Where To Buy A Small Turkey
Whether classic or kosher, heirloom or organic, all of the fresh and frozen turkeys we sell meet our Quality Standards. Turkeys are third-party audited to meet over 100 animal welfare standards and all options are Animal Welfare Certified (except kosher turkeys). And, like all meat and poultry in the department, the animals must be raised with no antibiotics ever and no animal by-products in feed.What Types of Turkey Do We Offer?
where to buy a small turkey
Turkey Breasts: Feeding a smaller group? Our classic (no antibiotics ever) and organic turkey breasts are easy to brine and take less time to prepare than a whole turkey. We offer bone-in, organic bone-in and boneless options.
All fresh and frozen turkeys from our Meat department must meet our standards for being raised with no antibiotics ever, no animal by-products in feed and 100+ animal welfare standards. Federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones in raising turkeys.
Fastest Way: Short on time or fridge space? This is your best option. Make sure the turkey is sealed in a leak-proof wrapper and place it in a vessel large enough to completely contain it. Add cold tap water to cover. Change the water every 30 minutes and allow 30 minutes of thawing time per pound.
*Valid while supplies last. Organic Fresh Whole Turkey excludes brined, heirloom, heritage, kosher, oven-ready, smoked, frozen and cooked. Fresh Whole Turkey excludes organic, brined, heirloom, heritage, kosher, oven-ready, smoked, frozen and cooked. Limit 4 turkeys per customer. Quantities limited. No rain checks except where required by law.
Put it off no longer. If you know where to look, you can buy whole turkeys that weigh as little as six pounds. Springfield Farm in Sparks, Md. (Baltimore County), has several right now. They are pasture-raised heritage Narragansetts and cost $9 a pound.
As for those inevitable leftovers, Recipe Finder is also your source for post-Thanksgiving turkey applications. Here are just a few: Turkey Stroganoff on Toast; Turkey Tetrazzini With Butternut Squash Sauce; Chopped Turkey Club Salad With Basil Balsamic Dressing; Curried Couscous With Turkey, Chickpeas and Golden Raisins; Fruity-Nutty Wild Rice and Turkey Salad; Turkey, Caramelized Onion and Apple Pizza.
Perfect for smaller gatherings, a Li'l Butterball is a small whole turkey. Li'l Butterball turkeys have all the wow factor of a traditional whole turkey, but at a smaller weight so they cook faster and provide fewer servings. Fresh Li'l Butterball turkey is all natural*, never frozen and gluten free.
Storing Fresh Turkey: Fresh turkey should be refrigerated at 35 to 40F. The lower temperature is preferred. If you are not confident about the temperature of your refrigerator, cook or freeze the turkey within 4 days of purchase.
Storage of Leftovers: Carve leftover turkey into slices before refrigerating to speed cooling. Refrigerate carved leftovers within 2 hours of eating. Use leftover turkey within 3 days.
These birds can be very hard to cook properly. A large bird spends a long time in the oven, meaning that lean, delicate parts like the breast tend to become dry and tough. Meanwhile, the legs and thighs tend to be undercooked: white meat cooks faster than dark meat. This could be one reason why many people simply like to pass on the turkey at the Thanksgiving table. However, more and more people are getting on board with an easy solution: rather than buy a large, unwieldy bird, they buy two small, 10-pound turkeys.
Grocery stores are beginning to notice that some people are switching to smaller turkeys and are catering to the demand. Even as they try to stock up on them, however, they tend to be in short supply. If you would like to get two small turkeys for your Thanksgiving feast this year, you might want to start looking a little early and look at more different stores than you would usually try.
Finally, you should keep in mind that roasting isn't the only way to prepare a turkey for Thanksgiving. You could smoke, sous vide, grill, or deep fry, as well. Some people even use an electric roaster. Whichever way you choose to get your turkey ready to eat, it's important to remember that smaller birds are easier to handle and often give you better results.
These Westchester stores sell oven-ready, farm-raised turkeys for your Thanksgiving dinner. All you need to do is toss the bird in the oven and pair it with cranberry sauce, corn bread, and all your favorite Thanksgiving sides. Time to dig in!
Farm-fresh 100% pasture-raised turkeys are available at Harvest Moon. The Farm partnered with Goffle Road Poultry Farm to offer two size ranges and two pickup days. The small range turkey is about 15-19 lbs and the large range is 20-25 lbs. Each size is going for $6.50/lb. The two pickup days are November 22 and November 23.
Hemlock Hill has variety of meat options in stock for your Thanksgiving meal. Their turkey goes for $6.99/lb, and customers can pick between a bird of four different sizes. Hemlock Hill also offers turkey breasts, thighs, wings, and backs.
Preheat oven to 325º F. Remove soft oven ready turkey from the bag. After removing the neck and giblets from the body cavities rinse the bird with cold water. Pat turkey dry with a paper towel. If you choose to stuff your bird this would be the time to do so.
There is no need to turn the bird while roasting as it will brown to a rich, golden color. A foil tent can be placed loosely over the turkey during the last hour of roasting to prevent over browning. For truly marvelous gravy, heat (do not boil) 1 cup white wine. Pour this over your turkey halfway through the roasting time. When the turkey reaches the desired internal temperature, remove from the oven. Cover and let stand for at least 15 minute before carving.
My aunt Charlotte Berg always made the most moist, delicious turkey, so it really surprised me to learn after decades of enjoying her cooking that she didn't like turkey. That still baffles my mind how someone could make it so expertly and not like it. I never noticed that she didn't eat it.
On the other hand, I've always loved turkey and can't for the life of me figure out why I only serve it at Thanksgiving and, possibly, as an addition to our Christmas menu for those who don't like lamb.
There are many ways to prepare the big bird. There's turkey in a bag, turkey injected with seasonings and roasted and turkey soaked in brine for hours -- I even towed the turkey to Texas one Thanksgiving, keeping it in brine the entire trip, only stopping at gas stations every few hours to get more ice to keep it well-chilled. That was an experience. No matter how you roast your turkey, here are some suggestions on how to bag the best bird and keep things safe.
Buy small. Bigger isn't always better. Small turkeys, in the 8-pound range, if you can find one, are easier to handle, cook more evenly and taste better. If cooking for a crowd, as many of us will be doing, consider two small birds. Allow a half pound for every person you are feeding -- or a pound to ensure you'll have some left over for a pan of Hot Browns or turkey tetrazini.
Buy fresh (or natural). A fresh bird really has the best flavor, but they are sometimes hard to find and more expensive. At the very least, choose an all-natural turkey that is not self-basting, meaning it's been injected with water and who knows what. Buy it up to four days ahead and keep it, still wrapped, in a rimmed pan on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.
Allow time to thaw. Frozen turkeys make up the majority of turkey sales during the holiday season and should be purchased no later than five days before Thanksgiving, according to the National Turkey Federation. So get it no later than Saturday, thaw it under refrigeration, leaving it wrapped in a rimmed pan set on the bottom shelf. Allow a day of thawing for every 4 pounds, and make sure it's completely thawed before cooking it. Don't forget to take out that bag of innards. It won't hurt the bird, only your pride if you carve the board at the table filled with guests and find you've left it in. I did that once when cooking one of my first Thanksgivings and still get teased decades later.
Err on the side of caution. A frozen turkey that has been thawed in the refrigerator will keep for at least 24 hours after it's fully thawed, but cook it as soon as you can after it has thawed.
If you think you'll want help with the turkey, sides, desserts or all of the above, check out the list of area restaurants that have takeout options for Thanksgiving at timesfreepress.com. The list was updated just this week with another place to consider, Jim & Nick's Bar-B-Q at Hamilton Place. The story also mentions restaurants that will be open Thanksgiving if you want to leave the cooking to someone else.
My first thought was that I should try to get a smaller turkey, but then I talked with Jim Richardson, the longtime farmer and rancher in Rockdale who has been raising turkeys (and cattle and pigs and chickens) for decades.
If you happen to be hosting Thanksgiving this year, or if you're acting as MVP by bringing the turkey to a potluck bash, you may be hot on the hunt for the perfect bird. For gourmands wanting organic, heritage-bred, and more flavorful turkey, these local Bay Area butchers and markets have you covered.
The Birds: Branigan's broad-breasted turkeys, Willie Birds, and Good Shepherd Ranch's Mary's heritage turkeys are available raw in sizes small, medium, and large. Willie Bird half and whole turkeys are also available herb-roasted or house-smoked ($82-$148).
The Prices: All turkeys require a$50-$75 deposit upfront. Once the turkeys arrive, Luke's will charge the remaining balance based on the bird's final weight. Willie's birds are $4.50/lb. Branigan's turkeys are $5.75 per pound. Mary's Heritage birds from Good Shepherd Ranch are $14.99/lb. 041b061a72