when to buy a fresh turkey?

[mtemm]

My mom has been making fresh turkeys for the last few years and they are always so good! She gets them from a local farm, however, and usually picks them up a day or 2 ahead of time.

I don't live anywhere near her and we are new in town. I'm not 100% sure which way we will go, fresh or frozen, but if I do fresh how soon can I buy it and just stick it in the fridge?

 

[ILUVDXL]

I've bought frsh turkeys as early as the Saturday before Thanksgiving with out a problem.

 

[PamOKW]

Good question. Here's what I found

Storing Fresh Turkeys

The USDA recommends that for optimal safety, buy a fresh turkey only if you do your shopping within 1 or 2 days of when you plan to serve it. The reason is that fresh turkeys, like other fresh meat and poultry, are highly perishable. You need to be careful when purchasing and storing them to avoid spoilage. If you buy one too far in advance, it may start to spoil in your refrigerator before you're ready to cook it.

Here, too, some labels can be helpful by including "sell by" dates. The "sell by" date is the last day the turkey should be sold by the retailer. It will maintain optimal quality and safety for 1 or 2 days after this date.

You should avoid selecting a fresh turkey that is stacked above the top of the store's refrigerator case. Remember, once you get your fresh turkey home, refrigerate it right away at 40F or below, and use it within 1 to 2 days.

Your market may be able to reserve a fresh turkey for you and hold it for last-minute pickup.

 

[tkyes]

I'm so glad you asked this! I can't remember when we picked ours up last year and I couldn't decide when to go do it this year.

Now I know!

Happy Thanksgiving!


tamie

 

[DISshopkeeper]

Do you have a butcher shop in your area? That's where I order mine.

DO NOT trust that a supermarket turkey is "fresh". I can't tell you how many times I've pulled FROZEN giblets from the center of a "fresh" turkey.