Turkey Snot

[can't miss]

What a title eh? that bag of fat, protein, whatever, on a toms breast in the spring. I've washed, cut, scraped, and even after cooking, it lives?
Is there something I'm missing, cleaned a lot of them over the yrs, hate to sound like a whoos, but I can't get over it ? Snot bag?
Tks for any input

 

[Elmerfudd]

If you cool the bird down first it becomes much easier to trim and pull off. I get rid of it before filleting off the meat. When I skin the breast open I cut much further towards the base of the neck to open that area up. Yeah its kinda gross but necessary. On late season mature gobblers it is usually almost gone as they burn the fat up with their breeding focus.

As to what it is, easier to cut and paste then explain:

The gelatinous substance found on the upper breast—near the turkey's crop—is known as breast sponge. Gobblers develop the fatty layer of breast sponge in late winter as they feed heavily in preparation for breeding season. The fat deposit enables gobblers to have energy to spend little time feeding in the breeding season and lots of time displaying to impress hens.