butter

Serve wih a sprinkiling of parsley on each bowl of soup and a paper-thin slice of lemon floated on top.