How to Pick a Thanksgiving Turkey

Guide Note: When Turkey Day is fast approaching, you'll want to make sure you're adequately prepared for the biggest feast of the year by learning How to Pick a Thanksgiving Turkey!

Table of Contents:

Introduction

  • Every November, millions of people across the country gather with family and friends to celebrate Thanksgiving by watching annual parades, football games, and—of course—by sitting down to a hot, delicious turkey feast. If you're the lucky one who will be cooking the turkey this year, you're going to want to make sure you pick the perfect one for the occasion!

Step 1: Choose a Size

  • It's official: size matters. You don't want anyone going hungry at your Thanksgiving dinner, so you'll want to make sure you have enough turkey to go around.
  1. The general rule is 1 to 1½ lbs. of uncooked turkey per person.
  2. For small occasions a turkey breast can do the trick.
  3. Too much is better than too little. If you estimate your portions generously, the worst thing that can happen is that you have a lot of tasty leftovers!

Step 2: Choose Your Turkey Type

Heritage turkeys are the rarest breed (Creative commons photo by Curt Gibbs)
Heritage turkeys are the rarest breed (Creative commons photo by Curt Gibbs)
  • Now that you know how big your holiday meal needs to be, it's time to consider your options for the type of bird you'd like to toss in the oven. Don't forget to factor in your budget; though most turkeys cost about $1-4 per pound, some can run up to $7.
  1. Frozen: Frozen turkeys need to be thawed before you cook them (for about a day per 4 lbs.; a 12 lb. bird would need three days to thaw), so they require some planning ahead. Luckily, you can purchase them well in advance.
  2. Fresh: These turkeys are not frozen. You should only buy one a day or two before you want to cook it; just keep the turkey in the fridge until your oven's ready. If you procrastinate when buying your bird, you'll need a fresh one to avoid thawing time.
  3. Pre-stuffed: There are frozen turkeys available that already have stuffing in them. This can save time and effort if you don't want to stuff a turkey yourself, but it's important to be careful never to thaw a pre-stuffed turkey as it promotes bacteria growth.
  4. Basted/Self-Basting: For taste, self-basting turkeys are injected with broth, butter, or other flavoring agents. They tend to be very moist, but lose a bit of that pure turkey flavor.
  5. Natural: No flavor agents or any other artificial ingredients have been injected into natural turkeys. Their flavor and moisture level can run the full gamut of turkey taste.
  6. Free-Range: If animal rights are your thing, these turkeys have had the chance to roam outside while they were alive. Some argue that free-range turkeys even have better flavor.
  7. Organic: These are free-range turkeys that ate pesticide-free feed and are free of antibiotics and growth hormones. They tend to be more expensive and have strong turkey flavor.
  8. Kosher: Prepared in accordance with kosher Jewish law, these turkeys go through a process that includes being soaked in fresh water and brined in salt.
  9. Heritage: The most expensive type of turkey, they contain less white meat and more fat than your typical bird but are considered by many to be the best quality turkey available. They are raised on traditional farms and are descendants of some of the first domesticated turkeys in America.

Step 3: Buy Your Turkey

Make sure you have enough freezer/fridge space for your turkey (Creative commons photo by Liza)
Make sure you have enough freezer/fridge space for your turkey (Creative commons photo by Liza)
  • Once you've decided what kind of turkey will be gracing your dinner table this year, it's time to buy it! Here are a few things to remember:
  1. The easiest way to find most turkeys is to go to your local grocery store.
  2. Organic and free-range turkeys can be purchased directly from the farms that raise them or from stores such as Whole Foods.
  3. You can purchase heritage turkeys by contacting a farmer in your area or by visiting a website such as Heritage Foods USA.
  4. Timing is everything. You can order a frozen turkey weeks ahead of time to make sure you have one ready to go. Fresh turkeys are usually in good supply around the holidays, however, so if you'd like to avoid the thawing process, you can buy one a day or two before you need to cook it.
  5. Don't skimp. Even if you're on a budget, stick to USDA-approved Grade A turkey. Older or "mature" turkeys may be cheaper, but "young" turkeys that are under 7 months old are much more tender. Those under 4 months old ("fryers" or "roasters") are even better.
  6. Gender doesn't affect flavor. Although male turkeys are often bigger, the taste will not vary between sexes.
  7. Don't forget to make some room. Turkeys (and other Thanksgiving treats) can take up quite a bit of space, so be sure your fridge and/or freezer have adequate storage space.
  8. If all else fails, eat out... Or try out some alternative Thanksgiving ideas!

Resources for How to Pick a Thanksgiving Turkey

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