Period Civil War turtle recipes?

[major bill]

My wife's family is from Tennessee. If her grandfather saw a turtle, let us just say turtle was on the menu. If her grandpa got a turtle, we did not go their house for supper. I in fact have never eaten turtle. Still I am sure many Civil War era families would not pass up on a nice turtle for supper. Come on I had turtles as pets as a youth: To eat one of my pets?. So how was turtle meat served during the Civil War era?

Mock turtle soup predates the Civil War. Why anyone would want to 'mock' a poor turtle baffles me.

 

[JOHN42768]

Never tried it nor will. I guess when times warrant it, into the stew pot with everything else.

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

My wife's family is from Tennessee. If her grandfather saw a turtle, let us just say turtle was on the menu. If her grandpa got a turtle, we did not go their house for supper. I in fact have never eaten turtle. Still I am sure many Civil War era families would not pass up on a nice turtle for supper. Come on I had turtles as pets as a youth: To eat one of my pets?. So how was turtle meat served during the Civil War era?

Mock turtle soup predates the Civil War. Why anyone would want to 'mock' a poor turtle baffles me.

Haha! I wasn't around in the Civil War, but in the 1970's there was a restaurant in Virginia Beach that had super-delicious Turtle Soup.

 

[35th MA InfRegt]

Never had turtle in any form. I would certainly be willing to try it.

 

[CowCavalry]

Turtle, at least the variety I had once, years ago, is excellent. There was or may be still is, a restaurant in the FL keys called the Green Turtle Inn, and the turtle chowder was excellent.

 

[donna]

Just a reminder Lincoln loved turtle soup. He liked turtle fixed several ways. They have written that he had turtle served at his 2nd Inaugural dinner.

 

[Library Lady]

Depending on species of turtle and where you live, turtle soup may be illegal. Many types of turtles are covered by the Endangered Species Act of 1973 in the US. There is also an international convention on endangered species that includes turtles. These laws came about because the turtles were being hunted to extinction. The sale of small turtles (less than 4 inches) has been banned in the US since 1975 because they can be carriers of Salmonella.

 

[G Low]

My father in law used to have fish baskets (traps). He would catch turtles often and he would make turtle stew every year. It was delicious. Made like Brunswick stew but with turtle

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

My father in law used to have fish baskets (traps). He would catch turtles often and he would make turtle stew every year. It was delicious. Made like Brunswick stew but with turtle

Yes indeed, BUT I have not had any Turtle Stew/Turtle Soup since about 1973! Darn it.

 

[Old Ranger]

My wife's family is from Tennessee. If her grandfather saw a turtle, let us just say turtle was on the menu. If her grandpa got a turtle, we did not go their house for supper. I in fact have never eaten turtle. Still I am sure many Civil War era families would not pass up on a nice turtle for supper. Come on I had turtles as pets as a youth: To eat one of my pets?. So how was turtle meat served during the Civil War era?

Mock turtle soup predates the Civil War. Why anyone would want to 'mock' a poor turtle baffles me.

I grew up in Minnesota. Any time we could catch a big snapping turtle it was dinner. Deep fried or turtle soup. I had a huge turtle trap that we built and put out in the pond ; however, we caught most of them when they were walking across the road.

 

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

Gopher tortoise was "Hoover chicken" in the Great Depression. I wonder if it was Jeff Davis chicken in 1865?

 

[Joe Whitworth]

My High School girlfriend's Dad grew up poor in the depression when just about anything you could eat was game. I would shoot snappers in a neighboring farm pond and take them to him and we would clean and cut them up. Creepy to see turtles with their heads blown cleanly off (22 Mag Hollow points) walking around a couple hours after being shot! When cutting them open the legs would always respond to the knife, clawing at your hands. Rolled in flour and fried up it was good, mix of light and dark meat.

 

[Pollaco]

Turtles (and tortises) are being killed off by feral
hogs here in South Texas or so I hear.Their shell was pretty good protection against most predators until the Hog population exploded.

 

[G Low]

Yes indeed, BUT I have not had any Turtle Stew/Turtle Soup since about 1973! Darn it.

He made the best! People used to come from all over for his turtle stew. He would tell my wife and her sister that he didn't put turtle in it but after they ate it they would find the shell or shells.

 

[35th MA InfRegt]

Somewhat Civil War-adjacent. Several biographies of William Sherman mention that while stationed in Florida during the Second Seminole War (1841-1842), he ate turtle steaks.

 

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

Somewhat Civil War-adjacent. Several biographies of William Sherman mention that while stationed in Florida during the Second Seminole War (1841-1842), he ate turtle steaks.

Probably sea turtles.

Their eggs were good too.

 

[The Ninth Ohio]

In their regimental history the Niners describe 2nd company fashioning a productive turtle-catch while guarding bridges around Tuscumbia and Florence in summer 62. They ate them and sold them to other soldiers and the locals for a good profit.

Mock turtle soup is still fairly popular in certain circles here in Cincinnati. A local German restaurant was still serving it when they closed a couple years ago.

 

[Library Lady]

Happy Turtle Day (May 23, 2026)!

World Turtle Day - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[major bill]

My home state of Michigan has 10 species of turtles, would different turtles tastes different?

The Musk Turtle. commonly call "the stinkpot" is so small and stinks so bad, I don't think anyone eats them.

 

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

My home state of Michigan has 10 species of turtles, would different turtles tastes different?

Softshell turtles definitely have a unique taste and texture, from what I've heard. Like tough beef, IIRC.

Predominantly terrestrial turtles probably taste different than predominantly aquatic turtles, due to diet. Sliders and cooters probably taste about the same.

Other than the larger varieties of terrapins (tortoises, snapping turtles, softshell, sea turtles) I would think there would be the same problem as quail: a lot of work for not much meat.