Where to Find Delicious Smoked Turkey for Your Next Meal

Smoked turkey is a delicious, flavorful alternative to traditional roasted turkey that can add excitement to any meal. The smoky, savory flavor pairs perfectly with classic Thanksgiving or Christmas dishes but also shines in sandwiches, salads, pastas, and more year-round recipes. If you’re looking to buy high-quality smoked turkey, you have ample options from major national retailers to local specialty smokehouses and butchers. This guide covers the best places to purchase ready-to-eat smoked turkey for your next gathering or weeknight dinner.

Online and Mail Order Sources for Smoked Turkey

Ordering smoked turkey online is an easy way to get perfectly cooked, smoked birds delivered straight to your door. A few top online retailers offering smoked turkeys include:

• Burgers’ Smokehouse This 100-year-old Missouri smokehouse ships hickory-smoked whole turkeys nationwide Their turkeys range from 10-24 pounds with no preservatives or injections so the real wood-smoke flavor shines through

• Harry & David: Known for gift baskets, Harry & David sells fully cooked smoked turkey breasts in a variety of wood-smoked options including hickory, mesquite, applewood, and cherrywood. The breasts are seasoned and hand-rubbed with spices to complement the smoke.

• Goldbelly: This site lets you order smoked turkeys from famous barbecue restaurants and have them shipped across the country. Try Central Texas-style smoked turkeys from Snow’s BBQ or hickory-smoked birds from other legendary BBQ joints.

• Rastelli’s: This online butcher shop sells natural, wood-smoked whole turkeys and boneless turkey breasts with no hormones, steroids, antibiotics or preservatives added. Their turkeys range from 10-16 pounds.

• D’Artagnan For premium turkey, D’Artagnan offers organic and heritage breed smoked turkeys shipped frozen nationwide Their 8-14 pound turkeys are smoked slowly over fruitwoods

• Nueske’s: The famed Wisconsin meat company ships their applewood-smoked turkey breasts anywhere in the U.S. Nueske’s uses minimal seasoning to highlight the real smoke flavor.

Grocery Store Smoked Turkey Selections

In addition to online/mail order options many national supermarket chains now sell ready-to-eat smoked turkey in the poultry department

• Kirkland Signature Smoked Turkey at Costco: Costco offers large smoked whole turkeys under its Kirkland brand that customers consistently rave about. The 13 pound hickory-smoked birds contain added broth for extra juiciness.

• Butterball Fully Cooked Smoked Turkey: This trusted brand provides pre-smoked whole turkeys and boneless turkey breasts in a range of sizes from 10-24 pounds. They use a blend of hardwoods and hickory for smoking.

• Eckrich Smoked Turkey: Find Eckrich whole smoked turkeys and smoked turkey breasts at Kroger, Safeway, Publix and other major supermarkets. They are hickory smoked with no preservatives or artificial ingredients.

• Boar’s Head Smoked Turkey: This top deli brand offers premium smoked turkey deli meat, smoked turkey legs and boneless smoked turkey breasts at grocery chains nationwide. Their products contain no artificial ingredients.

• Plainville Farms Smoked Turkey: New Englanders can find this regional brand’s applewood smoked whole turkeys and breasts at Market Basket, Stop & Shop, Shaw’s and other area chains.

Seek Out Local Smoked Turkey Sources

Beyond the major national brands, many local butchers, smokehouses and artisan food producers now offer house-smoked turkeys. Here are some ways to find them:

• Check the deli counter at your favorite upscale market during the holidays – many now offer special in-house smoked turkey.

• Search for “butcher near me” and call around to ask about smoked turkey availability. Local butchers often smoke turkeys to order for the holidays.

• Look for barbecue restaurants and smokehouses in your area selling fully cooked smoked turkeys with superior flavor.

• Ask vendors at your farmer’s market if any nearby farms smoke their own turkeys using local wood sources. This can yield delicious results.

• Consult chef-curated restaurant guides and local food blogs for recommendations on the best house-smoked turkey options in your city or region.

What to Look for in Smoked Turkey

No matter where you buy smoked turkey, keep these tips in mind to find the best quality:

• Seek out minimally processed options without unnecessary preservatives or artificial ingredients. Opt for natural and organic smoked turkey when possible.

• Check the label for simple, real ingredients like “turkey” and “salt” rather than a long list of extras. The best smoked flavor comes from the wood smoke itself.

• Look for brands that use real hardwoods like hickory, cherry, apple, mesquite, pecan or alder for genuine slow-smoked flavor.

• Consider certified free-range, pasture-raised or heritage breed smoked turkeys for premium quality and taste.

• Pick a whole turkey size that provides around 1 pound per person. For more flexibility, boneless turkey breasts can be sliced to serve any gathering.

• Carefully inspect frozen smoked turkey packaging for freezer burn or ice crystals which indicate poor storage.

With so many excellent smoked turkey options available through online companies, national brands, local suppliers and specialty food sources, you’re sure to find the perfect wood-smoked bird to serve this holiday season or anytime!