The turkey is the star of the show for most Thanksgiving tables and cooking your bird to perfection can seem hard. However, choosing the right bird at the store should be easy.
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service poultry expert Brett Meisinger, lecturer and collegiate poultry judging team coach in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Poultry Science “talked turkey” with us and answered some questions consumers may have while searching for the perfect Thanksgiving turkey.
What size turkey do I need to buy?
Choose the weight of your Thanksgiving turkey based on the number of guests you plan to invite. The safest method for choosing the size of the bird is to purchase 1.5 pounds of whole bird per guest. On average, each person consumes 8 ounces of turkey. If you don’t need a whole bird for your Thanksgiving crowd, you can choose a smaller product option such as a turkey breast.
What do labels tell us and what do the words mean?
Labels simply allow consumers to have an option when putting food on the table. There is no right or wrong label to source as the cost and visual appearance of packaging can also impact consumer preferences.
Free-range is a common label seen on poultry products. Free range means farmers give turkeys access to the outdoors as they grow. Organically produced birds have free-range access, yet not all free-range birds are grown organically
Free-range and organic labels can include a variety of rearing practices for turkeys. Organic production sets standards for feed ingredients, antibiotic use, housing designs and labeling. The U.S. Department of Agriculture outlines the rules in its Guidelines for Organic Poultry Certification.
How early do I need to buy my turkey and when do I need to defrost it?
Buy early for the best selection. A frozen bird can keep for over a year so there really is no such thing as “too early” to buy. Consumers can freeze fresh turkeys for storage also if they wish.
Plan for defrosting time when making your purchase. The recommended method for defrosting for food safety is from the freezer to the fridge. Allow 24 hours for each 4-5 pounds of bird weight in a refrigerator 40 degrees or lower. Once refrigerator-thawed, a turkey can be left in the refrigerator for one to two days before cooking.
Is there a nutritional difference between fresh and frozen?
There is no nutritional difference between fresh and frozen turkeys at the grocery store. Most whole turkeys at the grocery store are frozen. This is the easiest way to ship and store them for sale.
Farm-to-table style means smaller producers can provide fresh options. However, they cost more and these products are not available until just before the holiday season. However, consumers can freeze them for storage if they wish.
Is my turkey Texas-grown?
Odds are good that the turkey you find in Texas supermarkets has come from out of state. Minnesota, North Carolina and Arkansas are the top states for turkey production.
Texas does not have large-scale commercial turkey farms. The 4-H and FFA youth of Texas produce the most turkeys in the state for major stock shows and judging contests. But you can reach out to local markets, butchers or specialty shops to determine if they have locally grown turkeys.
