Picking the perfect turkey

By Tom Jackson
Oct 11, 2018

PICKING THE PERFECT TURKEY

At the original Thanksgiving feast, turkey was served because it was plentiful in the Americas. But the turkey you get at the store today bears little resemblance to the those that ended up on the Pilgrim’s platters.

To help you decide which turkey to purchase for your Thanksgiving feast, we've rounded up information on types of turkeys, the flavor and texture differences of frozen turkeys versus fresh, and a guide on how much turkey you need to feed your family and friends.

Types of Turkeys

Before we discuss types of turkeys, let's talk about added solutions. Most turkey processors inject a liquid solution into each turkey as a way of staving off the possibility that it will be overcooked. This solution is typically a combination of brine, water, oil, and seasoning, and is often high in sodium. At the store, look at the turkey label to find the amount of added solution. The lower the number the better, because you'll have more control over the seasoning, flavor and saltiness of your Thanksgiving turkey.

NATURAL TURKEYS: In order for a turkey to be called natural, it must not be fed animal by- products or given growth hormones or antibiotics beyond those necessary for veterinary health. The USDA requires natural turkeys be minimally processed and contain no artificial ingredients, preservatives, or coloring. These turkeys have a nice flavor and texture, and because they often have little to no added solution, they can be brined for additional flavor.

ORGANIC TURKEYS: To be labeled as organic, turkeys can only be fed organic feed. That means no genetically modified grains, chemicals or animal by-products. They are free-range, raised without antibiotics, and are processed without additives or solutions. This boosts their overall natural flavor and can be brined for additional seasoning and increased juiciness.

KOSHER TURKEYS: Kosher turkeys are usually grain-fed and raised without antibiotics. They're also free range. Because of kosher requirements, they are processed according to rabbinic laws and brined in salt. These birds usually have enough flavor without needing much more than a rub.

HERITAGE TURKEYS: The most expensive store bought turkeys are heritage turkeys. These are specific turkey breeds and are most likely free-range. When processed, they contain no additives. They are known for having a solid flavor profile on their own and containing very lean meat.

CONVENTIONALLY RAISED TURKEYS: The least expensive turkeys are conventionally raised and often come with the highest amount of solution injection. As a result, the taste will often be more buttery and spongy. Because they come with a high salt content, you won’t need to brine these turkeys yourself.

Frozen vs. Fresh

All types of turkey can come either fresh or frozen.

FROZEN: Over half of the 44 million turkeys sold every year are purchased frozen. The great majority of frozen turkeys are actually flash frozen, which means they are rapidly chilled by being subjected to subzero temperatures. Because it takes less time than the traditional freezing process, flash freezing minimizes the size of the ice crystals created in and around the turkey meat. When it comes to buying a frozen turkey, you’ll want to know exactly how much solution has been added. Again, the lower the percentage the better.

FRESH: You’ll likely have to go to a specialty market to find a fresh turkey. The main benefit of a fresh turkey is that it hasn’t been injected with a solution, so you’ll be the first to brine and season the bird. Fresh turkeys have never been stored at less than 26 degrees, but may have been held at that temperature before reaching the store, so you should consider “fresh” a relative term. Always check the ‘sell by’ or ‘use by’ dates to make sure you’re getting the freshest turkey possible. As you might expect, fresh turkeys will not require the same amount of thawing as a frozen one.

How Much to Buy

Plan to purchase 1-2 pounds of turkey per person depending on whether you want leftovers. We recommend purchasing a turkey in the 12 to 16 pound range, which is enough for a medium- sized family gathering. If you need more, it’s better to cook two smaller turkeys than one large. Smaller turkeys cook faster and have more tender and juicy meat.

We hope this gives you the information you need to bring home the right turkey for you and your family. Check out The Sauce for more tips and techniques from our teaching kitchen.

4 Types of Turkey, What’s Your Best Choice?

Everyone knows that turkey is the star of the Thanksgiving table.

Whether you’re selecting fresh or frozen, here's everything you need to know about buying your Thanksgiving turkey.

While the original settlers feasted on turkey because it was plentiful and native to the Americas, the turkey you’ll get at the store has little resemblance to those on the pilgrim’s platter. Now, turkeys are bred to provide larger white meat breasts. That being said, you’ll want to look beyond the wrapper when you hit the store.

Types of Turkeys

Natural turkeys, whether frozen or fresh, have had no animal by-products in their feed. They are not given growth hormones or antibiotics beyond those necessary for veterinary health. The USDA requires that they are minimally processed and have no artificial ingredients, preservatives or coloring. Because of this, they have a really good flavor and texture. These turkeys can be brined for additional flavor.

Kosher turkeys, in case you’re curious, are usually grain fed, no antibiotics and roam freely. Because of kosher requirements, they are processed according to the rabbinic laws and are brined in salt. These birds usually taste pretty good without any further prep work. But if you want to brine your own turkey, you’ll want to opt for turkeys that are labeled “natural.”

Natural is not to be confused with organic. To be labeled as organic, these turkeys are fed only organic feed (no genetically modified grains, no chemicals, and no animal by-products). They are free-range birds that do not get antibiotics. They are humanely processed and they are packaged without additives. They generally have a very good flavor.

The most expensive of the store bought turkeys is labeled “heritage.” These are turkey breeds that were originally raised on farms, they are most likely free-range. They are raised thoughtfully and humanely. When processed, they contain no additives. These are superior birds. They are the most delicious and contain lean meat.

The least expensive turkeys are most likely factory-farmed and will have the most solution injection. The taste can be buttery and spongy. And because they have a high salt content, you don’t want to put these in the brine solution.

Fresh or Frozen

Frozen turkeys are flash frozen below 0 degrees. The flash freezing process minimizes the damage done during the freezing process by reducing the size of ice crystals. But many turkey manufacturers still inject a liquid “basting” solution to help retain moisture.

The solution is usually a combination of brine, water, oil, and seasoning. It’s also high in sodium. The idea is that you might overcook your turkey and by injecting the solution they make sure you have a nice moist turkey. But, if you follow our recipes, you won’t need to have a lot of extras. So look carefully at the label and look for the amount of solution added. You’ll want that to be as low as possible. In addition, keywords like “all-natural” and “organic” will assure that the bird has had little, if any, enhancing chemicals.

You can also choose to go with a fresh turkey. You can get fresh turkeys at specialty markets like Whole Foods. They may or may not be frozen when you buy them, but fresh turkeys have never been stored at less than 26 degrees. They may have been held for a bit of time at that temperature before reaching the store so consider “fresh” to be a relative term. Always check the “sell by” or “use by” dates to assure you’ve chosen a really fresh turkey.

The benefit of a fresh turkey is that it hasn’t been injected with any solutions so if you can provide your own seasonings or brining it won’t be competing with any injections.

If you are shopping very close to Thanksgiving, a fresh turkey will not require the same amount of thawing that a frozen turkey requires.

How much to buy

Plan to purchase 1 to 2 lbs per person depending on if you want leftovers. Tom Jackson, staff chef at All Things Barbecue says, “I like to buy them in the 12 - 16 lb range.” Which is enough for a smaller family gathering. But if you need more, Tom advises, “I would rather cook 2 smaller birds than one huge bird. Smaller birds cook faster, which makes it easier to keep the meat juicy,” and who doesn’t love that!

Ready to cook?

We’ve got four different ways you can prepare your turkey: traditional, spatchcock, rotisserie or piece by piece. Check out all four methods in our All Things Turkey blog post.

Got leftovers?

Some say the second day is the best turkey. We’ve got you covered with a Turkey leftover recipe that will make your taste buds dance with delight.

PICKING THE PERFECT TURKEY

Types of Turkeys

Before we discuss types of turkeys, we have to talk about added solutions. Most turkey processors inject a liquid solution into each turkey as a way of staving off the possibility that it will be overcooked. This solution is typically a combination of brine, water, oil, and seasoning, and is often high in sodium. At the store, look at the turkey label to find the amount of added solution. The lower the number the better, because you'll have more control over the seasoning, flavor and saltiness of your Thanksgiving turkey.

NATURAL TURKEYS: In order for a turkey to be called natural, it must not be fed animal by- products or given growth hormones or antibiotics beyond those necessary for veterinary health. The USDA requires natural turkeys be minimally processed and contain no artificial ingredients, preservatives, or coloring. These turkeys have a nice flavor and texture, and because they often have little to no added solution, they can be brined for additional flavor.

ORGANIC TURKEYS: To be labeled as organic, turkeys can only be fed organic feed. That means no genetically modified grains, chemicals or animal by-products. They are free-range, raised without antibiotics, and are processed without additives or solutions. This boosts their overall natural flavor and can be brined for additional seasoning and increased juiciness.

KOSHER TURKEYS: Kosher turkeys are usually grain-fed and raised without antibiotics. They're also free range. Because of kosher requirements, they are processed according to rabbinic laws and brined in salt. These birds usually have enough flavor without needing much more than a rub.

HERITAGE TURKEYS: The most expensive store bought turkeys are heritage turkeys. These are specific turkey breeds and are most likely free-range. When processed, they contain no additives. They are known for having a solid flavor profile on their own and containing very lean meat.

CONVENTIONALLY RAISED TURKEYS: The least expensive turkeys are conventionally raised and often come with the highest amount of solution injection. As a result, the taste will often be more buttery and spongy. Because they come with a high salt content, you won’t need to brine these turkeys yourself.

Frozen vs. Fresh

All types of turkey can come either fresh or frozen.

FROZEN: Over half of the 44 million turkeys sold every year are purchased frozen. The great majority of frozen turkeys are actually flash frozen, which means they are rapidly chilled by being subjected to subzero temperatures. Because it takes less time than the traditional freezing process, flash freezing minimizes the size of the ice crystals created in and around the turkey meat. When it comes to buying a frozen turkey, you’ll want to know exactly how much solution has been added. Again, the lower the percentage the better.

FRESH: You’ll likely have to go to a specialty market to find a fresh turkey. The main benefit of a fresh turkey is that it hasn’t been injected with a solution, so you’ll be the first to brine and season the bird. Fresh turkeys have never been stored at less than 26 degrees, but may have been held at that temperature before reaching the store, so you should consider “fresh” a relative

term. Always check the ‘sell by’ or ‘use by’ dates to make sure you’re getting the freshest turkey possible. As you might expect, fresh turkeys will not require the same amount of thawing as a frozen one.

How Much to Buy

We hope this gives you the information you need to bring home the right turkey for you and your family. Check out The Sauce for more tips and techniques from our teaching kitchen.