Ways to clean soft shell turtles?

The best way to clean them would be Turtle Wax products!

They have a wonderful line of cleaning and waxing products that would make your soft shell turtles the cleanest and shiniest they have ever been!

Alright, just to set a few things straight here. Turtles are -not- bottom feeders. True, they will scavenge from time to time, but you have to remember that HUMANS are the top scavenger in the world. (yes, top scavenger, not predator, how many people do you know who kill all their own meat.) Softshells and snappers (the two most common LEGAL food turtles in north america) are highly predatory, and the only concerns I would have about eating their meat is the water they are living in. If pesticide/fertilizer levels are high, I'd probably keep them in a holding pen before butchering if I even kept them.

Now. For everyone else. Turtles do NOT taste like chicken, they taste just like turtle, you silly people. Just like alligator tastes just like alligator. Try the two side by side and there's no comparison.

If you plan on frying, running the meat through a cuber or at least beating the living heck out of it with a meat mallet will keep it from getting tough (overcooking is the culprit here), but soup is always good too.

Anyway, no tips on cleaning, but a little info on the meat itself. Enjoy, and don't let any bunny-huggers catch ya cleaning them. ;)

Finally somebody got it, I've been searchin' this d _ _ n Internet all F'innn Day (yeah' right) for somethin' not even close ta' exert's ;). Links are detailed +++'s and the recipe be the kicker. Brandon ya' got almost 2 1/2 days left on your post so that should give ya' enough time to cook one up, chow down and like someone else said, "let us know how it tastes". Tired of eatin' fish ay'? Sorry, but "Fish Onnnn" ;)...

Chicken??

; - D

Link with step-by-step instruction and photos:

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-clean-a-tur...

http://mdc.mo.gov/conmag/1996/06/50.html

http://www.etsu.edu/writing/adcomp_f05/studentwrit...

Last but not least a recipe for Turtle Soup:

http://members.tripod.com/Rogue_WPSN/turtle.htm

Try not to rupture anything inside that looks like it contains fluid while cleaning your turtle. It will ruin the meat with the most rancid taste you ever could imagine. Watch the tip of your knife closely!

Sounds to me like you need something that "tastes like chicken". Just a thought here but try some chicken.

I agree with exert 7 .I too catch a ton of theses things a year not intentionally and have wondered the same thing as to utilize the meat! They have become quite troublesome over the years and I will check those links as you should .He seems to know what he's talking about.GOOD LUCK and KEEP FISHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hope this helps!

Stay away from eating turtles period. They are bottom feeders. They eat dead things. A lot of them are infected with hepatitis and other sorts of nasty things. Don't do it not only that it's illegal. It's not worth the risk.

raise his tail and wipe his ***

Don't you have to boil them? Like lobster? IDK........

I never ate it but please let us know how it tastes! :0)