Let's Talk Turkey!
All turkeys from our meat department would make good choices, as they're all required to meet USDA standards for quality and safety. However, there are different grades and types out there to choose from.
Fresh or Frozen, what's right for you?
As the centerpiece to your Thanksgiving dinner, the choice of your turkey is an important one. If you are on the bench of whether or not you want to purchase a fresh or frozen turkey, consider some of the following to hopefully help you decide.
Fresh:
Skip the four day defrost which takes up prime real estate in your refrigerator.
If you plan to brine your turkey you can pop it right into the brining vessel, a turkey must be thawed completely before you can brine it.
Fresh Turkey's are less readily available and most often need to be pre-ordered. Pre order yours here.
Some argue that a fresh and frozen turkey taste the same. While the flavor may be the same, the texture and juiciness of the bird will differ. The longer a turkey is frozen the quality and amount of texture and juiciness will decrease.
Frozen
A frozen turkey will keep for quite a while if kept frozen, usually 2 - 3 months. A frozen turkey will generally cost less than a fresh turkey.
A frozen turkey must be COMPLETELY thawed before roasting. This requires some serious refrigerator time, as countertop thawing is not recommended as a safe thawing practice.
Frozen turkeys are immediately flash frozen after processing, requiring less handling and in turn reduces the cost. Typically these are mass produced commercial turkeys and it can be difficult or next to impossible to find a Free-Range or Organic frozen turkey.
Always check the package of your frozen turkey for any signs of damage or frost buildup—clues that the turkey may have partially thawed then refrozen. Also, the turkey should be solidly frozen, with no areas that feel soft to the touch.
Think organic.
Organic meat is free of growth hormones and antibiotics, and also guarantees that the birds were fed with their health in mind; only real grains without pesticides.
Consider free-range.
You don’t have to be a hippie to appreciate the the fact your turkey had a quality life before it made its way to your table.
Free-range turkeys were given the benefits of enjoying the great outdoors during their marvelous lifespan; they were less likely to be distressed because of this higher quality of life. The result? A stronger texture of meat and robust flavor.