Your Favorite Brand of Turkey .... Update in #16

[kransden]

I need to buy my turkey tomorrow. After years of buying the premade dinners, last year I made a turkey. It was a store brand, and I was very unimpressed. Anybody have a favorite brand?

[SnuggleBuggles]

I buy a fresh one from Whole Foods (not the organic one though). I brine it with one of he kits they sell there. Brining makes a world of difference!

Beth

[vludmilla]

I do not like the regular brands of turkey. I highly recommend an organic or heritage turkey of any brand. There may be some farms in your area that sell higher end turkeys.

[tnrnchick74]

we always have a Butterball turkey...

[Melbel]

We prefer Bell & Evans for turkey, as well as rotisserie chicken.

[drako]

Jaindl turkeys are great. They have an organic one and their grand champion has more white meat and less fat. Both are very good.

[BarbieSmith]

I always get the free store-brand one, and am always so very pleased! Have you tried roasting it with a cover on? It makes such a delicious, moist bird...

I *would* love an organic one, though, but $ prevents it at the moment :)

[BabyMine]

Brining makes a world of difference!Beth

:yeahthat: I use the brine from Alton Brown.

[alexsmommy]

Brine, brine, brine. I prefer a fresh one b/c one's like butterball have already had a solution infused to keep them moist. Brine, roast with a cover until very end.

It's not hard, but there is a learning curve, My turkeys were MUCH better by my third year of hosting.

I also like the Alton Brown one. I tweak it a bit.

[Mikey0709]

Another Jaindl turkey fan here - - we always order one fresh since they are local to us in Pennsylvania - and LOVE that they have more white meat and less fat.

[karenj2]

Last Christmas I hosted our dinner (which is basically a repeat of Thanksgiving), and I bought a fresh turkey from a local farm, and brined it. It was YUMMY!!

[Penny's Pappa]

We just stay with the old Butterball. Brining is key. We use Alton Brown's brine and cooking method and have had EXCELLENT results.

[Tondi G]

we buy a Kosher turkey from the kosher butcher a block away. Have no clue what brand it is but they are always nice and moist... probably cause the salting process acts like a brine.

[kransden]

Thanks for all the suggestions. :) I do brine (it does make a world of difference), and I am actually a good cook. It was just not a great bird. It was very large, but had very little meat on it. Kind of like it was an old skinny bird kwim? If I am going through all the trouble of making it myself, I don't want a repeat of last year.

[Tondi G]

Thanks for all the suggestions. :) I do brine (it does make a world of difference), and I am actually a good cook. It was just not a great bird. It was very large, but had very little meat on it. Kind of like it was an old skinny bird kwim? If I am going through all the trouble of making it myself, I don't want a repeat of last year.

Hmm thats odd... skinny old bird doesn't sound like it would be very good to me either! Hope this year you get a plump, juicy bird! I've heard the Trader Joe's turkeys are pretty good too!

[kransden]

Well the only turkeys left in the store were the Kroger private selection injected w/ butter. Normally 1.99, but 37 cents because they ran out out of the cheapies. They also had a few Butterballs, but they were too small at 10lbs. I brined my 20lb bird. It was nice and meaty, and everyone was happy!

[hellokitty]

You know, throughout all of these yrs, I just get whatever turkey is on sale and it always comes out tasting great, regardless of the brand. BTW, I always brine my turkey. I think it makes a world of difference, b/c I have tasted other ppl's turkeys and most ppl do not brine and they are so dry!

[mamicka]

You know, throughout all of these yrs, I just get whatever turkey is on sale and it always comes out tasting great, regardless of the brand.

We do, too. Jennie-O this year. I was not as organized as usual so didn't brine but it still came out great - moist & flavorful.

[lizzywednesday]

Hmm thats odd... skinny old bird doesn't sound like it would be very good to me either! Hope this year you get a plump, juicy bird! I've heard the Trader Joe's turkeys are pretty good too!

The ones at my TJ's were pre-brined w/giblets or Koshered w/o giblets ... is that universal to TJ's year after year? (We plan to host Thanksgiving dinner next year & I am a big believer in brining the bird, but will have an eight-month-old DC, so would like to plan accordingly. If TJ's birds come pre-brined, we are totally getting a TJ's bird because the extra dollar per pound for a fresh, pre-brined bird is so worth the time savings to me.)

[Tondi G]

The ones at my TJ's were pre-brined w/giblets or Koshered w/o giblets ... is that universal to TJ's year after year? (We plan to host Thanksgiving dinner next year & I am a big believer in brining the bird, but will have an eight-month-old DC, so would like to plan accordingly. If TJ's birds come pre-brined, we are totally getting a TJ's bird because the extra dollar per pound for a fresh, pre-brined bird is so worth the time savings to me.)

I'm pretty sure the TJ's birds are pre-brined and ready to go!

[AnnieW625]

I know I am late to the party, but we were very happy with our fresh turkey that was pre brined from Trader Joe's. We'll definitely buy from them again. I was afraid it was going to be salty, but it wasn't.