Home › The World's Kitchen › How to Prepare a Green Turtle

How to Prepare a Green Turtle

Procure a small live green turtle of about twenty-five pounds. Hang it up with the head downward, then with a sharp knife cut off the head and let bleed for twelve hours. Separate the upper from the lower shell with the knife, being careful to avoid cutting the gall bladder. Remove the intestines, cut the flesh away from the shells, as well as bones, etc. Cut each shell into four equal pieces, plunge in boiling water and blanch for three minutes. Lift them up, drain well, then with a small knife detach all the horny skin around the shells.

Place in a large saucepan five pounds bones or parings of veal, also about two pounds lean parings of beef, as well as a few beef bones. Pour in seven gallons cold water. Season with six tablespoons salt and one tablespoon white pepper and let come to a boil. Carefully remove the scum from the surface. Add six small peeled carrots, six medium, white onions, four leeks, two branches celery, one bunch parsley. Tie in a cloth four sprigs bay leaf, a teaspoon thyme, half teaspoon sage, two tablespoons whole black peppers, a tablespoon allspice, six cloves, two blades mace and add to the broth; then slowly boil for six hours. Strain the broth through a sieve into another large saucepan on the range; add one gallon cold water and all the shells and fins and briskly boil for twenty-five minutes. Remove the fins and keep them on a dish and slowly cook the shells, etc., for forty-five minutes. Remove the shells and place them with the fins.

Strain the broth through a cheesecloth into another saucepan and keep on the range. Remove all the meat from the shells and fins and cut the green part of the meat into half-inch-square pieces and keep on a plate. Reduce the broth to one gallon and a half, then add the meat pieces and boil for five minutes. Transfer it into a stone jar, let thoroughly cool off and place the jar in the ice box till the next day.

Lightly melt in a frying pan four ounces leaf lard and carefully spread it over the surface of the broth to prevent souring, and always keep in a cool place.

The lean part of the turtle can be cut into thin slices quarter of an inch thick; then breaded and fried in butter for six minutes and served as steaks with tomato sauce, or finely minced and prepared Creole style.