How To Manage A 30 Lb. Block Of Frozen Turkey Necks

[GreytNut]

I've been wanting to give Riley turkey necks, but haven't been able to find any in South Dakota. I finally broke down and ordered a 30 lb. box of them from My Pet Carnivore.com. For the most part I was pleased with the service. The package got here when it was supposed to, everything was still frozen, and the necks are absolutely huge.

 

But... it apparently didn't occur to them to individually wrap the necks. I have a 30 lb. solid block of turkey necks, all wrapped around each other into an impenetrable mass.

 

What is the easiest way to separate them? Do I really have to thaw the whole lot? Gahhhhhh!

 

 

P.S. - Is it best to feed them frozen, partially frozen or thawed?

[RedHead]

Unless you want to get the heavy duty chainsaw out it is easiest to let them thaw....not all the way just so you can stick something between them (I use a screwdriver) to pop them apart. Then you can refreeze. One of the drawbacks of ordering in bulk! Personally, I feed them thawed, but if the temps are warm in the summer they are a great frozen treat. Whatever your pup likes should be fine.

[OwnedBySummer]

I don't know what a 30 lb. block of necks looks like, LOL. Can you get a saw of any kind through it, just to make it a bit more manageable? DH would probably take his reciprocating saw to it? Some of the necks would probably end up with dumb little bits cut off them as the saw went through, though. RedHead, if you partially thaw and then refreeze, they are still okay? I suppose so... after all, they dig up and eat ancient rotten dead stuff.

Edited February 22, 2013 by OwnedBySummer

[Houndtime]

Let them partially thaw and use a screw driver to separate them. I then made bags of three or four and refroze them. Then you can take out one bag at a time for your use.

[HoundHeavenAZ]

I buy them like that too but I'm fortunate (usually) that the grocer will cut the block into four pieces for me. I thaw them partially by leaving them in the garage overnight and then pry them apart with a screwdriver and hammer and then stuff them into freezer bags. They are still nearly frozen and I've never had a problem re-freezing them.

I love it when I do get them cut, because there are all sorts of lovely small pieces. Otherwise, I'll end up getting the hacksaw out as needed so I can cut the largest of them into 6" chunks. I usually feed them frozen as well, or just barely thawed.

Riley is going to be so happy!

[Remolacha]

Yes, thaw just enough to pry them apart, bag and refreeze. I feed them thawed, but my guys are older now and missing some teeth. The best thing I have found cutting the ginormous ones in half is a PVC pipe cutter, about $10 at Home Depot/Lowes/Ace. I was afraid a big enough knife or cleaver would end up with me cutting a few fingers off I thaw mine in the bathtub.

[djsgreys]

Thats the way mine are packaged as well. I let them thaw partially (about 6 hours) and then by running under cold water can break them apart and repackage without them thawing completely.

[Yamaha_gurl]

I would put the block in a plastic bag, then maybe old pillow case, take it outside and smash it on the concrete

[Guest KennelMom]

I"d let them thaw until you can start breaking them off in chunks or individually (however you want to store them), then refreeze. Should be fine as long you don't let them totally thaw you'll be fine.

[racindog]

I use MPC turkey necks too but I always order the 3 packs to avoid the problem with bulk. It is only a few cents difference and to me well worth it. They are the biggest nicest turkey necks I have ever seen. Heaven only knows how huge those turkeys must have been!

[Guest newgreymama]

The boxes we buy from the butcher are like that too. It would take them forever and the cost would go way up if they individually packaged them. We just let them thaw enough to pry them apart, then repackage them ourselves. They are weighed into the proper portions for our dogs, but we don't cut them down into more manageable pieces until until they are thawed for feeding.

 

Your dogs are going to love you for spoiling them like this!

[sweetdogs]

Buying in bulk is the cheapest way, if more work. As for the size of the necks, see if ordering hen necks is possible. Much smaller than the toms. A whole tom neck is just too much bone for my guys. (But thanks Remolacha for the pipe cutter tip - I've been using a cleaver as a saw & then finishing with my hands whenever I get a case of tom necks by mistake )

[Guest rennina]

LOL, I bought a 30 lb. package of turkey necks in December. I left the whole box in our garage for 3 days until they were thawed. Don't know what I would do in the warmer months...

[GreytNut]

OK, I bought a giant Rubbermaid tote and will stick the bag in there to partially thaw. I could do it gradually over several days in the garage as it rarely gets a whole lot above freezing in there in the winter, but I'm impatient and am going to stick the tote in the bathtub.

 

I will have to try the PVC pipe cutter idea. I was wondering if one of those things was too much at a time. I'm sure Riley wouldn't think it was a problem, but those necks are about a pound each.

 

Alas, poor little Raven will have to be content with a soft squishy treat of some kind, on account of only having a few teeth left and those being slated for removal. We are hoping that regular feeding of these turkey necks will help Riley avoid her fate.

[Remolacha]

It usually takes my 30lb block about 8-10 hrs to thaw in the bathtub. I bring it home in the morning (we have a co-op with local pick up) and I separate in the evening. Sallie doesn't get necks anymore either, just not enough teeth

[GreytNut]

Wow, big success!

 

The necks were partially thawed after 14 hours. I started prying them apart with a butter knife and stashing them into gallon Ziploc freezer bags, all neatly corralled in a freezer basket. DH was doubtful, but I'm glad we got a really huge chest freezer so we can store stuff like that.

 

I gave Riley a whole neck, one of the smaller ones. He'd never had one before, but he sure knew what to do with it. I made him eat it on a towel. He put that sucker away in less than 10 minutes. First he licked it like a popsicle and then he chowed down, happily crunching and slurping. I looked at his teeth afterwards, and about half of the plaque that had started to form on his back molars where it's hard to reach was gone. After just 1 turkey neck!

 

Of course, then he pestered me while I was prying and packaging the rest of the necks, graciously offering to "help."

[RaineysMom]

you should see the 40 lb + boxes of frozen chicken backs and parts we'd have to dump into the big steamer kettle at school for chicken stock! Gack.

 

thaw them (in the fridge) until you can get them apart and just refreeze. As long as you keep them out of the danger zone (keeping them under 40 deg or over 140 deg if cooked) by keeping them in the fridge, refreezing should be perfectly safe. You may lose a tiny bit of quality but I don't think your pup will complain

[BatterseaBrindl]

Glad you got it figured out!

 

We feed frozen necks/backs/feet here with no problems.

[sobesmom]

Where did you get them? I can't find necks around here and I have a chest freezer - so I'm open to bulk mail-order suggestions! (Especially if the price is good!). I have no problem with partially thawing, separating, then re-freezing. That's not a problem for dogs.

 

Diana has had plaque causing bad breath issues - and brushing isn't going well. I've always used boney raw supplements for my kibble-fed dogs, but she's just not enough of a chewer for it to do the job. Maybe turkey necks would help.

 

ETA: Oh my gosh - ignore me. The site is in your original post.

 

Anybody else have suggestions for price-friendly necks?

Edited March 8, 2013 by sobesmom

[seeh2o]

Let them partially thaw and use a screw driver to separate them. I then made bags of three or four and refroze them. Then you can take out one bag at a time for your use.

 

This, and if they are really long let them thaw out a little more so you can hack them in half. When I get them they are also in a 30 lb block and it takes about 2 days to thaw them out. They range from 10 - 12+ long, so I have to cut them in half, then I bag them and refreeze them. Duck necks are much easier to deal with if you can get them. I buy them in 40 lb frozen blocks, it takes about 2 days to thaw them, too, but I don't have to cut them in half.

 

I feed the necks frozen or raw, either way. I always feel like they are better for their teeth if they are raw, don't know if that's true or not, though.

[sweetdogs]

Anybody else have suggestions for price-friendly necks?

Not sure how far you would be away from these drop-offs, but I've been buying some stuff from Raaw Energy http://www.raawenergy.com/index.htm I know he can get turkey necks & lots of other chewies.

 

There is a NJ Barf group that has members in PA. http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/NJ-BARF/?yguid=277326075 I'm pretty sure there are PA groups too.

[GreytNut]

Where did you get them? I can't find necks around here and I have a chest freezer - so I'm open to bulk mail-order suggestions! (Especially if the price is good!). I have no problem with partially thawing, separating, then re-freezing. That's not a problem for dogs.

 

Diana has had plaque causing bad breath issues - and brushing isn't going well. I've always used boney raw supplements for my kibble-fed dogs, but she's just not enough of a chewer for it to do the job. Maybe turkey necks would help.

 

ETA: Oh my gosh - ignore me. The site is in your original post.

 

Anybody else have suggestions for price-friendly necks?

 

I did a lot of comparison shopping to try to find the best deal online. There are not very many places to choose from. Mypetcarnivore.com had the best prices, both on the product and on the shipping because they were closer. There was a wholesaler with killer prices on organic turkey necks but they don't sell to individuals, only retailers.

 

There was also a place out of Texas that looked really good, but they were more expensive. Not so much on the product but the shipping was really high. That was reelrawdog.com. Looks like really nice stuff and depending on where in the country someone is located Reel Raw's prices might be competitive with My Pet Carnivore.

 

ETA: In the Austin, TX area Reel Raw will deliver orders to a customer's door for free. Wow!

Edited March 9, 2013 by GreytNut