Is Costco Smoked Turkey Good? A Review of Flavor, Price, and More

As Thanksgiving approaches, many of us start hunting for the perfect turkey centerpiece for our holiday feasts. If you shop at Costco, you may have noticed their smoked turkey and wondered – is Costco smoked turkey good? I decided to buy one and find out!

After cooking and tasting the Kirkland Signature Whole Smoked Turkey from Costco, I can definitively say this smoked bird is delicious. It has incredible smokey flavor at an unbeatable price. Read on for my full review including how it tastes how to cook it, carving tips, serving ideas, price details and more!

An Overview of Costco’s Smoked Turkey

The Kirkland Signature Whole Smoked Turkey is Costco’s house brand. It’s a fully cooked whole turkey that has been smoked to impart flavor throughout the meat. Smoking gives it a lovely golden brown color on the outside.

Unlike a traditional roasted turkey, there’s no need to cook this bird for hours on Thanksgiving day. It just needs to be briefly reheated since it’s already fully cooked when purchased. The smoked turkey is a seasonal item that Costco typically makes available in the fall around the holidays.

How Does Costco Smoked Turkey Taste?

The flavor is where this turkey really shines The smoke isn’t subtle – you’ll taste it in every bite The meat has a lovely hint of saltiness and the smokiness comes through beautifully,

It doesn’t have the classic Thanksgiving turkey flavor you might be used to, so if you want that traditional roast turkey taste this might not be the best option. But if you enjoy smoked meats like ham or bbq, you’ll love how infused with smoke the Costco turkey is.

The breast meat was surprisingly moist, even after reheating. Overall the texture was tender and juicy. Slicing it is easy since it retains moisture well. The skin gets nice and crispy when you broil it at the end too.

Simple Reheating Instructions

Since the Costco smoked turkey is already fully cooked, reheating it is quick and easy. Here are the basic instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove all packaging and place turkey breast-side up in a baking pan.

• Cover with foil and bake 10-15 minutes per pound until it reaches an internal temp of 165°F.

• Remove foil and broil for 3-5 minutes to crisp the skin.

• Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

And that’s it – so much faster and easier than roasting a raw turkey!

Carving and Serving the Turkey

The smoked turkey holds together beautifully when slicing, so carving it is mess-free. The meat doesn’t fall apart or shred.

It pairs well with classic Thanksgiving sides like mashed potatoes, stuffing, and veggies. For non-traditional pairings, try bbq sides like baked beans, coleslaw, or cornbread.

Leftovers hold up great in the fridge for several days. The smoky flavor even stands up to being turned into turkey sandwiches.

Price and Value Analysis

One of the best things about Costco’s smoked turkey is the price. It’s significantly cheaper than what grocery stores charge for comparable smoked turkeys.

At my local Costco, the whole smoked turkeys cost $2.99 per pound. For a 10 pound turkey, your total is around $30. Other grocery stores charge $40 or more for pre-cooked smoked turkeys of the same size.

Given the large size, premium smoked flavor, and bargain price, Costco’s turkey is a stellar value. It can easily feed a crowd for holiday meals or friendly gatherings year-round.

Availability of Smoked Turkey at Costco

The smoked turkey is a seasonal product. It usually becomes available at Costco locations around late October through December for the holidays. Once the New Year hits, it disappears from store shelves.

Your local warehouse may sell out quickly when they get it in stock. So if you want to get one, try checking with the meat department to find out when they expect smoked turkey deliveries. Grab one when you see it, and throw it in your freezer if needed.

You can’t order it online, unfortunately. The smoked turkey is only sold at Costco warehouse locations.

Is Costco’s Smoked Turkey Worth Buying?

After buying and tasting this turkey myself, I can safely say it’s absolutely worth buying if you want delicious smoked flavor at an unbeatable price.

The quality is superb, especially considering the low price per pound compared to other precooked smoked turkeys. It reheats beautifully and looks impressive on a holiday table.

If you don’t like heavy smoke flavor, you may want to opt for a traditional roasted turkey instead. But for those who enjoy rich smoky meat, Costco’s smoked turkey hits the spot on all fronts. It’s affordable, convenient, and bursting with finger-licking flavor.

Key Benefits of Costco’s Smoked Turkey

Here are some of my favorite benefits of buying your holiday turkey at Costco:

• Infused with rich, bold smoky flavor
• Juicy, tender texture
• Fully cooked – just reheat and serve
• Much cheaper than buying elsewhere
• Yields beautiful presentation when served
• Easy to carve and leftovers hold up nicely

The bottom line – if you want delicious smoked turkey on your holiday table without spending a fortune, Costco has you covered. Their house brand whole smoked turkey is absolutely worth purchasing for your Thanksgiving or Christmas feasts. Just remember to buy it when you see it, as it sells out quickly!

How long does turkey last in the fridge?

With your leftovers sitting in front of you, the first step in smart turkey storage is to think about what you’re going to do with them. Do you have a leftover turkey recipe that you’re already planning to try for Friday dinner? Or would you like to keep that delicious turkey in reserve for sometime down the road? Even though you may be exhausted from a day or two of cooking, entertaining and feasting, it’s still best to deal with your turkey in one way or another as soon as possible.

From a food safety perspective, it’s important to minimize the time your turkey spends in the “Danger Zone,” or between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. The USDA notes that food has a limit of two hours at room temperature before bacteria growth becomes an issue.

Asking the experts how long cooked turkey keeps in the fridge yields a range of answers. LG’s resident culinary expert Brian Karam recommends capping it at one to two days, but also suggests that “time can be maximized by keeping larger pieces whole and not making them smaller before refrigerating, [as] smaller pieces are more susceptible to air exposure and could hasten spoilage in refrigerator.” Aly Forster of Diestel Family Ranch says “you will want to consume within three to four days.” The USDA’s guidelines state that “Thanksgiving leftovers are safe to eat up to four days in the refrigerator.” At the furthest end of the spectrum, Patrick L. Guzzle, vice president of food science at the National Restaurant Association says that “seven days is the maximum time recommended for cooked foods to be stored in the refrigerator.”

The wide variation in answers largely comes down to the difference between food safety and food quality. Guzzle points out that “Food safety is primarily concerned with harmful microbiological organisms, [and] may veer from what an average consumer might consider for quality (i.e., taste, texture, aroma, etc.)” Fortunately, Forster adds, “We like to say ‘poultry isn’t shy’—one whiff easily lets you know if that meat is still wholesome!” Ultimately, when using leftovers, Forster concludes, you’ll need to use your best judgment to determine how long you feel comfortable within this range. Be sure, she notes, to “inspect the turkey for any signs of spoilage.” Or as I like to say, “When in doubt, throw it out.”

If you’ve only got enough turkey left for a few sandwiches and a batch of turkey jook, keeping your leftover meat in the fridge will be enough. But if you have enough for a couple more full feasts, then you’ll want to think about freezing that turkey for the future.

We’ve still got half a bird!

You’re not alone. Whether you’re buying a frozen Butterball turkey, a heritage bird from your local butcher shop, or a smaller turkey breast, leftovers are almost a given. According to a 2011 USDA study, around 35% of turkey is wasted each year, so understanding how to best store your leftovers goes a long way to reducing the amount of turkey that ends up in landfills and compost heaps. That statistic feels even larger when you learn that the National Turkey Federation reports that 88% of Americans eat turkey on Thanksgiving, and Butterball’s senior brand manager Chad McFadden notes that 79% of consumers surveyed for a 2023 report planned to buy a whole bird. McFadden also says that the most popular Thanksgiving turkey option weighs between 16 and 20 pounds, and the average guest count for the holiday is nine people, with a suggested estimate of 1 to 1.5 pounds of turkey per person. After we do some quick turkey math, this