What kind of turkey do you buy?

[motherhen17404]

I guess I am lucky. We have a local farmers market and the owner of one of the meat stands has his own turkey farm. His turkeys are free-range and have the best favor. After buying his turkeys for several years, I will never buy a Butterball again.

 

[Queen Quinnella]

I tried to find a Honeysuckle White but no one around here carries it so I got a 17 lb Butterball instead.

 

[suzannen]

Another one here who loves the Empire Kosher Turkey.

 

[Poohbear123]

at my Publix, and also the Jenny O brand Breast, but not the WHOLE turkey which is what I want. I 'might' get the Empire brand, as I brined my turkey a few years back and it was sooo good. I don't really see what the big deal is about Butterball, mine usually comes out dry.

 

[MrOrange22]

Me and my gf are going to share a tofurkey...... she is vegan.

The only saving grace is that she also is a crime fan like myself and we are going to watch a forensic files marathon

 

[icebrat001]

Sorry, for the stupid question. I'm not a huge cook and I've only cooked a turkey once and I was extremly disgusted that the turkey had to be cleaned and my hands got gooey.

Nonetheless, what is brining? Seems cool..

 

[Tiggerlover91]

I bought an Empire Kosher Turkey from Publix! I love their chicken, so I know the turkey will be just as good! :thewave:

 

[Kahana-ri]

We buy a fresh turkey from a farm in MA. Just ordered a 25lb turkey to be pick-up Wednesday.

 

[Tiggerlover91]

I've been looking for this turkey and cannot find it. NO ONE sells them. I even made a 40 minute drive to Wegman's and was hugely disappointed.

We ended up with a Shady Brook Farms fresh turkey which will probably be as disappointing as all the rest of the various brands.

I wouldn't say that NO ONE sells them. I just got mine from Publix on Friday. It's the only store in our area that sells kosher meat. You don't have a Publix anywhere near you?

 

[arminnie]

One year I got one from Wild Oats--a free range, fresh bird. It tasted WONDERFUL! Not sure of the brand though--it was the same brand as the chicken they sell in the store.

I agree with you about the free range, fresh poultry from Wild Oats (or Whole Food) being great.

If I'm going to buy frozen I really can't find any difference between the cheapest ones and the brand name ones except in price.

When I was growing up my mother always hosted Christmas dinner. That could mean as many as 40 people (in a 900 square foot house! ). People brought stuff, but we always cooked the turkey. We always needed to get the biggest and the cheapest one we could find.

Last year I had my dad cook the turkey breast side down. It was so moist - he usually hates white meat and even he liked it that year.

 

[Christine]

I wouldn't say that NO ONE sells them. I just got mine from Publix on Friday. It's the only store in our area that sells kosher meat. You don't have a Publix anywhere near you?

Nope, no Publix.

I have Giant, Safeway, Food Lion, Wegman's, and Trader Joe's. Not one of them had an Empire turkey (although some carry Empire chicken).

icebrat--brining is when you soak your turkey overnight in a kosher salt/water mixture. This makes the turkey EXTREMELY moist when you cook it.

I would brine, but I don't feel like it. I just wanted to buy the darned Empire turkey.

 

[Laura]

We're having Thanksgiving at my house, so I asked my DH to order a free-range one from Wild Oats. I don't know what brand it is. I figured if we're going to have a turkey, I might as well be sure that it had a relatively good life--even though I'm not going to eat it.

 

[skiwee1]

Does brining make the turkey salty at all? What part salt to what part water do you use? How many hours do you do this? Thanks!

 

[N.Bailey]

Does brining make the turkey salty at all? What part salt to what part water do you use? How many hours do you do this? Thanks!

The only salt I use is to salt the inside of the turkey and I don't use much. I do sprinkle the top of the bird with Paprika though and I remove the cover during the last 30 minutes to get the skin hardened a bit (not hard though).

I then take the broth and add water and soup base to make gravy AFTER it's cooked. I don't add any water to the pan the turkey is cooking in though. My MIL actually takes all the giblets out and simmers them in a pot to add to her gravy, but I don't go that far. These things get tossed in the garbage at our house.

If you're asking how long to cook it, it's really going to depend on whether 1, it's stuffed or not, and 2, what size turkey you're cooking. It's going to take HOURS though no matter what.

 

[skiwee1]

The only salt I use is to salt the inside of the turkey and I don't use much. I do sprinkle the top of the bird with Paprika though and I remove the cover during the last 30 minutes to get the skin hardened a bit (not hard though).

I then take the broth and add water and soup base to make gravy.

If you're asking how long to cook it, it's really going to depend on whether 1, it's stuffed or not, and 2, what size turkey you're cooking. It's going to take HOURS though no matter what.

No, not how long to cook it. How long do you let it sit in brine? So you salt the inside. Do you then cover the entire turkey in water and the refridgerate it overnight? Do you rinse it well before baking it? Sorry for all the questions!

 

[N.Bailey]

No, not how long to cook it. How long do you let it sit in brine? So you salt the inside. Do you then cover the entire turkey in water and the refridgerate it overnight? Do you rinse it well before baking it? Sorry for all the questions!

I skimmed passed the brine posts. I didn't realize your post was concerning that, sorry. I don't cover my turkey in any water (other than to wash it off LOL). Hopefully someone who knows more about it will weigh in.

 

[skiwee1]

I skimmed passed the brine posts. I didn't realize your post was concerning that, sorry. I don't cover my turkey in any water (other than to wash it off LOL). Hopefully someone who knows more about it will weigh in.

LOL! Thanks!

 

[wdwmom2]

No, not how long to cook it. How long do you let it sit in brine? So you salt the inside. Do you then cover the entire turkey in water and the refridgerate it overnight? Do you rinse it well before baking it? Sorry for all the questions!

Google or Yahoo turkey brine, you will get a million different recipes!!! From most of them that I have read, soak it for about 6 - 12 hours, rinse well, cook. I am brining my turkey this year, it will be my first time. Hope it turns out as good as everyone says!!!!!

 

[mickeyfan2]

I like only fresh turkeys. Have much less added to them.

 

[Christine]

Yep, do a search on turkey brining. Usually you do it overnight on a thawed turkey. Oh, and you can only use kosher salt and water. Not sure what the ratio of salt to water is.

No the turkey is not salty, but sometimes your gravy can be--but not always.